OnePlus has announced that its next flagship smartphone, OnePlus 15, will be launching soon, but left little to imagination by revealing the first look of what it calls the “Sand Storm” edition, a design the company says is inspired by desert landscapes. The device is said to feature aerospace-grade Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) technology to its middle frame and camera module, an industry-first move.
What is MAO process?
The MAO process uses a high-voltage plasma treatment to grow a ceramic coating directly on the metal frame. OnePlus claims this coating is 3.4 times harder than aluminium and 1.3 times tougher than titanium, promising durability without compromising on sleekness. The eco-conscious process also leaves a lower environmental footprint.
Complementing the reinforced frame is a lightweight fibre-glass back, for better cooling and soft grip. The design reflects what the company calls a blend of “raw resilience with refined minimalism.”
OnePlus 15: What we know
Under the hood, OnePlus 15 will naturally carry forward the brand’s performance-first DNA. It will be among the first devices to run on Qualcomm’s newly-launched Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform, paired with OnePlus’ next-generation cooling system aimed at delivering sustained peak performance and energy efficiency.
OnePlus 15 Sand Storm edition looks elegant in true sense, but reading between the lines, it appears the company is ditching the “14” moniker for its next flagship. The reason behind it is likely due to the bad luck associated with the number 4 in Chinese traditions. But one cannot miss the design inspiration from OnePlus 13s, which ditched the flagship’s circular camera module for a boxy shape.
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