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On April 21, Oppo will launch the Find X9 Ultra, its ultimate smartphone for 2026. This isn’t notable only for that reason though, as on that day, Oppo will announce the phone for global release.
Yes, global release, and while Oppo’s definition of global is still to be determined, it’s potentially worrying news for stablemate OnePlus.
Why the Find X9 Ultra is exciting
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is all set to be the brand’s top camera phone, and it’s not doing something as basic as putting a 200-megapixel camera on the back and calling the job a good one.
It has engineered a special telephoto camera using what it calls the Quintuple Prism Reflection Periscope Structure, where light is reflected across five different specially arranged surfaces inside the phone.
Through this, the Find X9 Ultra will deliver a 10x optical zoom, and a 20x optical quality zoom, which will be an industry first. Remember, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 10x optical quality zoom, after Samsung discontinued the 10x optical zoom with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
To make the 10x optical zoom as usable as possible, Oppo has built an all-new Sensor Shift optical stabilization system, to ensure camera shake doesn’t interfere with your photos.
Oppo’s Chief Product Officer Pete Lau said:
The pursuit of ultimate imaging has always been the mission of the Find X Series. With Find X9 Ultra, we’ve achieved something truly extraordinary, and are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with smartphone zoom. This is not just another flagship, it’s your next camera.
Why OnePlus will be worried
Rumors have been gathering around the future of OnePlus in the global market recently, with reports suggesting the brand will shut up shop in multiple countries, and focus on specific locations with mid-range devices.
Oppo and OnePlus share many resources, including research and development, and software. Oppo has not made a strong impact globally with its flagship phones for a while, while OnePlus has built up a strong following with its value-driven, high-quality “flagship killers.”
While Oppo hasn’t announced the superb Find N6 folding phone for global release, confirmation the Find X9 Ultra will be released outside China may be a further indication OnePlus is moving away from flagship phones, as Oppo introduces its top devices instead.
We’ll find out where Oppo will release the Find X9 Ultra on April 21, and it may precede an announcement of OnePlus’s fate.