OnePlus’ latest update strategy is more confusing than ever

Summary

• OnePlus is introducing a new monthly update series for its phones, making it easier to add new features without waiting for OTA updates.
• The first monthly update includes minor changes like an optimized unit converter interface and improved system stability.
• Users of OnePlus devices can expect these monthly updates to gradually roll out by September 6, offering enhanced user experience.

It’s been (surprisingly) a busy month for OnePlus. The company announced its new OnePlus Open Apex Edition earlier this week and is also reportedly set to launch the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 soon. But the company isn’t stopping there. The company has announced a new monthly update series for OnePlus phones that simplifies the process of adding features to their devices without requiring an over-the-air (OTA) update.

OnePlus currently offers security patches for its phones every 90 days, meaning users have to wait around three months for small fixes and security updates. This, however, isn’t ideal for quickly addressing minor issues. The new monthly update series will make it easier for the company to send these updates.

OnePlus says these monthly updates will “enhance user experience” by adding new self-developed apps and new features to their devices without actually going through the whole OTA cycle. In fact, OnePlus is already rolling out its first monthly updates for August 2024, named U120P01 & U120P02.

First monthly update is already rolling out

The first version doesn’t bring many new features — just an optimized unit converter interface in the Calculator app and improved system stability — but we hope future versions will include more. The update is available for all OnePlus devices from the OnePlus 8 series to the latest OnePlus 12 series and even OnePlus Nord and OnePlus Pad devices.

For those wondering, these updates will still show up as normal OTA updates. You’ll need to go to Settings > About device > OxygenOS card to install them, just as you normally would. OnePlus says the rollout started on August 2, but they are taking a cautious approach and gradually rolling it out, with all users expected to receive the updates by September 6.

For those who find this familiar, Google already offers a similar Pixel Drop Feature program for supported Pixel devices that adds plenty of useful features every month. For example, a recent Pixel Drop added on-device support for Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. OnePlus seems to be taking a similar approach, though its current offering is somewhat limited. However, we do hope it evolves into something more useful.