It's hard to believe that the OnePlus 11 may be the final smartphone to ring out the end of 2022. After the iPhone 14 and Google Pixel 7 reveal over the last few months, OnePlus still has its next Android flagship up its sleeve — and it's gearing up to be an interesting one.
Not only is the South China-based tech giant expected to return to form in terms of naming after the OnePlus 10 Pro and OnePlus 10T, but the OnePlus 11 is also set to be among the first smartphones to be equipped with Qualcomm's all-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.
With OnePlus already drip-feeding small details leading up to the launch of its next big smartphone, we may not have to wait much longer for the OnePlus 11 (or OnePlus 11 Pro). After rummaging around the web, here's everything we know about the OnePlus 11.
OnePlus 11 release date rumors
While there's no official word of when the OnePlus 11 will launch, word on the street is the next Android flagship could arrive as soon as the end of 2022. That means over the next month.
According to notable leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the OnePlus will be announced by the end of the year. There's reason to believe this, as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip announcement has sparked a race for brands to be the first phone with the next-gen processor.
What's more, OnePlus has officially stated (via Trusted Reviews) that its next phone will “be the first to carry the second-generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform.” However, this is through Google Translate, so this could mean among the first rather than the actual first.
Another leak from notable tipster OnLeaks and tech site GadgetGang claimed that the OnePlus 11 will launch in the first quarter of 2023. This is likely, considering past OnePlus launches.
The OnePlus 10 Pro was revealed in China back in January 2022, meaning we could see the OnePlus 11 launch at the start of 2023 instead. However, for its global release, it won't be until later in 2023. OnePlus' previous smartphones launched around the same time, with the OnePlus 10 Pro being available in March 2022, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro in March 2021, and the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro in April 2020.
The sooner the OnePlus 11 launches in China, the sooner it will presumably launch around the world. It's likely to be around March 2022, but we won't know for certain until it's officially announced. Sit tight.
OnePlus 11 price
OnePlus is known for delivering flagship specs at relatively competitive prices, and with the rumor mill indicating there may be no "Pro" model this time around, it may see a more affordable price tag compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro.
According to 9to5Google, OnePlus' Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 announcement only speaks of the OnePlus 11, with no "Pro" branding. This means instead of scrapping the standard model in the OnePlus 10 lineup, the company may be ditching the Pro model instead.
If that's the case, we could see similar pricing to the OnePlus 9, starting at $729/£629. However, if it's only ditching the "Pro" moniker but still delivering a high-spec device, it may be similar to the OnePLus 10 Pro, starting at $899/£799.
Pricing is trickier to predict for the upcoming flagship, but if it's anything like the OnePlus 9, expect a sub-$800 price tag.
OnePlus 11 design
With every new flagship phone launch comes a slightly updated design, and if these leaked renders from @OnLeaks (via 91Mobiles and Smartprix) are to be believed, the OnePlus 11 will be similar to what we've seen on other recent smartphones like the Huawei Mate 50. In other words, prepare for circular design.
Partnering with notable leaker OnLeaks on Twitter, tech site GadgetGang revealed an "official press release" image of the upcoming OnePlus 11. It shares a similar design to the renders from the aforementioned leak, but this time it shows off two color options: Forest Emerald and Volcanic Black. No other colors were shown, but OnePlus may show off a few more options when its next flagship is officially revealed.
Instead of the squared-off camera housing on the OnePlus 10 Pro, it appears the OnePlus 11 will have a circular camera bump with three lenses and a LED flash spaced like a square. Plus, you can expect the "Hasselblad" logo in the center this time.
According to the report, the camera array will retain its usual black look and may use "glossy material" to make up the bump. As for color options, expect Forest Emerald and Volcanic Black. No other colors were shown, but OnePlus may show off a few more options when its next flagship is officially revealed.
As for the front, the leaks state that we can expect a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, with the hole-punch camera appearing at the top-left corner of the screen. Oh, and the alert slider is expected to be making a return, too.
OnePlus 11 specs
The OnePlus 11 is confirmed to come with the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, meaning it will see another jump in chip performance compared to 2022's list of 8 Gen 1-equipped smartphones.
The next-generation flagship mobile chipset that's set to deliver a 35% performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a new Cognitive ISP to enhance photos and videos, and more efficient AI-based tasks. What's more, it's set to bring ray tracing to mobile gaming.
With ray tracing now enabled on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, you can expect more realistic visuals when gaming on mobile. It means more accurate light behavior, reflections, shadows, and illuminations. That means the OnePlus 11 is looking to be a quality smartphone for gamers.
According to Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (via Pocket-lint), the OnePlus 11 is also set to boast a whopping 16GB of RAM. That's as much as the Asus ROG Phone 5, and paired with the might of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, this Android phone's performance could be through the roof. What's more, it's expected to have speedy UFS 4.0 storage.
OnePlus excels in the battery department, and the OnePlus 11 is looking no different — if the leaks can be believed. Expect a 5000mAh battery with 100W charging. This could mean a similar battery life to the OnePlus 10 Pro (11 hours and 56 minutes), and if that's the case, it may make it onto our list of phones with the best battery life.
Of course, these are just rumors for now, so take this in with a pinch of salt. Still, with the claimed might of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, the OnePlus 11 should impress.
OnePlus 11 cameras
Cameras weren't the strongest point of the OnePlus 10 Pro, which boasted a 48MP wide (ƒ/1.8), 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), 8MP 3.3x telephoto (f/2.4), and 32MP front-facing camera.
According to @OnLeaks (via 91Mobiles), we could see a slight rearrangement on the three expected lenses. The triple camera system is tipped to include a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide lens, and a 32MP 2x telephoto lens. What's more, we're also expecting a 16MP selfie camera. Whether these will be an improvement over the previous models? Only will tell.
Outlook
The OnePlus 11 is already looking to be quite the Android flagship, seeing how it will include the might of the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It won't be much longer until we see the company's next OnePlus addition launch, and it could be a strong start to 2023's lineup of Android smartphones.
Stay tuned for further updates, and in the meantime, check out what else is tipped to make a splash next year, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Ultra.
