Update, September 8, 2020 (4:00 PM ET): Today, Google launched the stable version of Android 11. At the same time, OnePlus pushed the first open beta for Oxygen OS 11. Read on to find out how you can try it!
Original article, August 20, 2020 (5 am): For months, OnePlus has been teasing Oxygen OS 11, the next version of its Android skin. Compared to some of the company's previous software releases, Oxygen OS 11 is a significant update.
We do not yet know when the stable version of Oxygen OS 11 will make its way to the OnePlus phone. However, we have a good idea of what we can expect, including a UI overhaul and some long-awaited features.
See it all: Best oneplus phone
Below we break down all the new Oxygen OS 11 features and everything you need to know before rollout.
Oxygen OS 11 Features
New interface
For better or worse, Oxygen OS 11 is a significant departure from the company's previous design ethos. The new software has more in common with Samsung's One UI than stock Android. Throughout the operating system, there are more design successes than in previous years. An important component of the updated interface is the new OnePlus Sans font, which the company says increases readability.
The good news is that OnePlus has redesigned the interface to make it easier to use with one hand. These new designs run throughout the operating system, but this is most evident in settings. You will get more space between each menu item. In a recent blog post detailing the changes, OnePlus states that it employed user test data such as Heat Map to produce ideal shapes for text elements in Oxygen OS 11.
Elsewhere, you'll see that the company's design team changed the location of some navigation buttons and other interface elements.
Always on display
OnePlus is finally adding an Always-On Display feature to its phone. For many, the headline is the convenience of Oxygen OS 11, something that the company's fans have been wanting for some time. Now that it's almost here, the most interesting thing for us is how OnePlus managed to do something different with the feature.
opinion: Give me a great software skin any day on stock Android
By now, most people have a good idea of how the on-display always works. They allow you to check things like time and if you have any information without waking up your phone screen completely. Timing - one of the 11 always on-display designs you can choose from in Oxygen OS 11 - goes one step further and allows you to check how many times you've unlocked your device throughout the day. The phone displays each unlock on the timeline which cuts down from the middle of the display.
If you don't want your phone to remind you how much you use every time you pick it up, you can choose between multiple digital and analog clock designs instead. If none of them appeal to you - or you want to exclude extra battery life from your phone - you can continue to use the existing Ambient Display functionality of OnePlus.
Better dark mode
Oxygen OS 11 will offer several tweaks to OnePlus' current dark mode. To make individual interface elements more legible and easier to use when Dark Mode is activated, OnePlus tweaked the feature to use more dark gray hue.
The update will also support dark mode scheduling. This will allow you to configure the feature to automatically turn on and off based on the time of day. You will also have the option to quickly turn on Dark Mode from the Quick Settings menu, which you can get by dragging down the notification shade.
Updated Apps
A new interface would not be complete without matching redesigned apps, and OnePlus has also updated most of its first-party software with new features. For example, the built-in gallery app includes functionality that will automatically create weekly stories using photos and videos you've shot in the past seven days. Meanwhile, Zen Mode features three new themes and a new set.
The Weather app has gained some attention. Its new interface places more emphasis on critical information at the present time as well as centers, such as predictive forecasts.
Android 11
Oxygen OS 11 builds on Android 11 features. This means that similar enhancements launched with the latest version of Google's mobile operating system will also make their way to Oxygen OS. There are quite a few twists, so check out our breakdown of the best Android 11 features to get a better understanding of what's on the way.
Oxygen OS 11 Release Date and Availability
Oxygen OS 11 is now in the open beta phase. This means that anyone with OnePlus 8 or OnePlus 8 Pro can give it a shot. You can find the official changelog as well as installation instructions on the official forums of OnePlus.
OnePlus has not officially commented when it plans to release a stable version of Oxygen OS 11 in its full portfolio. However, based on its usual software upgrade timeline, Oxygen OS 11 should be on most of its recent devices before the end of 2020. The update will definitely affect OnePlus's main markets such as the US, India, UK and selected regions. Of Europe.
Read more: OnePlus Phone: History of the company's entire lineup so far
It is very likely that the final Oxygen OS 11 stable build will roll out the current flagship before it is first available on older devices. This means that we can expect the company to update the OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 8 first. Older devices like the new budget phone, OnePlus Nord, and OnePlus 7 Pro should arrive shortly thereafter.
There is also a strong possibility that the OnePlus 8T may launch with Oxygen OS 11.
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OnePlus has not announced which devices it plans to update with the stable launch of Oxygen OS 11, but its update policy provides useful guidance. In 2018, OnePlus committed to providing its phones with a 24-month platform update. According to that policy, OnePlus will likely update the following devices to Oxygen OS 11:
- 2020 - OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro
- 2020 - OnePlus Nord
- 2019 - OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro
- 2019 - OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro
- 2018 - OnePlus 6 and 6T
Although it is not out-of-the-question until OnePlus is confirmed, it is almost certain that Oxygen OS 11 will not appear in OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T.
We will update this article as more information about Oxygen OS 11 is revealed. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you are shaping up the latest Oxygen OS upgrade the way it is.
