OxygenOS
OnePlus is one of the few companies that really listen to its users. Most of the new features that regularly appeared in OxygenOS were added precisely thanks to feedback from its user community. Recently, a Chinese company held a contest to select one of the representatives of its community for the position of product manager and promised to introduce his ideas in the development of the next version of OxygenOS. The winner of the contest was Léandro Tijink, whose radical version of OxygenOS we’ll see today. Wikipedia
After Tijink was chosen as the winner (and this happened just recently), he was invited to the OnePlus headquarters in Shenzhen (this is in China) so that he could present his ideas for future versions of OxygenOS to the official OS team. These ideas, Tijink says, are aimed at improving the existing OxygenOS interface using more rounded and minimalistic elements with an emphasis on appearance, readability and customizability.
Initial setup of OxygenOS
Among the elements of the system that Tijink emphasized in his presentation, the first was the new smartphone settings menu on the first launch. It has acquired a more “clean” and understandable interface, thanks to which it will now be easier for new users to notice its key elements.
In OxygenOS 9 based on Android 9 Pie, the welcome screen is basically the same as the settings screen in stock Android (that is, a white screen with elements of blue tones). In addition, the start screen, developed by the winner of the competition, also includes the ability to select a theme for the entire system: “Light”, “Dark”, “Color” and “Amoled Black” (Black theme for smartphones with AMOLED screens).
OnePlus Launcher and Ambient Display
In addition to the innovations for the old screen, Tijink proposed changes to the desktop and the Ambient Display function, which displays notifications on a locked screen. Recently, a contestant specifically conducted a survey, during which he found out that users want to be able to customize the number of lines in folders, and therefore this opportunity was reflected in his design concept. Some visual innovations also appeared in Shelf, a menu that scrolls to the left and displays icons of your favourite applications, tips from the system, and more. Now various information is on neat rounded white cards.
Multitasking Screen, FileDash, Android Q Settings, and OnePlus Gallery
The multitasking menu also looks different from the usual in OxygenOS 10 concept, where now there are beautiful cards with icons of recently launched applications. The notification centre has become more like the one we saw in Android Q since the quick access menu and the notification curtain are now separate – the same can be seen in most overlay menus. An updated interface also appeared with the OnePlus function called FileDash, which allows you to exchange files between OnePlus smartphones (such as Apple AirDrop). Although it will be cool if OnePlus also adds support for the Fast Share function from Android Q, which allows you to send and receive files from one smartphone running Android Q to another, regardless of manufacturer.
In the same way, minor additions are visible in the camera interface, where everything also became minimalistic and got additional options from Android Q. In addition, the icons in the OnePlus gallery now look more organically in terms of the color palette.
OxygenOS 10 on Android Q
The OnePlus and Tijinku team still have much to discuss and agree, but OxygenOS 10, which we hope will appear later this year with the OnePlus 7T line, will include many of the recommendations of the winning contestant. Some innovations may not appear in the OS due to legal or technical difficulties. By the way, in more detail you can study the work of the designer (his vision of OxygenOS 10) by visiting the site he created because he wanted to convey his ideas not only to OnePlus but to all of us.
Meanwhile, OnePlus engineers are already heavily piling on their own vision of Android Q, and the third version of “Developer Preview” for OnePlus 7 Pro has already been released. The new beta version includes additional settings for customizing the interface, quick access to notifications, as well as improving the Game Space function.