OnePlus Commits To Four Major Android Updates For 'Select' 2023 Devices
OnePlus wants to catch up with Samsung and Apple at keeping its phones up to date for a few more years. At a community event in London, the company reportedly confirmed that OxygenOS 14 is in development, alongside an exciting new update policy for its phones. OnePlus says a handful of its smartphones will get four yearly Android version upgrades, which is the best that Android OEMs have to offer.
As per The Verge, "select devices launched in 2023 and beyond" will receive four yearly Android version upgrades and security patches for five years. OnePlus didn't specify the models, but it is safe to assume that OnePlus flagships in its bread and butter numbered series will be the first one to get extended Android update support.
OnePlus currently maintains a flagship line that is currently led by the OnePlus 10 Pro, but it also sells sub-flagships like the OnePlus 10R and OnePlus Ace in a few markets, alongside the budget-centric Nord family. SlashGear has reached out to OnePlus for further clarity regarding the phone line-ups that will be treated to four Android OS updates, and what will be the cadence of software updates for the rest of its smartphone portfolio.
Matching the best and surpassing Google
"With more users keeping their devices for longer, we want to make sure we can offer that possibility," Gary Chen, head of OxygenOS development at OnePlus, was quoted as saying. XDA-Developers reports that for phones on the extended Android update roadmap, they will get Android security patches every second month. It sounds odd, but Samsung also follows a similar approach with quarterly security updates for older phones.
In July of 2021, OnePlus promised that all its flagship phones would get three Android OS updates and security updates for four years. The latest commitment adds a year each to the previous policy. In doing so, OnePlus has also managed to match Samsung's own software update policy for Galaxy smartphones. Google, on the other hand, continues to offer only three Android OS upgrades for the new Pixel 7 series phones, and security updates for half a decade.
As for OnePlus' next-gen hardware, the company is currently prepping the OnePlus 11 series flagships, which recently surfaced online in alleged renders rocking the signature alert slider and a round camera island. Rumors suggest a triple 50-megapixel rear camera setup and an impressive 100W fast charging capability for OnePlus' next offering.