OnePlus’s next flagship is one step closer to launch, as the OnePlus 16 has reportedly received network access certification in China, revealing key connectivity and hardware details months ahead of its expected unveiling. The listing, first highlighted by tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo, confirms support for the N79 5G band and lines up with a growing wave of leaks pointing to a high-end spec sheet built around Qualcomm’s upcoming top-tier chipset.

According to the tipster, the OnePlus 16 will be one of only two phones in its sub-series to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen6 Pro processor, a yet-to-be-announced flagship chip expected to be built on a 2nm manufacturing process with next-generation Oryon CPU cores and upgraded Adreno graphics. OnePlus has already teased that the device will debut its new “Wind Chaser Gaming Core,” “E-Sports Triple Chip,” and advanced high-refresh-rate technologies, signaling a continued focus on performance and gaming as core selling points.

The display has been one of the most heavily discussed features in recent weeks. Digital Chat Station confirmed the device will use a BOE 1.5K 185Hz high-refresh-rate panel from the company’s new Oriental screen lineup, featuring multiple new display technologies for better brightness, color accuracy, and power efficiency. Engineering prototypes are also said to use LIPO ultra-narrow four-sided bezel construction, potentially delivering the slimmest symmetrical bezels ever on a OnePlus flagship, measuring under 1mm on all sides. Earlier plans for a 240Hz option were reportedly scrapped due to image quality tradeoffs and mass-production challenges.

For cameras, the same tipster outlined a dual-upgrade approach: an HPE main camera sensor paired with a JN5 telephoto lens, noting that final image quality will ultimately depend heavily on OnePlus’s tuning and algorithm work rather than hardware alone. Other rumored features include a larger dual-cell battery with full 100W fast charging, more aggressive three-core performance scheduling, and LPDDR6 RAM paired with high-speed UFS storage.

N79 5G Band Sparks Discussion Among Users

The certification’s mention of N79 5G support triggered a lively debate in Weibo comment sections, with many users questioning why the band is being framed as a notable feature when it appeared on older devices. Industry insider Mu Yu Chen Xiao explained that while N79 was widely supported on budget devices years ago and never required an OTA update to activate, many flagship phones released in the past two years quietly removed the band from their spec sheets to cut production costs. The return of N79 on the OnePlus 16 is therefore seen as a deliberate premium addition rather than a standard baseline feature.

Pricing Rumors Point to 4999 Yuan Starting Point

As first reported by Weibo Smart Search, multiple industry bloggers expect the OnePlus 16 to carry a starting price of 4,999 yuan for an 8GB+256GB configuration, with a top-tier 16GB+1TB limited edition reaching as high as 7,499 yuan. Notably, rising storage chip costs could push OnePlus to reduce the base memory from the 12GB found on the OnePlus 15 back down to 8GB, a move that has already proven controversial among fans who expect 12GB to be the new standard for flagship devices.

Launch Will Skip Europe and North America

The OnePlus 16 is expected to make its official debut in October 2026 in China, with a separate launch likely for India. However, the device will expected not be released in Europe or North America, following OnePlus’s official announcement in mid-July that it is ending all new product launches in those regions. The company said the decision is designed to streamline software development and deliver faster, more reliable updates to remaining markets, with the OnePlus 15 serving as the last flagship officially sold through Western channels. Existing devices will continue to receive software and security support, but future flagships like the OnePlus 16 will only be available to Western buyers through third-party importers, with no official warranty or local network optimization.

Source: Chinese