OnePlus decided to give a closer look at its homegrown OxygenOS to its fans by holding a Reddit AMA session. As it turns out, we have learned quite a few details about the new custom ROM that is going to replace the popular CyanogenMod in OnePlus smartphones.
Most importantly, Friday's Q&A session revealed OxygenOS' release date along with other key features.
Head of mobile product, Helen, confirmed it during Reddit AMA that the new software will be available next month. To rest users' curiousity about the new software, here's everything we learned from the Reddit AMA.
The OxygenOS team is made up of a group of talented engineers and technicians. Helen previously worked as a software development engineer and program manager at Microsoft before moving as the mobile product head at OnePlus. Other members include, Arz from India as the UI/UX designer and Carlo, Hieu, Jesús, Karim and Yamil from the Android development team. There are more than 50 engineers working on the new Android based software.
OnePlus already revealed in a blog that OxygenOS will be free from any bloatware to keep the OS light and fast. It will focus on bringing seamless integration between hardware, software and the cloud. Taking in customers' feedback and improving the OS is the company's goal.
On the Reddit AMA session, Helen, Aaron, Arz, Karim and the 25-year-old co-founder of OnePlus, Carl, answered series of questions about the new OS. Here's what we were able to draw from their swift and intelligent answers.
OxygenOS Revelations from Reddit AMA
OxygenOS is going to feature its own recovery and can be used to flash other ROMs. The new update will not be available in the usual OTA format but users will need to flash it manually if they wish to run it on their OnePlus One smartphone. The new OS will not be open source and it won't run on smartphones other than OnePlus.
Initially, OnePlus owners will experience stock Android with OxygenOS as it will run Google Now Launcher. In addition, OxygenOS will run Google Camera by default until a new camera app is released with OxygenOS version 2.0. Users can still download third-party camera apps from Play Store.
Speaking about the features, OxygenOS will come with customisable Quick Settings and gesture-based unlock methods. "We have our own features and will maintain consistency on some of the experiences people have come to love such as double tap to wake that's enabled by hardware. Nothing will be merged from CM as we're an entirely different ROM," Helen wrote.
The new ROM will be based on Android 5.0.1 instead of 5.1 Lollipop, which suggests the early release of OxygenOS. Helen also revealed that OxygenOS will be available to users next month. Carl also confirmed the release in March.
