Oxygen OS updates extended, but on ‘new platfom’
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL; DR
- OnePlus just extended the Oxygen OS update schedule for some of its major releases.
- Expansion is possible thanks in part to integration with Oppo resources.
- The announcement includes the message that Oxygen OS is “now built on a more stable and powerful platform” that integrates the code base of Oxygen OS and Oppos Color OS.
A few weeks ago, OnePlus announced that it would seek deeper integration with sister company Oppo. Of course, this led to fears that the already prevailing “oppo-ification” of OnePlus would increase further.
However, the company also said that pooling resources with Oppo would result in better and faster software updates. Now the company is going to put its money in there as it has just made some pretty big promises when it comes to advanced Oxygen OS updates.
Connected: The rise and fall of Oxygen OS
Gary C., Oxygen OS Product Manager, announced the news in an official forum post. In the post, he sets out exactly which OnePlus phones will receive extended updates for how long. Here is the summary:
- Numbered flagship series (including T-series and R-series): The OnePlus 8 series and newer devices receive three major Android updates and four years of security updates.
- OnePlus North and North CE: The first OnePlus Nord and future Nord and Nord CE devices will receive two major Android updates and three years of security updates.
- OnePlus Nord N series: From OnePlus Nord N10 and N100, all devices in the N series receive a major Android update and three years of security updates.
In particular, the Oxygen OS update commitment for the flagships is an extension of the usual two major Android upgrades and three years of security patches. Unfortunately, the Nord series doesn’t seem to be getting any extra love.
Gary C. also said something in the post.
“Now built on a more stable and stronger platform”
Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
In the post, Gary C. specifically mentions that this new schedule for Oxygen OS updates is directly tied to “our shared resources with Oppo”. This includes the merging of the code bases for Oxygen OS and Oppos Color OS, which enable both skins to live on a “more stable and stronger platform”.
This will inevitably help to speed up Oxygen OS updates as well as Color OS updates, as the newly integrated team does not have to maintain two completely different skins. The skins will still be different, but not quite as different as they are now.
Of course, this also means that OnePlus and Oppo can slowly begin to turn both skins into reflections of each other. It’s not hard to imagine that at some point in the future the companies could announce the full merger of the two.
For now, however, owners of flagship OnePlus 8 series can count on three Android upgrades to land on their devices. Hopefully this won’t add a huge cost to OnePlus’ branding identity.
