Having used the OnePlus 15 for five weeks, I've discovered what Apple requires for the iPhone 18.

      It has been more than a month since I started using the OnePlus 15 as my primary phone, and so far, it's been quite an adventure. While it's not flawless, it possesses a certain appeal that is centered around practical features.

      The cameras may require some getting used to, and there are a few issues with OnePlus’ handling of performance output. Furthermore, the absence of magnetic wireless charging in a flagship device is another drawback.

      Nonetheless, it noticeably advances in several areas. I firmly believe that Apple could learn a thing or two from this strong Android competitor. Interestingly, the company already has the groundwork laid and could easily incorporate these features into the iPhone 18 series.

      A next-gen digital vault

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      I have consistently mentioned that Space Mind represents one of the best uses of AI on a smartphone. It's akin to a digital vault where you can capture a snapshot of your screen activity at the touch of a button—specifically, the Plus Key. Apple already provides a similar button on its iPhones.

      The main concept behind Mind Space is to alleviate the hassle of taking and organizing screenshots, managing bookmarks, making manual notes, or anything else that necessitates saving and requires effort.

      On the OnePlus 15, a single press of the key captures the screen and saves it as a dedicated card in the Mind Space app. This app not only stores these snapshots but also retains them with contextual information.

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      Each entry receives an AI-generated title and hashtags to aid in contextual searches. When a snapshot of a webpage is taken, the URL is automatically captured and saved as well. In some instances, the app even provides a one-tap shortcut for saving items as reminders or making calendar entries.

      The highlight? It now integrates seamlessly with Gemini. You can give a command like “hey Gemini, provide some information about the history of the Statesman Building, which is saved as a picture in Mind Space.” Everything works smoothly.

      Apple already has a deep integration of ChatGPT within the iOS 26 framework. All it would take is an extra effort to incorporate an AI-powered memory bank within the Notes or Journal app when launching the iPhone 18 series.

      Make a charging leap, Apple

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      In recent years, Apple has significantly raised the standards for competitive hardware, utilizing some of the brightest display panels, large rear camera sensors, top-notch video recording capabilities, and impressive battery life.

      However, one area where Apple has fallen short is charging speed. This is particularly surprising as Apple is a pioneer in wireless charging technology—not just with MagSafe, but also as a member of the Wireless Power Consortium that developed Qi power transfer technology.

      In contrast, the OnePlus 15 supports 50W wireless charging, provided you use the proprietary AirVOOC chargers. This is faster than the peak wired charging rate of the iPhone 17 Pro. The charging puck is an impressive device, featuring a built-in fan and side vents to manage heat during wireless charging.

      OnePlus

      Additionally, there’s a bypass charging system that only draws power to keep the phone operational without charging the battery, effectively preventing battery cycle buildup and heat during device usage.

      Apple was among the early leaders in battery health management features for smartphones. It’s time for the company to make a leap and adopt faster charging in its upcoming flagship devices. A key advantage for Apple is its established ecosystem, ready to embrace upgrades and offer fast charging options in various formats.

      Let users tune the performance

      Apple's A-series processors in iPhones are typically at the peak of performance. However, it’s not just the raw processing power that sets them apart; it’s their optimization with software that allows them to endure significantly longer than many Android devices, even with smaller batteries.

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t allow users to adjust the performance of its chips, despite having substantial processing power. This situation is even more puzzling considering Apple Arcade features a range of fantastic games, and notable titles such as Death Stranding and Resident Evil are making their way to the iOS Store.

      Conversely, the OnePlus 15 offers three performance modes and provides a detailed level of control over GPU and other settings. Other devices like the Red Magic 10S Pro allow the same Qualcomm chip to utilize an overdrive mode.

      A significant advantage of performance tuning is the comprehensive dashboard of controls that comes with it. On the OnePlus 15, you get Game Assistant, a launcher where you can adjust settings like display sensitivity, touch response rate, network preferences, and GPU texture filtering load.

      Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

      Practically speaking, it also features a dashboard of gaming-centric controls that minimize during gameplay but can be quickly accessed with a single inward swipe to provide useful options.

      Given Apple’s strong performance history, the recent launch of a new Games app, and the steady arrival