The cameras on OnePlus phones are not the strong point of those devices. And OnePlus seems to know that. But the solution the company is supposedly focusing on for the upcoming OnePlus 9 may be completely the wrong way to solve that.

Recently, reports surfaced that the new OnePlus 9, when it arrives next month, will feature a camera built with the help of Hasselblad. If this rumor is accurate, OnePlus may be wasting its time. Since camera hardware has never been an issue for OnePlus phones, partnering with a company that specializes in traditional photography does not seem like an appropriate solution to this problem. [Look at partnerships like Huawei and Leica or Sony and Zeiss. The exact details of how these companies work together vary, but usually it is a joint effort that involves tuning and designing all aspects of the hardware and software of the phone's camera.

However, these partnerships do not guarantee success. A look at the phones at the top of our Best Camera Phones list shows that the common denominator is good computational photography, not the name of a well-known camera manufacturer on the back of the handset. It helps that all but one of the 10 models on this list are made by Apple, Google, and Samsung. These three companies have sufficient resources to develop their own camera technology, but the rest of the smartphone market will have to follow these well-funded tech giants.

Assuming the leaks about OnePlus and Hasselblad are accurate, we still do not know exactly what the two companies have jointly developed. However, given OnePlus' track record with camera phones, it is doubtful that Hasselblad will really help.

Looking back over the past year of OnePlus' flagships, such as the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8T, one thing they all have in common is mediocre camera performance. Even the OnePlus 8 Pro, which we rated as capable of capturing high-quality photos, fails to produce consistent results when it comes to low-light and close-up portraits. This is different from the iPhone 11 Pro we tested, which has since been replaced by the iPhone 12 Pro, which handles photos even more admirably.

It's a similar story with OnePlus' budget Nord line. The original OnePlus Nord, with more dedicated camera lenses and a fairly decent low-light mode called "Nightscape," simply offers an advantage over phones in the same price range, but it can't match the color you get from the iPhone SE's single lens. Similarly, the inexpensive OnePlus Nord N10 could not keep up with the Google Pixel 4a, which relies on the best camera software in the industry.

It is no secret what OnePlus' various cameras require. It is the software, not the lenses themselves.

The results of the collaboration between OnePlus and Hasselblad will be crucial if OnePlus wants to firmly establish itself as the leading mobile camera alternative to Apple, Samsung, and Google. The idea is for Hasselblad to apply its expertise to software-driven photography without losing the portability that is the convenience of a smartphone.

Adding fancy lenses and tuning the sensor will make the photographic experience on the OnePlus 9 better, but not good enough to compete with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and other top smartphones. are not.

Happily, there are other OnePlus 9 rumors indicating that OnePlus is considering new software alongside this Hasselblad partnership, in the latest beta of OxygenOS, OnePlus' Android-based launcher, Tilt-Shift, Focus Peaking, and other new photo modes have been confirmed; OnePlus also offers a variety of filters and photo effects on its previous phones, which may be useful for users who prefer unique photos. However, there is no evidence so far as to what changes OnePlus will make to its basic photo processing.

Rumors suggest that the OnePlus 9 has much more to offer than just a camera, and is expected to feature a 6.5-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a high-end Qualcomm system-on-chip (Snapdragon 888 or Snapdragon 870) OnePlus could be positioned as a lower-priced premium alternative to more expensive flagship models.

Whether camera performance will be part of the equation remains to be seen.