OxygenOS is being redesigned with version 11 and it has proven to be controversial among fans. The software is moving away from what one might see as a system inspired by Google’s stock Android to one that looks more like other Android OEMs.
OnePlus shared the reasoning behind that today, writing on its official forums:
As screens increase in size, so does unused white space. We wanted to make the most of that space while keeping the interface easy to use. We A / B tests with our users to determine the best title size and found that 65% prefer slightly smaller titles. Also, 80% of users tried preferred titles with subtitles rather than without them. The result is a new headline body hierarchy that streamlines information delivery in OxygenOS 11.
The company further noted that changes were also being made to adapt Android to one-handed mobile use:
We also know that stock Android has not been optimized for one-handed use on a larger screen, so we set out to make it easier to use. We analyze how people use phones and analyze anthropometric data to design a user interface for more comfortable one-handed use.
Since people hold their phones at the bottom, it is naturally more difficult to reach the top of the phone. The updated OxygenOS 11 design now brings the touch controls closer to your thumbs for easy access as soon as you open a menu.
When it comes to design philosophies, this is nothing new. Samsung’s OneUI was created with the same reasoning in mind, and Huawei’s EMUI magazine redesign was also designed to be more suitable for one-handed use. As phones grow, Google’s stock of Android lacks many of the adaptations that OEMs have made to accommodate them, including the features that Apple offers from more restricted iOS.
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Despite all that, OnePlus may disappoint fans, many of whom have chosen it for its Android-like appearance and even affectionately refer to it as stock +. While OnePlus has never been shy about trying to improve Android stock, some forum users have expressed that they find a visual change like this a bridge too far.
