At the Snapdragon Summit 2025 in Goa, Qualcomm and OnePlus underlined why their long-standing partnership continues to define the premium smartphone experience. While much of the industry debates whether a flagship phone needs a flagship chip, both companies made it clear: the OnePlus 15 will once again carry Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Saurabh Arora, Head of Mobile, Compute and XR Business at Qualcomm India, dismissed the notion that performance leadership has become secondary. “Consumers want seamless, intelligent experiences. For that, features matter. And new features always come first on the latest flagship chips,” he said.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Efficiency Meets Power
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 brings several improvements over last year’s chip, not only in raw performance but also in efficiency. According to Arora, the CPU is 23% more power efficient, while graphics efficiency has improved by 35%. Overall, the new platform delivers around 17% better power efficiency compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 4, without compromising performance.
“This is the most powerful mobile CPU in the industry today,” Arora noted. “With upgrades across CPU, GPU and NPU, it enables advanced AI use cases such as live video segmentation, real-time editing, and enhanced gaming performance, all while extending battery life.”
OnePlus 15: Built on Collaboration
Robin Liu, CEO of OnePlus India, reiterated that OnePlus’ collaboration with Qualcomm remains central to its product philosophy. “From the OnePlus One in 2014 to today, we have always brought the best Qualcomm chipsets to our users,” Liu said. “The OnePlus 15 will be no different. We want to deliver not just performance, but meaningful AI features that improve daily life.”
Liu pointed out that OnePlus’ AI strategy focuses on practical applications such as multitasking, work, and productivity, areas where Snapdragon’s NPU acceleration will play a crucial role.
AI as the Defining Feature
AI is set to be the key talking point for the OnePlus 15. With Qualcomm’s on-device AI capabilities, the upcoming smartphone will be able to handle advanced workloads natively, from generative AI features to creator tools. “It’s no longer about just higher gigahertz,” said Arora. “It’s about how efficiently AI can be deployed to enhance real-world usage.”
Looking Ahead
Both companies hinted that the OnePlus 15 is not just about raw power but about balancing performance, efficiency and AI innovation. For Qualcomm, the message is clear: a flagship experience still begins with a flagship chip. And for OnePlus, that means the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be at the heart of its next big launch.
As Arora summed it up: “No flagship chip, no flagship phone. The OnePlus 15 with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 embodies that belief.”
