OnePlus 15 tipped to launch in China on October 27, and it steals something straight from the iPhone 16 Pro Max

OnePlus 15 Promotional shots
(Image credit: OnePlus)

The OnePlus 15 is right around the corner, and the company has been hard at work posting promotional shots of the new Android flagship on Chinese social media. The latest images show the phone in its upcoming "Sand Dune" color which looks like a softly muted golden hue.

And if you're thinking it bears something of a resemblance to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max's Desert Titanium shade, I won't disagree with you.

A separate image shows the phone's display and also gives us a pretty obvious clue about when it'll receive its official launch. The phone's display shows October 27, which lines up perfectly with OnePlus' previous launch — the OnePlus 13 arrived in China on October 31 last year.

It then arrived in the US a few months later, in January. While we would normally expect the OnePlus 15 to do the same and land in North America in January 2026, there has been some speculation that the international launch could happen as soon as November.

OnePlus 15 promotional image showing the likely release date on the display.

OnePlus 15 promotional image showing the likely release date on the display. (Image credit: OnePlus)

According to reports, the OnePlus 15 will feature a body constructed from aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal. OnePlus says it’s 134% harder than titanium, 223% harder than stainless steel, and 344% tougher than anodized aluminum. Whether or not that proves accurate is going to be hard to fact-check but we'll certainly be testing this phone for durability as and when we're able to secure a review unit.

OnePlus has also already confirmed the phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform. The current Snapdragon 8 Elite powers many of the best Android phones, so the OnePlus 15 could blow past them when it drops.

Rounding out some of the rumors, the phone will likely sport a 6.78-inch 1.5K display with a 165Hz refresh rate and bezels that are just 1.15mm thick. Alongside the Sand Dune color, it's also expected to come in "Absolute Black" and "Mist Purple".

Pricing is unknown at this point, but the OnePlus 13 arrived with a starting price of $899/£899 for a 12GB/256GB spec. Our review called it the best Android phone for the money, and hopefully, OnePlus is preparing to repeat that feat for 2026.

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Jeff Parsons
UK Editor In Chief

Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s travelled the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops.

A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when technical problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing out the dust.

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