Four Upcoming OxygenOS 11 Features Teased by OnePlus

OnePlus is scheduled to announce the next major OxygenOS update – OxygenOS 11 (or HydrogenOS 11 in China) on 10th August next week. It will be based on Android 11, we already know that, but the Chinese giant has now started to tease upcoming OxygenOS 11 features on social media.

OxygenOS 11 will bring new UI elements, an improved dark mode, the much-awaited Always-on Display, and Zen Mode 2.0 in tow. OnePlus has today shared a first look at each of these upcoming features on Weibo. So, let’s take a close look at the upcoming features in OxygenOS 11:

Upcoming Features in OxygenOS 11

1. Always-on Display

For the longest time, OnePlus fans have requested the company to add an Always-on Display to its phones. The company added this feature to the product roadmap earlier this year, with CEO Pete Lau teasing that it will arrive with OxygenOS 11 last week.

Today, Lau has taken to Weibo to not only detail the ‘Time’ AOD theme but also shown off other design options that will be available to users. The ‘Time’ AOD theme has been co-created in partnership with teachers and students from Parsons College in the U.S. It displays the time and battery charge, along with the number of times you unlock the phone and your daily app usage. This is a new way to remind you whether you’re over-using the phone and need a digital detox.

Here’s a video that gives you a brief idea about how this AOD theme came to be –

2. Major UI Change

OnePlus already offers a minimal and close to stock Android experience. A lot of users have stood by the company for its premium hardware and clean software experience. OnePlus, however, is now taking cues from Samsung’s One UI skin to simplify single-handed use of their phones.

As you can see in the screenshot below, OxygenOS 11 will include a lot of white space up-top and interactive elements at the bottom – within the reach of your finger. The settings page redesign reveals that you will see a cleaner new UI, bottom navigation bars, and an improved gallery view.

3. Zen Mode 2.0

Zen Mode, the digital detox feature that completely locks your phone for 20 minutes was introduced with OnePlus 7 earlier last year. It has received several improvements but the company is now set to debut Zen Mode 2.0 with OxygenOS 11.

OnePlus will add a community meditation feature, along with the option to share your achievements and show off how your digital detox results. This will complement the UI revamp and existing features, which will get certain optimizations ahead of a public release.

4. Improved Dark Mode

Lau also revealed that OnePlus has worked with Dutch UI/UX designer Léandro Tijink to rework the dark mode in OxygenOS 11. Tijink believes that the dark mode feature should be more than turning the background black and needs to have layers. Also, OxygenOS 11 will bring a quick setting toggle, scheduled dark mode, and more along with optimizations across the board.

The post did include a GIF, attached above, that shows a sweet little animation when the dark mode kicks in. OnePlus will detail the features next week, so stay tuned for more information. The company will also roll out the final OxygenOS 11 developer preview, based on Android 11, to users across the globe.