This high-performance phone launched with Android 11… in 2022
If you are a long-time OnePlus user, then there’s a good chance that you may already be aware of the company’s triple-stage software release policy for major updates. A new Android version typically starts its life as a closed beta, after which it reaches the Open Beta stage where anyone with an applicable device is allowed to sign up. When that happens, you know that the final stage — a stable release — is imminent. The same is now going down for the OnePlus 9RT and for its owners looking to try out the next big update, their time is finally here.
The very first Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 Open Beta build for the India-targeted device is now available to download and install right from the OnePlus forums.
Aside from the many known goodies the latest Android version is packed with, this update also adds multiple new features that are specific to OxygenOS (well, at least if you don’t count in the ones from Oppo’s ColorOS mixed in).
A lengthy changelog details all there is, and you can check it out below.
- New design
- Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
- Performance
- Newly added Quick launch, a feature that detects the apps you use frequently and pre-loads them so you can open them quickly
- Newly added a chart to display your battery usage
- Optimized the auto brightness algorithm to adapt screen brightness to more scenes for a comfortable screen reading experience
- Dark mode
- Newly supported three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
- Shelf
- Newly added 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 status
- Work Life Balance
- Newly added Work Life Balance feature, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
- Supported 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
- Newly supported switching 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
- Newly added 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
- Games
- Optimized the gaming experience in team fight scenes
- Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer
- Camera
- Optimized the display of camera modes on the menu bar
- Optimized the experience of zooming in or out when shooting videos with rear camera
- Accessibility
- Newly added visuals to text instructions for an intuitive understanding of accessibility functions
- Newly supported more system apps in TalkBack, including Photos, Phone, Mail, and Calendar
- Optimized categorization of functions by grouping them into vision, hearing, interactive actions, and general
In short, there are plenty of interface changes, particularly with the icons which have received new designs. Dark Mode now supports customizable adjustable levels for backgrounds — Enhanced, Medium, and Gentle. Finally, some tall claims regarding performance and optimization have been made, but you’d probably have to take the update for a spin to check if they’re true or completely disregard them anyways because benchmarks mean nothing.
If you’ve made it through to this point and still want to give OxygenOS 12 on your OnePlus 9RT a spin, then you’d want to click on this link to directly download it — keep in mind it’s for the Indian variant of the OnePlus 9RT which launched in January. In China, the phone came out last fall with the distinction of being the first in the OnePlus series to boot ColorOS 12, though it was based on Android 11.
Once complete, you can install the same by heading over to Settings > About device > Up to date > Local install, then selecting the package you just downloaded.
