OnePlus might shift entirely to Snapdragon processors starting with the OnePlus 12

Qualcomm is arguably the most popular chip manufacturer for Android phones at the moment, as well as Android tablets to a somewhat lesser extent. OnePlus, for example, has been one of the phone manufacturers that tends to favor the Snapdragon chipsets from Qualcomm when designing a new phone.

However, the latest whispers in the mobile tech space say that OnePlus is actually planning on using only Snapdragon chipsets starting next year (via GizmoChina). That should mean even more affordable models such as the OnePlus Nord 3 or OnePlus Ace 2V, which featured MediaTek's Dimensity chipsets.

The information comes from Weibo user Digital Chat Station, who is a serial leaker from China with a good track record, and what they are saying fits quite well with the first phone we expect OnePlus to announce at the beginning of 2024, the OnePlus 12. Which processor from Qualcomm the OnePlus 12 will have exactly? Well, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 of course!

But the news of OnePlus going full-Snapdragon would also mean that its upcoming and highly anticipated OnePlus Fold (the company's first foldable), and future OnePlus Pad models will also have a Snapdragon chipset inside. In other words, if what Digital Chat Station is saying proves true, it could be a great way to predict the SoCs for future OnePlus devices.

For example, now we expect the OnePlus Nord 4 or 5 (depending on whether we see the Nord 4 released this year) to come with Qualcomm's mid-range processors, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3.

The question is, however, which Snapdragon chipset would OnePlus choose for the OnePlus 11T whenever/if it comes out? If we use history as our guideline, then the answer should be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, given that we still don't have a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 2.

The leaker has not specified whether this is some kind of partnership between Qualcomm and OnePlus or is simply a choice that the phone manufacturer has made.