OnePlus 10 Pro rumors: Launch date, price, cameras and more

The OnePlus 9 was one of our top phones of the year, achieving a CNET Editors’ Choice award for its solid performance and reasonable price. So what do we expect from its replacement, the OnePlus 10? 

We’ve scoured the internet for the most credible rumors and put together what we expect to see from the next flagship OnePlus phone, from launch date to design, display and cameras. We have high hopes for the phone, but with Samsung’s Galaxy S22 rumored to launch early next year as well — along with stiff competition from the iPhone 13 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro — OnePlus is going to have to fight hard to win a place in people’s pockets.

Here then is what we expect from the OnePlus 10 and 10 Pro. We’ll be keeping this article updated as more information comes to light so check back if you’re excited about the new phone. Keep in mind that all rumors should be taken with a pinch of salt.

OnePlus declined to comment on this rumor story.

When will the OnePlus 10 launch?

Current rumors, including a timeline tweeted by known leakster Max Jambor, suggest that the OnePlus 10 will launch in China first right at the beginning of next year, before getting a global release later in the year. Jambor’s timeline points toward a March date for the global release of the phone.

It’s possible then that we may just get something of a tease of the phone — or even just an acknowledgment that it exists — at CES 2022 in January with a more full launch, with global release timings and prices taking place later in the year, possibly at the MWC mobile tech show. The OnePlus 9 series launched in March this year, going on sale in April, so this time frame makes sense.

Typically, OnePlus hasn’t had much of a presence at either CES or MWC, but since being absorbed into Oppo, we expect to see more of OnePlus at these industry trade events, particularly as the rumored launch dates coincide with the events so neatly.

Will there be a OnePlus 10 Pro?

Current rumors, including the aforementioned timeline from Jambor, point toward a 10 Pro model and while the rumors haven’t definitely stated that there will be multiple models, it’s fair to assume that if there’s a “Pro” variant, there will also be a base OnePlus 10 as well. The “base model” and “pro model” strategy has been employed by OnePlus and many other phone makers for years now, and we expect OnePlus would likely continue it.

So we anticipate a OnePlus 10 base model with decent all-around specs and a more affordable price, paired with the Pro version that would offer improved camera specs and possibly a better, higher-resolution display. 

OnePlus 10 size, design, display and battery

Leaks from 91Mobiles suggest the 10 Pro will come with a 6.7-inch QHD Plus display, making it exactly the same size as the current OnePlus 9 Pro. There may be some aesthetic changes, however, as leaked renders suggest a redesigned camera unit that wraps around the edge of the phone. 

The display appears to dominate the front of the phone, broken by a hole-punch camera cut out in the top with curving glass at the sides. The display may have a 120Hz refresh rate — as seen on the OnePlus 9 Pro — and will likely include a fingerprint scanner hidden invisibly underneath it. 

The phone is rumored to include a 5,000mAh battery with support for 125W fast charging over a wired connection. The OnePlus 9 Pro supported 65W fast charging which already took the phone from 1% to full in just 30 minutes. Doubling that power output would mean you’d be able to get a huge amount of charge in a very short space of time — perfect if you’re heading out and need to give your phone a boost before you go.

OnePlus 10 cameras

Current leaks suggest that the cameras aren’t getting a significant change this time around. There’ll be three rear cameras, including a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens providing 3.3x optical zoom. Those are the same specs from the OnePlus 9 Pro. 

The Hasselblad branding appears to be there too, so it looks like the partnership between the iconic camera maker and OnePlus will continue. While it’s disappointing not to see any wild rumors around amazing new camera tech, a lot of the quality of phone photography comes down to the software integration. Indeed, the OnePlus 9 Pro didn’t massively impress, despite its good hardware, so we’re keen to see whether the new model will offer any major improvements in overall quality. 

There will apparently be a 32-megapixel front-facing camera however which is double the resolution of the previous 16-megapixel one found on the 9 Pro. 

OnePlus 10 specs and software 

The processor is the one thing we don’t need to guess at as OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau already announced that the phone will run Qualcomm’s new top-end mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The chip boasts a variety of potential upgrades, including support for 8K HDR video, improved night mode processing and overall power and efficiency boosts. We expect to see the same chip in both the base 10 and 10 Pro, as was the case with 9 and 9 Pro.

Lau also confirmed that the phone will run entirely new firmware, formed from a combination of OnePlus’s existing Oxygen OS and sister brand Oppo’s ColorOS. In a media briefing attended by CNET, Lau explained that the operating system will take the “fast and smooth” and “clean and lightweight” elements of OnePlus’ OxygenOS and the “reliable” and “feature-rich” parts of Oppo’s ColorOS to create a fresh experience for OnePlus phone users.

Both operating systems are based on Android, which will likely bring with it many of the new features available in Android 12 with a few tweaks related to this edition of ColorOS.

How much will the OnePlus 10 cost?

Prices aren’t known at the time of writing but we expect them to stay broadly the same as with the 9 series. The base 9 Pro (with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage) cost $969 at launch, while the upgraded version (12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage) cost $1,069. The base OnePlus 9 came in at a more reasonable $599.

Although these prices slightly undercut the prices of its main rivals, they’re hardly the “affordable” prices the brand was originally known for when it entered the market. Whether its closer ties with Oppo will help it offer solid specs for even less money remains to be seen.