OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T Receive New OxygenOS Open Beta Updates

OnePlus has announced new Open Beta builds for its four most recent smartphones, the OnePlus 6T, OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5T, and OnePlus 5. While the OnePlus 6T received its first Open Beta build in late December, the older devices have been on the Open Beta program for a while now. All four devices run on Android 9.0 Pie on the Open Beta program, with the 2017 devices now on their 26th and 24th versions respectively. The Open Beta program allows OnePlus users to try out new and experimental features and software versions before the stable update rollout.

While the Open Beta 12 and 4 updates are rolling out for the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T respectively, the process has been temporarily paused for the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T due to a critical bug being discovered. The update process is likely to resume once the bug has been fixed. It's worth pointing out that Open Beta software is for experienced users, since the software is not as stable as the regular software for the phones. Additionally, installing Open Beta software requires some knowledge on the part of the user, and should only be attempted by those with some experience in handling Android smartphone software updates.

For the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T, the new update brings the OnePlus Laboratory function for the OnePlus 6, optimisation for the screenshot function, support for quick reply in landscape mode, gaming mode enhancements and improvements to the clock. For the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T, the update brings optimisations for the screenshot function, support for quick reply in landscape mode and gaming mode enhancements. There are no significant changes for any of the phones, and the improvements listed are minor.

OnePlus is known to have an excellent software support system, issuing updates frequently and regularly, and maintaining the best record for quickly rolling out new versions of Android for its devices. However, the phones aren't without the occasional problems; a new rapid battery drain issue for the OnePlus 6T was reported only recently.

Has OnePlus 6T removed the best features of the OnePlus 6? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.