OnePlus has launched its latest flagship smartphone OnePlus 15 in a live event today. This is supposed to mark the phone’s availability outside China, where it arrived in October, but the US government shutdown apparently scuppered the manufacturer’s plans. “As is the case with every smartphone manufacturer, the United States Federal Communications Commission certifies OnePlus devices before they can be sold in the US,” Spencer Blank, Head of Marketing and Communications for OnePlus North America, said in a statement. “As a result of the government shutdown, device certification has been delayed.” This means that the US release of the model has been postponed until the FCC approves its certifications.
The company said that OnePlus 15 has already gone through all the necessary tests from laboratories accredited by the government agency. The submission of formal applications for certificates has also been finished, and at this point it is simply a matter of waiting for approval. “We are hopeful that approval can come quickly and, as a result, we can bring the OnePlus 15 to our customers in the US faster,” Blank said.
The OnePlus 15 is the first phone to come with OxygenOS 16, which is based on the company’s Android 16. The OS combines Android’s new customization options with smoother animations and AI-enabled features. The OnePlus 15 will be available in Canada today as planned. Those living in the US can visit the company’s page for US customers, where they can type in their contact details to be notified when they can purchase the device. Buyers in the US will have to pay $900 for the variant with 12GB memory and 256GB storage, while the variant with 16GB memory and 512GB storage will cost $1,000.