If you compare how OxygenOS felt on a OnePlus One to how it feels on a OnePlus 12, you’d swear these are phones from different brands. Back then, OxygenOS was the clean, fast alternative to bloated skins from Samsung and Huawei. Today, a new OxygenOS update is sparking yet another round of “OnePlus has lost its soul” debates across Reddit and X.
The reality, as usual, sits somewhere between nostalgia and outrage. This latest OxygenOS update is a clear step closer to ColorOS, but it also brings security patches, optimizations, and a few legitimately useful tricks. The real question is whether the direction still makes sense for Android enthusiasts.
What this OxygenOS update actually changes
Let’s start with the basics. The latest OxygenOS build, rolling out to devices like the OnePlus 11 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2) and OnePlus 12 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), is technically an Android 14–based release. On paper, you’re getting the usual: new security patch level, performance tuning, and updates to stock apps.
However, the controversy is not about Android 14 itself. It’s about how the interface and options are shifting even more toward Oppo’s ColorOS template. For instance, the quick settings layout now mirrors ColorOS more closely, with a wider brightness slider and re-arranged tiles that feel less customizable than before.
Beyond simple layout tweaks, gesture behavior is changing as well. The back gesture sensitivity slider has moved and the haptic feedback curve feels different, which power users instantly notice. Meanwhile, some classic OxygenOS touches, like the old-style app icon shapes and certain accent color combinations, are either buried in menus or outright missing.
On the flip side, there are gains. Animations feel a bit smoother on heavy apps, and RAM management on the OnePlus 11’s 12GB and 16GB variants seems more consistent in early reports. Battery stats are more detailed, giving you better visibility into background drain.
Why long-time fans are calling this a breaking point
If you’ve used OnePlus since the Snapdragon 801 era, this all hits differently. Originally, OxygenOS was the halfway house between Pixel-style Android and custom ROMs. It gave you a near-stock look with just enough tweaks, like gesture shortcuts, off-screen gestures, and granular notification control.
With each major revision, that identity has eroded. This update continues the trend by prioritizing a unified Oppo/OnePlus design language over the old minimalist approach. Long-time users are frustrated because the brand’s original promise feels like it’s being retired in slow motion.
For tinkerers, the friction goes beyond aesthetics. Some report that advanced options are getting harder to reach, with more taps to change default apps or control background activity. Others point to more aggressive battery optimization that can still mess with push notifications, even after whitelisting.
However, newer OnePlus buyers—people who came from a Galaxy A54 or a Xiaomi Redmi Note—often don’t see the drama. To them, this is just another Android skin with bright colors and plenty of features. The outrage is largely from veterans who remember when OnePlus branded itself as “Never Settle” for enthusiasts, not mainstream shoppers.
ColorOS creep vs practical benefits
So, is this just ColorOS with a new logo? Not quite, but we’re closer than ever. The Settings app, notification shade, and even the camera UI share more DNA with Oppo’s phones than with older OxygenOS builds. The visual language is consistent, but the cost is that OxygenOS no longer feels unique.
That said, unifying development has benefits. Shared codebases can mean faster security patches, quicker feature rollouts, and more stable camera tuning across hardware. For example, the OnePlus 12’s triple camera setup—50MP main, 64MP periscope, 48MP ultra-wide—relies heavily on algorithms. A joint Oppo–OnePlus stack can optimize image processing faster than two totally separate teams.
Performance-wise, this update doesn’t tank the experience. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8 Gen 3 chips still fly through 120Hz AMOLED interfaces and heavy apps. Storage speeds on UFS 4.0 devices remain strong, and general UI navigation is still snappy.
However, there’s a trade-off between speed and control. More aggressive system optimization is great for battery life but frustrating when it kills background services you care about. Messaging apps, fitness trackers, or automation tools like Tasker can still get hit, even after toggling settings that should protect them.
The bottom line is that ColorOS creep is real, but it also brings some practical upside for performance and camera quality. Whether that’s a fair trade depends on how attached you are to the old OxygenOS identity.
What this means for Android enthusiasts and modders
If you’re into bootloader unlocking, custom ROMs, and Magisk modules, this update sends mixed signals. On one hand, OnePlus still lets you unlock the bootloader on many models, which is more than you can say for some brands. On the other hand, each step toward tighter integration with ColorOS usually means more locked-down partitions and more complex workarounds.
Enthusiasts are already complaining about increased fragmentation between regions. Chinese variants, running full ColorOS, get some features that global OxygenOS builds receive months later or never. This update doesn’t fully fix that gap, and in some places may increase it with region-tied services.
Meanwhile, long-term support is a bright spot. OnePlus promises up to four major Android updates and five years of security patches on recent flagships. For a phone around $699–$899, that’s competitive with Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and S24 series, and not far behind Google’s Pixel 8 promises.
However, if those updates keep pushing OxygenOS toward ColorOS, hardcore tweakers may decide it’s not worth sticking around. For them, a Pixel with clean Android and easy rooting, or something like a Nothing Phone with a lighter skin, might be more appealing.
Still, for users who just want an Android phone that stays fast for three or four years, this OxygenOS update is not a disaster. It’s more of a philosophical pivot away from the custom ROM crowd and toward the mainstream.
Should you update, and should you stick with OnePlus?
So where does that leave us? If you already own a OnePlus 11 or OnePlus 12, skipping security patches is a bad idea. You’ll want the latest Android fixes, and the performance tweaks are generally positive. For most people, updating makes sense, even if some design changes sting.
However, go in with clear expectations. If you loved the old OxygenOS for being almost Pixel-like, this update will feel like another small betrayal. You’ll still get fast performance, strong cameras, and good battery life, but the software identity you fell for is steadily fading.
If you’re shopping right now, compare carefully. A Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro gives you Google’s clean UI, excellent camera software, and seven years of updates. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series offers long support and a highly customizable One UI, even if it has more preloaded apps.
Meanwhile, OnePlus sits in the middle. Hardware value is strong, especially on sale, and OxygenOS is still lighter than some skins. But with every OxygenOS update, the gap between it and ColorOS narrows, and that raises fair questions about where the brand is headed.
Ultimately, this controversial OxygenOS update doesn’t kill OnePlus for enthusiasts, but it does make loyalty harder to justify. If OnePlus wants to win back its oldest fans, it needs to show that future OxygenOS updates can add modern features without erasing what made OxygenOS special in the first place.
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