Oxygen OS 16 Annoucement Breakdown

Oct 17

OnePlus just unveiled the latest version of Oxygen OS, this time based on Android 16. There’s a ton of new features and changes in their 30-minute video, but there’s also a lot of PR speak and fluff. In this post, let’s break down what is actually new.

The Changes

General System & Navigation

You can now sort apps alphabetically and by category in the app drawer.
Circle to Search now works seamlessly whether you use gestures buttons or a hidden navigation bar.

OnePlus AI: Plus Mind & Gemini

The new AI heart of the system is Plus Mind which functions as your personal intelligence.
You can instantly capture whatever is on your screen (e.g., schedules concert details restaurant spots) by pressing the plus key.
You can record inspiration as a voice memo by long-pressing the plus key.
Collected information is stored in a dedicated space called MindSpace which doesn’t just store information it extracts powerful insights and generates neat summaries.
You can categorize information into different collections in MindSpace with AI intelligently suggesting relevant content.
You can use Gemini to draw from saved MindSpace content and turn it into plans summaries or tailored recommendations.

AI Productivity

The built-in AI Scan can snap a photo of a slide instantly clean it up and save it as a PDF correcting for distortion.
AI Writer can instantly turn a text summary into a visual mind map.

AI Photography

AI Portrait Glow creates studio-quality portraits even in challenging lighting conditions.
AI Perfect Shot can fix blinking eyes and adjust facial expressions in a group photo of up to 20 people.

System Performance

The system introduces the smoothest-ever Oxygen OS experience everywhere thanks to system-wide parallel processing.
Flow Motion is a fine-tuned animation framework that eliminates frame jitters during animations.

Design & Customization

You can turn motion photos into dynamic lock screens.
You can play videos directly on your lock screen.
Both motion photos and videos on the lock screen support a depth effect.
Fluid Cloud is upgraded to provide real-time live updates from partners like Spotify and Somato.

Connectivity (OnePlus Connect)

The Share with iPhone feature is simplified to allow instant file transfer by bumping your devices together.
You can browse your entire OnePlus photo album right from your Mac or Windows laptop.
You can open a file on your phone and edit it on your laptop with zero sync delays.
Phone notifications now appear on your Mac or PC.
OnePlus Connect works with both Mac and Windows.

OnePlus Pad Experience

On the OnePlus Pad, the home screen now allows you to fit more apps on every screen.
You can scale up the icons that matter most on the OnePlus Pad home screen.
Open Canvas on the OnePlus Pad is supercharged to allow using up to five apps simultaneously (split-screen plus floating apps).
The OnePlus Pad can seamlessly sync with Windows via OnePlus Connect.
Pad features include file drag and drops screen mirroring and desktop app access (from the phone).
You can mirror your phone screen to your OnePlus Pad and control both devices from one place.
Sharing your phone's 5G connection is dramatically more efficient than a traditional hotspot.
Photos and videos taken on your phone now appear instantly on your Pad accelerating creative workflow.

Release Date

OxygenOS 16 is scheduled to begin rolling out in November 2025. This first wave of the update, which is based on Android 16, will focus on the most recent flagship phones and tablets. The devices confirmed to receive the update in November are:

OnePlus 13 Series (including OnePlus 13, 13R, and 13s)
OnePlus 12 Series (including OnePlus 12 and 12R)
OnePlus Open
OnePlus Pad 3
OnePlus Pad 2

Other eligible devices, such as the OnePlus 11 series and several Nord models, will follow in December 2025 and throughout the first quarter of 2026. Please note that the exact timing of the update may vary slightly depending on your region and mobile carrier.

shane craig