OnePlus 6 Android 11 Beta Marks The Start Of A Long Journey

OnePlus has made big promises when it comes to Android and security updates, and while not perfect, it does manage to keep its word. It doesn't always come quickly, however, especially for older models that require more testing when running newer and more resource-demanding software. Such is the case of the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T, launched back in 2018. The company is proudly announcing the availability of the first beta version of OxygenOS 11 with Android 11, suggesting that the stable release is still months away.

To be fair, the fact that the two phones are even getting Android 11 is already noteworthy. The OnePlus 6, in particular, launched with Android 8.1 Oreo but has gone through two updates already, landing on Android 10 at the moment. Most manufacturers would have left it at that but OnePlus is thankfully not like most manufacturers.

In fact, the company is starting its beta test a month earlier than expected. It revealed last April that the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T would start their Android 11 betas in August, but here we are in July, already seeing the start of that process. Unfortunately, it is exactly just that, a start.

OxygenOS 11 will be a huge update in itself, even without Android 11. OnePlus sparked controversy within its community when it revealed its transition away from a vanilla Android UI. Given the number of changes and feedback from the OnePlus 7/7T Android 11 update, the company definitely needs a lot of time testing this update.

Unfortunately, that could mean that the stable version of OxygenOS 11 for the OnePlus 6 and 6T won't be available until September at the earliest. Android 12 would already be on its way out to the public by that time, making Android 11 look outdated by the time it arrives on the phones. Then again, this is most likely the last update that the 2018 OnePlus flagships will receive, so owners will most likely be thankful for the last gift they'll get from OnePlus.