Fast and smooth, OxygenOS 15 is set to add more speed OnePlus phones: 5 features you need to know about

OnePlus is a brand that associates its phones with speed. Fast, faster and fastest seems to have been the motto of the company. Now, with OxygenOS 15 the company is bringing more speed, and some cool new features, to its phones.

In Short

• OxygenOS 15 launched on October 24
• Based on Android 15, it promises a faster, more streamlined user experience
• Users of the OnePlus 12R, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 11, and the OnePlus 11R will also start receiving the update

OnePlus launched the OxygenOS 15 on October 24, and the beta version rollout began this week on October 30 starting with the OnePlus 12. Users of the OnePlus 12R, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 11, and the OnePlus 11R in India will also start receiving the update for OxygenOS 15 in phases. As the new OS is rolling out to more and more users, many of them are sharing their experience on social media, and the common consensus seems to be that OxygenOS is FAST.

Based on Android 15, OxygenOS 15 promises a faster, more streamlined user experience with a host of new features and a minimalist design. According to the company, OxygenOS 15 introduces a suite of updates aimed at enhancing "speed, intelligence, and security" for OnePlus devices. Generative AI, of course, sits at the centre of it all. "Speed meets AI" is the tagline for the new OS.

One key element of the OxygenOS 15 is Parallel Processing, which gives it speed and makes the phone experience smoother. Now, what is Parallel Processing? We will explain. But let's first start with the overall look and feel of the OxygenOS 15, which too has been polished.

1- Speed with Parallel Processing

In the OxygenOS 15, there is a great focus on making the phone faster. This speed OnePlus is achieving with hundreds of nips, tucks and optimisations. But two are of particular note: the overall size of the OS and the Parallel Processing.

OnePlus says that its new OS takes 20 per cent less storage space, which is a testament to the fact that it is now lighter and tightly optimised. The Parallel Processing, meanwhile, aims to improve speed and smoothness of animations. OnePlus says that with the previous software it noticed some loss of animation when users would switch from one app to another. This one, using Parallel Processing, has been eliminated in the OxygenOS 15 and it just feels that much smoother.

While in the coming days we will be checking the OnePlus claims, for now hear directly from the company. Here is how it explains Parallel Processing: "This is the industry's most comprehensive coverage of interruption animations, providing seamless transitions between applications and allowing for a fluid experience, even under heavy loads. Whether opening and switching between more than 20 applications continuously, OxygenOS 15 provides a consistently stable and smooth experience."

2- Power of AI on OxygenOS 15

Increasingly generative AI is part of the smartphone experience. Apple is integrating it with iOS 18, Google already has a number of AI features in its phones. And now OnePlus is bringing similar AI features to its users with OxygenOS 15.

One area where OxygenOS 15 has AI playing key role is in photo editing and camera. It comes with features like the AI Eraser, which removes unwanted objects or people from photos, and AI Unblur, which captures sharp, lifelike portraits even in action shots. But our favourite may end up being AI Reflection Eraser, which helps users take clear images of skylines or artwork without glass reflections. We mean how many times we have looked at a great sunset at an airport only to end up clicking a dull looking photo because of glass partitions. The AI Reflection Eraser aims to solve this problem. Then there is the AI Detail Boost, which preserves detail even when a user zooms in or crops an image. Neat!

The other part where OxygenOS 15 brings AI is in its productivity and writing tools. One highlight is the feature called AI Notes, which is designed to make drafting and refining content easier, with features like continued writing, text polishing, and style enhancement. There is also a Format tool that organises fragmented text into clear, structured formats, while the Clean Up feature refines voice recordings by removing filler words, enhancing clarity without changing the original audio.

And then there is the AI Toolbox 2.0, which may end up being crowd favourite? In this suite, we have AI Summary, which generates concise summaries of web articles that you might not have time to read, and AI Writer, which checks spelling, grammar, and style, offering multiple text variations to suit user needs across different apps. There is also AI Reply, a feature that will let users generate instant replies in apps like WhatsApp and Messages.

3- OnePlus OneTake

OnePlus claims this feature is based on the request from the OnePlus community. OxygenOS 15 has a new feature called the OnePlus OneTake which is meant to improve interface personalisation, allowing users to set photos from the camera or gallery as wallpapers and create multi-layer effects with the Depth function to automatically highlight the subject.

The feature also brings improvements to the lock screen, including clock colour blending, glass textures, blurred wallpapers, depth effects, and AI-powered auto-fill options. Additionally, the home screen now supports glass patterns and blurred wallpaper effects for a more dynamic look. Frosty!

4- Minimal and customisable software

OxygenOS 15 brings a bit of redesign to the software that powers user experience inside OnePlus phones. The change makes the software more uniform and colourful. The Home screen now includes updated icons that feature better proportions and have richer colours. Similarly, many system icons have also been revamped to create a more uniform look. The overall uniformity is similar to what we usually see on the iPhone icons, which have always been the gold standard when it comes to look of icons.

But, of course, it goes beyond what even the iPhone offers. There is an updated Shelf Cards design, which now allows users to have a fresh half-tone colour scheme and expanded sizes including 4X4 grid. In addition, there are new shimmering effects, with ability to delight users whenever they are charging the phone, or installing an app, or even as they unlock the screen.

Another way the OxygenOS adds design flourishes to the software is through refined Gaussian blur effect in the Control and Notification Centers. It now applies real-time colour mixing based on the background wallpaper, to create a seamless and visually appealing interface.

5- Smarter Searches with OxygenOS 15's Intelligent Features

OxygenOS 15 also brings some of the popular AI features that were long exclusive to Google Pixel phones. For instance, Circle to Search will now be available on OnePlus phones with the rollout of the new OS.

For the uninitiated, Circle to Search makes the process of finding information directly on a user's screen easier. It eliminates the need to switch between apps. Users can simply long-press the navigation bar or Home button on the virtual keypad, which will activate this feature. Then use gestures like drawing circles, marking, or tapping to initiate a search.

Additionally, there is a feature called Intelligent Search that enhances search experience across devices, thanks to AI. This feature allows quick access to information from various apps like Settings, My Files, Notes, and Photos. Both the Settings and Notes apps support keyword searches and natural language processing, allowing users to ask questions like, "How do I turn off smart charging?" to find relevant answers quickly.

However, it's important to note that searches in Settings are confined to items within that app, and My Files cannot access documents stored in private app directories.

Wait, there is more. There are several other features in OxygenOS 15 –– Open Canvas, Fluid Cloud, Theft Protection, and OnePlus Share –– that add to its experience. And they not just make the UI fast, but also intuitive. But more on this in a few days. For now it is time for us to get back to the OnePlus phones on which we are trying the OxygenOS 15. A more detailed note on the new OxygenOS would follow soon.