OnePlus is launching new Open Beta versions of OxygenOS for the OnePlus 5 and 5T as well as the newer OnePlus 6 and 6T models. The updates are similar across the board and seemingly introduce the same features, but there is an exception for the OnePlus 6 and 6T in that these variants have received additional improvements to the Gallery app’s photo editor.
The latest beta software release for the OnePlus 5 is labeled Open Beta 29, whereas the One Plus 5T is receiving Open Beta 27. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 6 and 6T have been updated to Open Beta 15 and 7, respectively. The launch format is similar to previous Open Beta releases including the ones introduced by the OEM in February.
App permissions migration and more
One of the update’s highlights appears to affect OnePlus Switch – the OEM’s app capable of migrating user information such as contacts, texts messages, and media files from other phones to OnePlus handsets. The app now seems to support the migration of app permissions on top of the usual user data.
All four software versions include screenshot UI and general UI optimizations. The color adaptation for cards has been improved in the launcher, and weather-related information has seen some tweaks as well. The weather timeline now follows the system time format and along with general bug fixes, the app should now deliver more detailed weather alerts.
The changelog for the OnePlus 6 and 6T mentions an additional improvement for the Gallery app, i.e., an “improved photo editor” but doesn’t go into details as to how the editor is now better. Only time will tell whether this feature will eventually make its way onto future Open Beta releases for the OnePlus 5 and 5T.
To beta or not to beta
The latest releases are labeled as Open Beta, which means that regular OnePlus smartphone users who rely on public OxygenOS builds will not receive any update notifications until these new features will be migrated over to a public OTA package. On the other hand, users already signed up to the OEM’s beta program will receive these latest builds over-the-air, and they are encouraged to provide feedback and help the OEM refine the new additions to the software before they reach all eligible customers.
As usual, adopting early software features poses a risk. Some additions might not be working as intended or could be outright broken. A beta program is virtually part of the late development process and it’s highly recommended for users not to update their daily drivers to these potentially-unstable builds.
Readers who might want to stay ahead of the curve by joining the Open Beta at the risk of dealing with software issues can head down to the official forums and follow the instructions provided by the OEM, for both signing up to the program as well as providing feedback and submitting bug reports.
The latest public OxygenOS version is 9.0.12 which was released for the OnePlus 6T in February. Similarly, OxygenOS 9.0.4 arrived for the OnePlus 6 on the same day, and both versions are based on Android 9 Pie. Google will launch Android Q later this year following a number of beta releases and it’s likely that OnePlus will eventually join the Android Q beta with some of its smartphone models.