In November 2015, OnePlus announced that the Android Marshmallow update will be released to the OnePlus One and its successor OnePlus 2 by the March end.
The company, in a bid to not give any false hope to fans, declined to divulge the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) of the update for the OnePlus X, but had promised to deploy it as soon as possible.
We are now in the third week of March and yet there is no official word from the company regarding the OnePlus X update.
Those OnePlus X owners who are tired of waiting for the official update can try CyanogenMod-based CM13 series custom ROM to explore the Android Marshmallow features on their device.
This CyanogenMod CM13 series firmware is created by the industrious software programmers of XDA Developer Forum. It brings all the goodies of Android Marshmallow such as Doze power, new "Now on Tap" search, enhanced boot security and other value-added features to improve user-experience.
Also read: Google Android 6.0 Marshmallow: 7 key features you need to know
We like to remind our readers that this CyanogenMod firmware is an experimental beta version. So, there are possibilities of presence of bugs in it. Users are advised to exercise caution before going ahead with the installation.
Prerequisites [Things to remember before installing Custom ROM]:
- This new CyanogenMod CM13 [unofficial] Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM has to be installed only on OnePlus X aka Onyx models only; if tried on other devices, it might brick them [To check your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> Model Number]
- Make sure the device is rooted (Bootloader unlocked) before going forward. [How to unlock Bootloader on OnePlus X and install TWRP]
- Though installing custom ROM improves the device's performance and UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and it will no longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].
- Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the smartphone. So make sure to back all the data by installing Clockwork Mod (CWM) Recovery/TWRP
- Make sure you have installed USB drivers on the PC, or else the device will not be recognised by the computer.
- Make sure your device has more than 80 percent battery, or else there is a chance of the smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation process is interrupted mid-way.
[Disclaimer: This procedure is very technical and should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.]
Tutorial: Step-by-step installation procedure of CyanogenMod CM13 [unofficial] Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM on OnePlus X model via TWRP recovery method:
Step 1: Download CyanogenMod CM13 [unofficial] Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM and Google Apps on to your PC.
[Note: downloadable file links are provided at the bottom]
Step 2: Connect OnePlus X to PC via USB cord.
Step 3: Place Android Marshmallow custom ROM zip file and the Google Apps .zip file into the phone's storage memory. [Note: Users are advised to paste the .zip file in the storage root folder, not in any other folder.]
[Note: Before users' begin installing the custom software, be sure that the device must have rooted and has installed ClockworkMod Recovery/TWRP tool.]
Step 4: Turn off the device and disconnect from the PC.
Step 5: Perform the regular Recovery Mode sortie by press holding 'Volume (Down)' and 'Power' buttons.
Step 6: After entering the RECOVERY mode, clear the phone memory, by selecting 'wipe data/factory reset'
[Note: use 'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options, while operating under Recovery Mode]
Step 7: Clear the cache memory by choosing 'wipe cache partition'
Step 8: Navigate back to ClockworkMod recovery, and select 'advanced' and tap 'wipe dalvik cache' [Note: This step is optional, but many recommend this procedure so that user will not face boot loops or any other errors in the middle of custom ROM installation]
Step 9: Return to the main recovery screen and then tap 'install zip from SD card'
Step 10: Tap 'choose zip from sdcard' and go to Android M ROM .zip file in SD card and enter the installation process. Repeat the same procedure to install Google Apps [Note: use 'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options]
Step 11: Once done with the installation process, navigate to '+++++Go Back+++++' and restart the device by opting 'reboot system now' seen in the recovery menu.
Now, your device (OnePlus X) will take a few minutes to complete the booting process.
Users then head to 'Settings' >> select 'About phone' to confirm the installation of CyanogenMod CM13 [unofficial] Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM.
Downloadable files:
CyanogenMod CM13 [unofficial] Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROM: HERE
Google Apps: HERE
If faced with any issues on OnePlus X after installing custom ROM, you can leave feedback, HERE.
[Credits: XDA Developer Forum, ashwin007, MasterAwesome, @h2o64, @squid2 and CM team]
