Is There Any Point In Buying A OnePlus Phone Now?

OnePlus began as a firebrand Android imprint that combined incredibly slick value-for-money phones with marketing gimmicks that strayed on the distasteful side to serve a young, vocal, nerdy, and passionate crowd. The company, part of a larger Chinese conglomerate that includes domestic powerhouse Oppo, later became known for stellar imagery through its focus on hardware and a software partnership with camera producer Hasselblad. Now, as the manufacturer says it will no longer release new products to the North American and Europe markets, it seems the cynics have come out to make plays on its longtime tagline, "Never Settle." Surely, OnePlus has settled, hasn't it?

If you've been thinking about grabbing a OnePlus phone, either as an honest-to-goodness upgrade or as a more sentimental token, you might be wondering how long you'll be able to make OnePlus phones last given the situation. Well, for one thing, the company says you shouldn't fret, as it will continue to fully service devices based on the support promises it has made. Perhaps the factor that gives OnePlus the leg on longevity against Apple, Samsung, and Google is in the battery department.

OnePlus was light on specifics in its big announcement, but it did promise users it would be doling out software support to several OnePlus models for as long as has been previously pledged. For the OnePlus 15 and 15R, they'll be receiving Android updates through November 2029, and security patches through November 2031. Owners who prefer the OxygenOS user interface, however, will have to acquiesce to ColorOS, found on Oppo phones, if they intend to install Android 17 and future platform versions. Other OnePlus flagships dating back to 2023 are eligible for this same update.

Customers will also receive the same level of incidental damage as specified by their warranty or OnePlus Care package for as long as they're in effect. The company's mail-in repair service will also continue to run and is available to all customers whether they've purchased coverage or not. OnePlus offers a no-questions-asked 15-day policy for returns or replacements and a one-year limited warranty. It also refunds price differences from its own sales events on purchases made within 14 days, so if you spot a discount after checkout, make sure you claim your piece.

The OnePlus 15 features a massive 7,300mAh battery, while the slightly more affordable OnePlus 15R has the company's largest-ever unit in a phone at 7,400mAh. These batteries don't take up that much more space than the 5,000mAh-ish batteries on an iPhone 17 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, or Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, so what gives here? The short answer is that OnePlus is using silicon-carbon technology.

Conventional lithium-ion batteries use graphite (a form of carbon) as the main capacitor material for charging. By mixing in silicon, engineers are able to design batteries with higher density and capacity. Introducing silicon also brings risks, though, such as a greater tendency to swell while charging and discharging, as well as potentially faster battery degradation. That said, with marked capacities reaching way higher than ever before, and no widespread reports of major failures, it seems as though the technology has made some quiet gains in extending the typical battery's useful life.

Reducing exposure to heat also helps lithium-ion cells last longer, and the way OnePlus does that is through SuperVOOC, a charging technology pioneered by sister brand Oppo. Whereas most other phones have power management components that can start to heat up when they get busy, SuperVOOC puts those components and responsibilities into the adapter itself. 

The OnePlus 15 and 15R can take up to 80 watts from a SuperVOOC adapter in the United States, and up to 100 watts in other regions. All of this should mean that a new OnePlus phone should last you through your entire day for many days to come, even when you'll be jealous of those who'll be able to buy the OnePlus 20 in five years. But hey, at least your phone's battery might be in better shape than your friends'.