OnePlus 15 Heats Up the Competition: Can Samsung Keep Up?

Chinese smartphone brands are really stepping up their game this year. With impressive launches from Redmi, vivo and Xiaomi, OnePlus is now joining the competition with the new OnePlus 15. What’s interesting is that OnePlus has a solid presence in the US market, which is a big deal for a Chinese brand. This year, they've packed some serious upgrades into their flagship, making people wonder if they should skip waiting for the Galaxy S26 and just grab the OnePlus 15 instead.

I saw a poll asking if the OnePlus 15, with its massive 7,300mAh battery, 120W charging, and other impressive specs, is more exciting than what we’ve heard about the Galaxy S26. Surprisingly, most people are leaning towards OnePlus right now.

Out of over 4,000 votes, a significant 71% are more excited about the OnePlus 15 than any of the Galaxy S26 models. Some people are saying that Samsung has been ignoring what customers want, like bigger batteries and faster charging. Instead, Samsung keeps offering the same battery size and slow charging, claiming efficiency gains. One participant commented that Samsung is ignoring their customers at their own peril.

Someone else pointed out that Samsung only started acting this way after Huawei and Xiaomi were banned from the US. It seems like competition is good for everyone, pushing companies to innovate and listen to their customers.

However, 21% of voters are still sticking with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which might be Samsung’s only true flagship next year. The regular S26 and S26 Plus got only 5% and 3% of the votes, respectively. I think the Galaxy S26 still has a chance, especially if the new Exynos 2600 chip improves battery life. One survey taker mentioned that although the charging on Samsung is still slow, their One UI is much better than OxygenOS, and camera results depend on the user. It is important to have great software too.

Another person mentioned that the battle isn't over, and Samsung just needs to rethink its strategy. They've been coasting for years, and while their software is great, the hardware hasn't changed much. I agree that Samsung needs to step up its game to stay competitive. However, I believe that this is Samsung, so they’ll bounce back.

Some people are used to buying Samsung phones and will continue to do so, pointing out small issues in other brands while ignoring the big flaws in their own. This brand loyalty is a powerful thing, and it can be hard to sway people away from what they know and trust. It's like when someone only buys a certain brand of car, even if there are better options out there.

Maybe this OnePlus surge is partly due to the rumors about the Galaxy S26. Leaks suggest that the base S26 might reuse the same cameras from the S25, with only a small increase in battery capacity and the same 25W wired charging. The Plus and Ultra models don’t seem to have major changes either, except for possible Qi2 wireless charging. Plus, there are rumors of canceled Edge and Pro versions. No wonder people aren't as excited about the S26 lineup this time around.

OnePlus 15 is shaping up to be an exciting flagship, and it’s great to see real competition in the premium Android space again. That said, Samsung is still ahead when it comes to software, update commitment, and overall polish. One UI is the gold standard for Android, and Samsung’s ecosystem strength can’t be matched overnight. So, the OnePlus 15 isn’t going to destroy the Galaxy S26 series, but it’s a good reminder that Samsung can’t afford to rest on its laurels.