OnePlus 15 may see a price hike in India and other brands could follow for the same reason

Highlights
  • OnePlus 15 could launch in India at Rs 72,999.
  • In comparison, the OnePlus 13 debuted at Rs 69,999.
  • This would mean a price hike of Rs 3,000. 

OnePlus 15 is launching in India tomorrow as the first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phone in the country. The smartphone debuts a new design with a smaller and more minimalist square camera module. It also marks the end of OnePlus’s partnership with Hasselblad for photography. OnePlus 15 has made its debut in China, so we already know its specifications and features. The only detail, and possibly the most important one, remaining is the OnePlus 15’s price. We hadn’t heard anything yet, but just a day before its launch, the pricing had leaked through a major retailer in India. 

OnePlus 15 was spotted on the Reliance Digital website by Beebom. Here, the smartphone was listed for Rs 72,999 for the base model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. The listing has been taken down, but if you search for OnePlus 15 Reliance Digital, then you’ll find listing results with the leaked price. The 16GB + 512GB variant of the OnePlus 15 is listed for Rs 79,999.

Although not official, the leaked pricing indicates that we could see a price hike of Rs 3,000 for the OnePlus 15 over last year’s OnePlus 13, which launched at Rs 69,999 for the base variant. Interestingly, OnePlus doesn’t seem to be the only brand, as leaks have suggested the iQOO 15 and OPPO Find X9 will also launch at a higher price.

Leaks are not to be believed until we get official confirmation, but there seems to be a pattern here, and one that corroborates a recent report about phones getting expensive after the festive sale. According to a Money Control report, brands including OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Samsung have already begun raising prices due to rising memory costs, supply chain pressures, and the rupee’s depreciation. Xiaomi even cited the growing demand for AI features as a key factor driving memory prices up, a trend that could continue into 2026.

OPPO has already hiked prices of the Reno 14 and Reno 14 Pro by Rs 2,000 each, while Vivo has increased them by around Rs 500 for its popular T4x and T4x Lite budget handsets.  

Simply put, flagship and mid-range phones alike are likely to get pricier in the coming months. If the OnePlus 15 launches at a higher price, other brands will likely follow. How this impacts sales remains to be seen, but since the trend affects multiple players, the consumer backlash may be more tempered. 

Like the previous models, the OnePlus 15 packs solid hardware starting with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. This time, OnePlus has also introduced its gaming technology, designed to deliver a console-like gaming experience coupled with support for 165 FPS. The flagship also has a bigger 7,300mAh battery, which is more than the OnePlus 13’s 6,000mAh unit. The camera bit is tricky without the Hasselblad branding and the usage of the in-house DetailMax image engine. It has also been reported that the OnePlus 15 has smaller camera sensors and a slower aperture. This could see some downgrades in the overall camera quality, but we should still reserve judgment before reviewing it. 

With the potential price increase, it does get tricky for buyers. But considering the phone’s specifications and performance, the OnePlus 15 is still a highly anticipated flagship. When it comes to a buying decision, those looking for a big upgrade may consider it for the performance and battery upgrades. However, if you own a OnePlus 13, waiting for comprehensive camera reviews is advisable given the changes.