The OnePlus 9 is expected to feature a series of camera upgrades, and a new leak suggests that they could be quite powerful, at least on the software side.

XDA Developers examined the OxygenOS Open Beta code for the OnePlus 7T and 7 and revealed references to "tilt-shift," "focus peaking," and moon-based shooting modes. These new camera features do not work on the aforementioned OnePlus phones, so it is possible that they will be included in OxygenOS pending the arrival of the OnePlus 9.

Recent rumors suggest that the OnePlus 9 will feature a rear camera array consisting of a 50MP main lens, a 20MP wide angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto camera. These seem like solid smartphone camera specs, but nothing hardware-wise.

However, from the beta code, it appears that OnePlus is doing more on the software side.

For example, the Tilt-Shift mode apparently allows a form of sensor tilt that can make things like cityscapes look like detailed miniature models. iPhone 12 Pro Max can move the camera sensor, but tilting the sensor on a smartphone The idea of doing so seems like a big step up. Therefore, it is quite possible that the OnePlus 9 will be able to achieve the titling effect through some kind of software manipulation.

Speaking of which, the beta code references several "moon" modes, including Soft Moon, Pop Moon, Snapseed, and a monochrome shooting option; according to XDA, these are most likely filters to enhance night mode shooting.

To some extent, these modes corroborate other leaks that the OnePlus 9 will not feature a periscope camera to enhance telephoto photography; rather than enhancing zoom photography at the hardware level, OnePlus will use software to literally moon the possibility of improving the photos taken.

We have seen Samsung's Galaxy S21 take a similar approach; the S21's camera is essentially the same as the Galaxy S20, but a new zoom lock feature allows for much more consistent shots up to 30x. Google Pixel 5 also, demonstrating that you can do a lot with just two rear cameras and smart software.

Other new OnePlus 9 camera modes are likely to include hyperlapse shooting, which is an enhanced version of time-lapse photography that is expected to better capture the movement of a scene over time.

In addition, the starburst feature is expected to better capture rays of light emanating from a light source rather than reducing them to simple points of light. Again, these effects appear to be achieved through computational photography rather than hardware upgrades.

One final feature mentioned in the beta code is a "focus peak" mode. This is found on DSLRs and highlights the highest contrast, in-focus areas of a scene with bright colors. This allows professional photographers and videographers to more easily see the areas that are in focus without having to rely solely on their eyes.

Such a feature may seem superfluous given that smartphones are already very good at figuring out focus points. However, it may be a new feature that will be added to the "Pro" camera mode of the next OnePlus. Or it could simply be another filter that adds high-contrast lines to the photo to enhance the subject more.

Examining the APK code for beta versions of Android skins often gives us an idea of what to expect in upcoming smartphones. However, sometimes beta code contains redundant features that will never actually be used. Therefore, all of the above should be taken with a grain of salt.

However, it is a pretty safe bet that the OnePlus 9 will feature upgraded camera software and new camera modes. This is something OnePlus has done with almost every generation of new phones.

As for the OnePlus 9 as a whole, we expect it to feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and an evolution of the OnePlus 8T design. We also expect wireless charging to make an appearance. Also, more competitive pricing would be welcome, as OnePlus phones have become more expensive in recent years, producing phones that are closer to flagships than the higher-priced "flagship killers" of previous years.

We expect the OnePlus 9 to be announced this spring, around March or April. So it won't take long to see if the next OnePlus phone can challenge the Galaxy S21, Google Pixel 5, and iPhone 12.