OnePlus 16 Leak Suggests Major Camera Upgrades With 200MP Periscope Sensor

by Aaron Leong — Tuesday, April 07, 2026, 10:15 AM EDT

According to a new rumor first reported by Phone Arena, the upcoming OnePlus 16 isn't just going to rock one of the thinnest bezels on the market, it will also feature a 200-megapixel Samsung HP5 primary camera. Whether the new phone makes it to North America, however, is another story (oh look, we covered it).

Sure, high megapixel counts are not exactly a novelty, but OnePlus is reportedly jumping on the 200MP bandwagon nonetheless for its telephoto or periscope lens. Sister brand Oppo has been doing the same thing, focusing on ultra-high resolution to enhance hybrid zoom capabilities, so if this rumor holds true and OnePlus gets the tuning right, the OnePlus 16 could prove to be a powerful long-distance shooter compared to the previous generation's 50MP unit. Complementing this is a rumored 50MP primary sensor and a specialized multi-spectral sensor designed to improve color accuracy.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 16 is expected to debut Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. Built on a 2nm process, this not-yet-announced chipset is believed to feature significantly expanded cache sizes, including 16MB of L2 cache, to better handle high-intensity gaming and multitasking without throttling. The performance package is further bolstered by the potential inclusion of DDR6 memory, which would make the OnePlus 16 one of the first consumer devices to utilize the next generation memory technology.

Prior leaks have hinted that the front display could have record-breaking slim bezels measuring under 1.0mm. The screen itself is said to be a 1.5K OLED panel with 240Hz refresh rate compared to the OnePlus 15's 165Hz. In all honestly, on a screen of this size, not many users will be able to appreciate the new model's high refresh rate.

OnePlus could also implement a 9,000mAh 'Glacier' battery. If true, this phone (like its predecessor) has the potential to widen its endurance lead over the competition.

While these early specs point to a device that could outclass the Galaxy S26 Ultra in raw numbers, they also hint at a corresponding price hike. Estimates place the starting cost around CNY 5,000 (roughly $700–$800 USD), with global pricing likely trending toward the $1,000 mark or higher.

The bigger question is whether the OnePlus 16 will even be available outside of China. News has been brewing over troubled times over at OnePlus HQ, with claims that parent company Oppo could be absorbing the brand into its fold, effectively taking OnePlus out of most global markets.