Today looks like a pretty big day for the newest version of Google's mobile industry-leading operating system, which is finally rolling out to more non-Google phones in its stable form as we speak.
But now it's someone else's turn to shine, and unsurprisingly, that someone else just so happens to be OnePlus. Uncharacteristically, the company has yet to confirm the official Android 12 release and detail all of the changes and add-ons heading to the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro high-enders on their respective forum section.
With XDA Developers reporting the over-the-air updates are well underway and a growing number of users providing evidence they've indeed succeeded in downloading and installing all of the juicy new software goodies on their handsets, we're left waiting... and worrying.
After all, this is a brand that's botched quite a few OS promotions in the past, and there are already complaints of mobile networks (especially 5G signals) not functioning properly on Android 12-running OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro units.
Hopefully, this pretty big concern will be addressed soon, along with any and all other bugs bound to surface and possibly spread like wildfire over the next few hours. For the time being, our advice would be to approach the update with care if you get a notification informing you of its existence, back up all of your sensitive data before even thinking of installing it, and well, continue salivating at the sight of this extensive changelog published by the folks over at XDA:
System
Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers.
Dark mode
Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience.
Shelf
New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read;
Newly added Earphone Control Card with Bluetooth earphone one-click adjustment;
Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc;
Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health stats.
Work-Life Balance
Work-Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings;
WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization.
Gallery
Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing.
Canvas AOD
Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals;
Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment;
Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures.
Naturally, this is mostly OxygenOS 12-specific stuff, with many other cool "stock" features and UI tweaks mentioned in our in-depth Android 12 review headed your way as well as part of a gargantuan update apparently tipping the scales at around 4GB (!!!) for some OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro 5G users.
And no, in case you're wondering, the proprietary OnePlus Android skin doesn't look radically different from previous years despite Oppo's goal of combining it with ColorOS. Said software "merger" is still happening, mind you, but it might be a bit more gradual and subtle than some hardcore OnePlus fans feared.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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