After several years of plain numbering, OnePlus could finally launch another Pro or Ultra model with this year’s OnePlus 16 range.
It’s been four years since the launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro. The following year, OnePlus ditched the Pro phone option, and has stuck to plain numbering for its flagship range ever since.
Indeed, any added letters (like the OnePlus 15R) have merely been used to denote a lesser model.
That could all be set to change in 2026, with a OnePlus 16 Pro (or maybe even OnePlus 16 Ultra) release mooted by tipster OnePlus Club.
What to expect from the OnePlus 16 Pro or Ultra
The poster refers to this souped up Pro/Ultra model as an “all-rounder”, which is a curious way to refer to what would presumably be a premium flagship.
It might be in reference to the OnePlus 15’s relative technical shortcomings, most notably with its downgraded camera hardware. Presumably an Ultra follow-up would compete with rivals in the camera department just as it would on the performance and stamina front.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The tipster claims that OnePlus is readying this step-up model in response to “user feedback”, which I’d read as a reference to grumbles over those aforementioned camera rollbacks. These included smaller image sensors and the loss of Hasselblad’s colour tuning chops.
Of course, it’s worth remembering that we weren’t totally sold on the OnePlus 10 Pro back in 2022, finding that its inconsistent camera in particular made it a worse bet than its more impressive flagship rivals.
It wasn’t until the plainly named OnePlus 11 that the series made noteworthy strides in these departments. No Pro or Ultra required there, nor with the fabulous OnePlus 13.
Author: Jon Mundy, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Jon is a freelance journalist who got his start covering mobile games at the dawn of the App Store. He has since covered everything from smart home tech and laptops to food and culture, but always seems to return to his fascination with smartphones.