Source: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central
The first preview of OxygenOS 11 is now live, and we’ve run all the latest features. The latest version of the interface comes with some very exciting features, including an always-on display, updated Zen Mode, new system font, optimized system-wide dark mode, and more.
But one change that OnePlus users do not like so much is the new design. OxygenOS has always stood out for its clean user interface inspired by Android, with the skin compared to Google’s Pixel Launcher on steroids. That changes with OxygenOS 11, as OnePlus introduces a new design language that is more in line with Samsung’s One UI than Pixel and Android One phones.
The design of OxygenOS 11 is inspired by One UI, and the changes will rank the vocal user base of OnePlus.
That’s a controversial move by OnePlus, because the vanilla Android interface was what drew many users to OxygenOS in the first place. The non-clean interface along with significant add-ons like native screen recording, Zen Mode, and customization options left OxygenOS out of the package.
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I have said several times in the past that the skin of OnePlus is the best you will find on Android, and much of that had to do with the fact that the interface was clean. With OxygenOS 11, OnePlus has moved to a very sleek interface that looks very different from what you get on vanilla Android, with the manufacturer taking many Samsung design tablets. Many of the menu items are now located in the lower 2/3 section of the screen, and the large headers along with the increased font size make the skin almost identical to One UI.
OxygenOS 10 left, OxygenOS 11 right
The difference is stark when you use the first-party dialer, messaging, and other apps side-by-side with their OxygenOS 10 counterparts. There’s a lot of added design flair right now, and I’m not a fan of the open adaptation. OnePlus does not really need to make any changes to the user interface – it is one of very few manufacturers that has a vanilla Android UI – but with OxygenOS 11 this is no longer the case.
OnePlus styled its hardware to Samsung flagships; it now does the same with software.
While OnePlus is starting to become a mainstream player, it is losing the core keys that threaten the company to many power users. OnePlus flagships in recent years have introduced many hardware elements from Samsung’s Galaxy S series, and with the new software direction with OxygenOS 11, the company is doing the same with software as well.
Combine this with Facebook’s uninstalled bloatware on the OnePlus 8 series, and it’s easy to see that the manufacturer has shifted its roots. It is understandable why OnePlus would want to emulate Samsung in this area. Samsung is by some margins the largest Android manufacturer, and more users are familiar with One UI than Android. But by taking this new direction with OxygenOS 11, OnePlus leaves behind its loyal user base, and reverts its position as the best Android skin in the process.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that OnePlus wants to be more than a mainstream phone manufacturer – that much is clear when you consider the positioning of the OnePlus 8 series – and with OxygenOS 11 we see just how thoroughly the company intends to copy Samsung.
