Everything you need to know about OxygenOS, the OnePlus software. This software, which was developed by the Asian brand, can be found in certain models of the brand. That is, we are dealing with a mobile operating system that has been derived from Android. In short, OxygenOS is an alternative version of Google’s software system, but it is based on it.
And as they have been happening over the years, this software itself has been counting with different firmware updates with the simple aim of continuing to implement more innovations to their smartphones and other devices. In addition, this takes a parallel development to Android, so each version of this layer doesn’t need to be updated accordingly to the base of Google’s operating system. For this reason, we will explain at what time it emerged, if it is available on all OnePlus phones, and how it could be its future.
The beginnings of OxygenOS
Before we dive into the history of OxygenOS, we have to give way to the divorce between Cyanogen, the company behind the famous Android ROM CyanogenMod, and OnePlus. The smartphone manufacturer of Chinese origin after ending its relationship with this company in 2014 decided to embark on the adventure of developing its layer, something that several mobile firms were starting to do.
And although the mobile firm had the intention of being a brand with a great added value, since it had CyanogenMod, everything changed due to a fact: the exclusive sale of the rights of Cyanogen to an Indian manufacturer. With this, the relations between both parties were finally broken, and Oppo decided to create OxygenOS. In addition, to ensure the quality of OxygenOS, they decided to hire the main developers of Paranoid Android, another ROM of Google’s operating system.
Therefore, we are dealing with an alternative mobile OS based on Android, which was developed by the Chinese phone manufacturer exclusively for its mobile devices. However, we cannot forget that there is another version of the operating system designed specifically for the market of other devices, we are referring to HydrogenOS.
The first version of this software from the Asian brand finally saw the light of day on September 2, 2015, and was based on Android 5 Lollipop. However, during an interview published on September 3, 2016, it was revealed that the smartphone brand was already working on merging the two layers so that only one operating system would finally remain for all its devices.
Is OnePlus using this system for all its phones?
The firm’s first device was launched in 2014, plus it was considered to be a true flagship killer. Most of all, because it had features that could with a large part of the most top smartphones of the moment and best of all is that it had a simply ridiculous price if compared to the rest of the phones since it cost around $300.
Another aspect that attracted attention to this phone was that it had CyanogenMOD 11S, a modification of Android 4.4.2 KitKat that fit like a glove. However, it was the first and the last to have this ROM, as the OnePlus 2 was already accompanied by this operating system.
In addition, the brand did not know how to offer adequate support for this phone and the price began to increase since it cost about 340 euros in its most basic version and about 400 in its 64GB version. For this reason, within the manufacturer’s catalog, you can find different smartphones that not only have this customization layer as standard. Over time it has been accumulating different versions, Chinese and international, from the first Cyanogen to the Chinese HydrogenOS or the international OxygenOS.
And although a member of the company itself assured in 2016 that these two layers would already be merged, as we told you previously, the reality is that it has not been fulfilled. In March 2021, it was confirmed that the operating system inside a OnePlus phone would continue to depend on its region. A fact that was reflected after the union of OPPO with this Asian brand, so the global phones of this phone company will continue to have OxygenOS, but the phones launched in China will do so with ColorOS, the OPPO layer.
Software exclusivities
The Asian firm’s software is the favorite of many users, as it does not add too many aspects to the stock version of Android. However, each new version that is implemented has more tools and possibilities to customize their smartphones. Something that allows you to have access to different functionalities that other firms do not have, at least for now. Since with time, it has been observed how in this market all brands share virtually all functions and features in their software.
One of the features that can be found in the phones of the Chinese company is the secret menu also known as Shelf. The Chinese brand hides in its launcher a panel of quick shortcuts. To open the Shelf on your phone you will have to slide your finger to the right on the home screen or slide your finger from the middle of the screen down. If these movements do not appear, you must configure them from the settings of the home screen. To do this, press any space on the screen of your phone and, in the options that appear in the bottom bar, select the gear icon as shown in this image. Then, it will be as simple as activating the switch that will appear.
Another of the exclusivities that can be found in the Oxygen OS is the application lock, that is, we can block an application or several without having to resort to a third-party app. With this, we will establish that, if we want to open a certain application, we will have to confirm a fingerprint or enter a password. Even with the arrival of OxygenOS 11, the phones of this brand have begun to have the prominent Canvas mode, which allows us to convert any background into one for the Always-on Display mode of the phone.
And these are not the only features that can only be found in the phones of this brand. We will also find an exclusive and very easy-to-use tool, Switch, which will help us both to make backups and to move from one phone to another without losing our data. We will even be able to keep all the aesthetic configurations that we had applied in the previous device.
The future of OxygenOS
The future of the Asian firm’s software layer is more uncertain than ever. Although they do not have the top phones today, they do manage to highlight their phones for their excellent software. In addition, the brand has been recognized for the great optimization of its customization layer. Although, in 2021 it has been seen how we could be closer than ever to its final farewell.
This customization layer is one of the reasons to choose a phone of the brand instead of one of its competitors. Likewise, the company is preparing for the launch of OxygenOS 12, obviously based on Android 12. However, the fear of many users seems to increase greatly by seeing what is happening in China. We are referring to the fact that the replacement of its system by ColorOS may end up being replicated around the world.
The latest in smartphones that have been launched in China have been the OnePlus 9 series models and have been marketed under the arm of OPPO’s ColorOS layer based on Android, instead of running its own HydrogenOS, which is the Chinese version of OxygenOS. So, the doubt about what will happen in the coming months and years with the software that was created in 2015 by OnePlus does not stop growing.
However, everything leads to the fact that it will remain with us, or at least until the brand changes its mind. So, users of this Asian company will continue to enjoy this layer on their phones. In addition, the company has confirmed that they will currently run this software and not ColorOS.
But, this does not mean that the possibility does not arise that, in the future, smartphones running this software will increasingly resemble OPPO phones, by imitating the design and functionality of its software layer. In addition, with the merger between these two companies, OnePlus will become a sub-brand of OPPO as is the case with Redmi and Xiaomi.
