Flagship launches are picking up pace with the iQOO 15 debuting today, followed by the Vivo X300 series on December 2nd. These mark the first wave of premium, high-performance Android flagships heading into 2026. But the lineup won’t be limited to top-tier phones alone. India is also set to get more affordable options like the OnePlus 15R on December 17th, and a continuation of compact flagships as well.
Yes, the compact form factor is sticking around, and three models are expected to launch in India soon. Two of these are the OnePlus 15s and Vivo X300 FE, successors to the OnePlus 13s and Vivo X200 FE, according to tipster Debayan Roy (@GadgetsData. The third could be the rumoured OPPO Reno 15 Mini, which would be a first for the Reno lineup.
OnePlus 15s (OnePlus 15T in China) would succeed the OnePlus 13s, which launched as the brand’s first compact flagship earlier this year. The tipster suggests the 15s will get a 6.3-inch flat OLED display, same as the 13s, but with a 165Hz refresh rate, like the flagship OnePlus 15. The smartphone will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is expected as the 13s also carries a flagship chipset.
Cameras are set to get a major upgrade if this leak is to be believed. OnePlus 15s is tipped to feature a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an ultra-wide camera. In comparison, the 13s has a dual-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor and a 50MP telephoto lens, a setup quite lacking for a flagship phone. With a third sensor, the OnePlus 15s would make a notable upgrade to the 13s.
Not just cameras, but also the battery capacity is set to get an upgrade. The OnePlus 15s is tipped to pack a 7,000mAh battery, a big jump from the 5,850mAh on the 13s. With these specs, the OnePlus 15s is set to offer a more refined compact flagship experience. However, pricing is a big question as all Android flagships are seeing a price hike, including the OnePlus 15. So, we’ll have to wait and see how the OnePlus 15s is positioned in terms of specs and pricing.
Coming to the Vivo X300 FE, there might be a major change here, in terms of the chipset. It was rumoured earlier, and reiterated in the latest leak, that Vivo will switch to Snapdragon for the X300 FE. The upcoming compact phone is tipped to be powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. This would be an upgrade from last year’s MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, and also be interesting to see how it affects the device’s overall performance. Its predecessor, the Vivo X200 FE, was no slouch for regular and intensive tasks, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 boasts major performance gains, so the upgrades would be worth checking out.
Up front, the Vivo X300 FE is tipped to feature a 6.3-inch 1.5K flat OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the same as the X200 FE. Camera specs might also remain unchanged, with a 50MP primary, 50MP periscope with 3x optical zoom, and an ultra-wide lens. It’s also said to house a 6,500mAh battery with 90W fast charging support, which again is what the X200 FE offers. Since these are unofficial specs, it’s best to wait for the final confirmation before jumping to conclusions.
As for the OPPO Reno 15 Mini, it would be a first for the Reno lineup, but this phone is also said to launch in India. It’s not the first time we’re hearing about it, though, as there have been rumours about a Mini model in the Reno 15 series. The Reno 15 that launched in China has a compact 6.32-inch display, but the global version is said to sport a bigger 6.59-inch display. So, there could be a Mini variant after all, joining as the third variant in the series. For now, the leaks are still early and somewhat inconsistent, so we’ll have to wait for clearer details to understand OPPO’s actual strategy.
With three compact phones slated to arrive in India in the near future, it’s exciting to see what they have to offer. We can expect these phones to be performance-oriented despite carrying an affordable price tag than their flagship counterparts. Also, the compact form factor makes for handy and comfortable use.
