Exclusive: 'It goes beyond megapixels', says OnePlus India CEO Navnit Nakra as battle for 200MP camera intensifies

With 200-megapixel now becoming the norm among top-end smartphones, will OnePlus' new '11' range of flagship smartphones attract buyers with their 50MP cameras?  Despite more and more brands entering into the 200-megapixel league with their latest launches, OnePlus has decided to keep itself at arm's length from this unspoken battle of the smartphone industry. Zee Business spoke exclusively to OnePlus India CEO Navnit Nakra on the sidelines of the Cloud 11 event that witnessed the launch of the smartphone maker's latest range — OnePlus 11, OnePlus 11R, OnePlud Bud 2 Pro, OnePlus Pad, etc — to know more about the company's strategy going ahead. Here are excerpts:

Q: How well are OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 11R placed among competitors?

A: "We have brought several community-centric elements back into the phone. One of the most exciting changes that we have done is that OnePlus is offering better cameras and phenomenal ecosystem connectivity. So the community members who wanted to get their devices, for example, OnePlus Pad, television or Buds Pro connected, will be very excited with the new products.

The second thing that I think we have done well is to listen to the community and bring some of those features back which were missing in some of the previous generations. I think we are going back closer to the community and at the end of the day we focus on what we do well and not the rest of the world. I think we are listening to the community and we believe it will be a great success."

Q: When most smartphone companies have now crossed the 200-megapixel threshold in their cameras, why has OnePlus stuck to 50MP snappers for its latest OnePlus 11 series?

A: "There are few elements of the camera which a digital photographer or even an amateur photographer looks at. I will talk about two such features. The first one is image stabilisation. Just to give an example, if you are cycling or skateboarding or even riding and taking photos, it is not always the quality of the camera (i.e. megapixels), but how it operates within the ecosystem of your device that brings that steady quality. The second thing, something which became extremely popular after Covid, that I am talking about is people are now taking shots at their homes whether it's early morning or late at night. So late-night photography, low-light photography and photography at every nook and corner of your own ecosystem is important. That's why it goes beyond the megapixels and also it is important to know what people do with that picture. Is it crisp, is it clear and is it better than what they have already done? These are things that the community is focused on. So to answer your question, we are getting to great specs but we are getting to great photographs as well."

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Q: What type of business you are expecting from products, including OnePlus 11R?

A: "The early feedback that we are seeing — from our customers and community who have seen the product or tried it — is very encouraging."

Q: What can we expect next from OnePlus?

A: In the next two to three quarters, you are going to see something more exciting from the OnePlus family. So stay tuned.