If recent rumors are to be believed, the OnePlus Z is coming soon. But when the low-cost phone from OnePlus arrives, will it have more camera lenses than originally expected?

That seems to be the expectation, as one online phone leaker posted a tweet hinting that the upcoming OnePlus Z phone will have four lenses. This is one more than we expected, since the higher-priced OnePlus 8 Pro is the only OnePlus device with a rear quad camera. And it could position OnePlus' mid-range smartphone as a serious threat to Google's Pixel 4a.

The leaker Max J.'s tweet itself does not even mention the OnePlus Z by name. Rather, it just says "Soon" and there are four camera lenses where the Os should be. [Max J. is one of the more promising sources on the OnePlus Z, which is rumored to be the smartphone maker's return to lower-priced devices after this spring's OnePlus 8 at $699 and OnePlus 8 Pro at $899, until you consider that the phone's rumor has a rather thinly backed.

The OnePlus 8 Pro has a 48-megapixel main camera, augmented by an 8MP telephoto lens, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 5MP color filter lens The OnePlus 8 has only three cameras, a 48-megapixel main sensor with a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro camera. Considering the rumored OnePlus Z price (which is expected to range from $499 to $649), the camera array is likely to be similar to the OnePlus 8's triple-lens setup.

OnePlus may have figured out a way to add a fourth lens while keeping the starting price of the budget phone low enough to appeal to users who thought the OnePlus 8 family was too expensive. However, until actual specs are released to support the quad-lens rumor, the OnePlus Z is expected to follow the OnePlus 8's camera. Previous OnePlus Z spec leaks suggested that in addition to a 64MP main lens, the device will have a 16MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera.

The OnePlus Z could mean serious problems for the Google Pixel 4a, which is expected to feature only one 12.2MP sensor based on Google's history and recent leaks. However, Google's famous AI camera smarts could keep the latest low-cost Pixel competitive.

The OnePlus Z is expected to debut in July, possibly as the OnePlus Nord. It is expected to use the Snapdragon 765G chipset, which will allow for connectivity to 5G networks while keeping the price low like Samsung's new Galaxy A71 5G.