Feels like there are no good phones this year
Hi all, I switched from an iPhone XR to a OnePlus 11 in 2023 after years of complaining about being an Apple customer. I had tried several Samsung phones over the years and thought I did not like Android, but it turns out I just do not like Samsung.
I had been waiting for the OnePlus Open 2, or hoping the OnePlus 15 would finally deliver an elite camera system, but I have pretty much given up, especially with OnePlus seemingly pulling out of the North American market.
I buy my phones outright and just need them to work on Verizon in the U.S. I am not looking for carrier deals.
What I really want this year is the best possible combination of elite battery life, fast charging, and an elite camera. I do not care about wireless charging.
It seems like every manufacturer this year is either keeping the most interesting models out of North America or only offering mid-range phones with major compromises. I assume tariffs are part of that, but either way, the U.S. options feel pretty disappointing. A year or two ago the phone I'm looking for would probably have been the OnePlus 13 or OnePlus Open, I'm not seeing an obvious successor in 2026 (OP15 opted for that major compromise path).