How Vanilla is Android on OnePlus 6?

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matisyahu

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#242270 18-Oct-2018 16:56

Looking at all the options available and I'm wondering, how vanilla is the OnePlus 6 in terms of receiving updates for Messages/Phone etc. through the store or does OnePlus customise those applications and they're only updated through their own update mechanism? With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6? I'm tempted to hold off to the 6T but if it is near enough to what Pixel provides without the eye watering price tag and hoop jumping then maybe it is the better option.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

tripp

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#2110591 18-Oct-2018 17:01

I have had a number of phones, with android you can just download the google sms message app from the app store (it's what i use). Phone app is by oneplus and that just got updated with the android pie update.

I like oneplus because of the charging speed (yes there is no wireless but Dash charging is just so fast anyway). My battery lasts the day. I do top it up on the way home with the VooC charger i have (which you can get from JBhifi etc). Extra cables can be purchased from oneplus or amazon or ali.

Oneplus also had dark theme for it's interface which you won't find on a pixel.

Oneplus does security updates every 2 months. However you can always go on the beta update and they tend to come out faster.

Camera has got a lot better between the 5t i had to the 6 i am currently using.

Between the note 9 and the oneplus 6 I have I tend to use the oneplus more. The only let down is no stereo speakers on the oneplus. I am hoping the 6t or 7 will have it.

Over all oxygenOS is close to stock, but oneplus has added a few things to make it better, i.e. app locker (you can set apps to have a pin or finger print to open). Parallel Apps (i.e. 2 x whatsapp, 2 x facebook messengers etc). Dark theme with custom highlight colour, Gaming mode, Reading mode (which makes it look like a kindle), scheduled power on/off and the alert slider (like the iphone which mutes the phone).

d3Xt3r

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#2110661 18-Oct-2018 20:21

To cover the points the above poster missed:

> With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6?

Yep, OnePlus apps are updated via the Play Store.

> I'm tempted to hold off to the 6T but if it is near enough to what Pixel provides without the eye watering price tag and hoop jumping then maybe it is the better option.

Don't get the 6T - it'll likely have the same or very similar hardware to the 6, just like the 5T did wrt 5 and the 3T did wrt 3. Specs wise there's no reason to opt for the 6T instead of the 6, infact, IMHO the 6T is a *downgrade* compared to the 6 due to the lack of the headphone jack. The OP6 is the best bang-for-buck flagship that you can buy right now that's close to stock Android and has no bloatware.

matisyahu

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#2110678 18-Oct-2018 21:02

d3Xt3r:

To cover the points the above poster missed:

> With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6?

Yep, OnePlus apps are updated via the Play Store.

So things like the Phone and Messages app are upgraded via the Play Store? if so, then that is great.

> I'm tempted to hold off to the 6T but if it is near enough to what Pixel provides without the eye watering price tag and hoop jumping then maybe it is the better option.

Don't get the 6T - it'll likely have the same or very similar hardware to the 6, just like the 5T did wrt 5 and the 3T did wrt 3. Specs wise there's no reason to opt for the 6T instead of the 6, infact, IMHO the 6T is a *downgrade* compared to the 6 due to the lack of the headphone jack. The OP6 is the best bang-for-buck flagship that you can buy right now that's close to stock Android and has no bloatware.

I've tempted to go for the 6 because it is 'tried and tested' where as 6T is rumoured to include new features that I'm not interested in (under the screen fingerprint scanner etc) - I'll just grab it from PB Tech, might get the red one.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

d3Xt3r

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#2110686 18-Oct-2018 21:19

matisyahu:
d3Xt3r:

To cover the points the above poster missed:

> With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6?

Yep, OnePlus apps are updated via the Play Store.

So things like the Phone and Messages app are upgraded via the Play Store? if so, then that is great.
.

Actually the Phone and Messages app aren't, but the rest of the apps like the Launcher and Gallery are (possibly because of the critical/essential nature of those apps). Regardless, I've disabled both of them and replaced with their Google variants and they work just fine.

matisyahu

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#2110700 18-Oct-2018 21:53

d3Xt3r:
matisyahu:

d3Xt3r:

To cover the points the above poster missed:

> With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6?

Yep, OnePlus apps are updated via the Play Store.

So things like the Phone and Messages app are upgraded via the Play Store? if so, then that is great.

Actually the Phone and Messages app aren't, but the rest of the apps like the Launcher and Gallery are (possibly because of the critical/essential nature of those apps). Regardless, I've disabled both of them and replaced with their Google variants and they work just fine.

I guess I can live with that - I assume the standard messages and phone don't have any weird changes as with the case of Samsung and their attempt to make Samsung Cloud a thing. Having had a look through the screenshots it appears that Oneplus keep it very much vanilla. I might get the red one or black one then put it in a leather wallet case.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

tripp

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#2110762 19-Oct-2018 08:02

matisyahu:

d3Xt3r:
matisyahu:

d3Xt3r:

To cover the points the above poster missed:

> With Nokia and Pixel you get Phone/Messages/etc updates through the store and I am wondering whether it is the same in the world of OnePlus 6?

Yep, OnePlus apps are updated via the Play Store.

So things like the Phone and Messages app are upgraded via the Play Store? if so, then that is great.

Actually the Phone and Messages app aren't, but the rest of the apps like the Launcher and Gallery are (possibly because of the critical/essential nature of those apps). Regardless, I've disabled both of them and replaced with their Google variants and they work just fine.

I guess I can live with that - I assume the standard messages and phone don't have any weird changes as with the case of Samsung and their attempt to make Samsung Cloud a thing. Having had a look through the screenshots it appears that Oneplus keep it very much vanilla. I might get the red one or black one then put it in a leather wallet case.

The message and phone app don't have anything funny with them, but like i said you can just download and use any sms message app you want. I then to use the google one as you can then text from the web etc :)

jonathan18

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#2110799 19-Oct-2018 09:34

I'm in agreement with the posts above - the changes/add-ons to Android that Oxygen makes are positive and managed in a light manner - the polar opposite of the Samsung approach. It's also such a fast phone that these additions never seem to get in the way of an enjoyable user experience.

One other addition I really like are the gestures that operate when the screen's off - so useful to turn on the torch, start Android Auto etc.

Personally, I've never used the original OnePlus launcher - I've run Microsoft Launcher on it from day one - but isn't that one of the key benefits of Android? As with using the stock dialer or message app or installing an alternative, as mentioned above, it's all in the hands of the user...

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tripp

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#2110807 19-Oct-2018 09:43

jonathan18:

I'm in agreement with the posts above - the changes/add-ons to Android that Oxygen makes are positive and managed in a light manner - the polar opposite of the Samsung approach. It's also such a fast phone that these additions never seem to get in the way of an enjoyable user experience.

One other addition I really like are the gestures that operate when the screen's off - so useful to turn on the torch, start Android Auto etc.

Personally, I've never used the original OnePlus launcher - I've run Microsoft Launcher on it from day one - but isn't that one of the key benefits of Android? As with using the stock dialer or message app or installing an alternative, as mentioned above, it's all in the hands of the user...

I use nova launcher on mine :)