What is ColorOS?

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Bananabob

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#280702 4-Jan-2021 17:06

I am looking at new phones and currently use Android. I notice that the OPPO phones have ColorOS based on Android.

How close to Android is this? Can I run any Android app on it? Is it any good? Should I stick with Samsung Android phones?

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#2630275 4-Jan-2021 17:25

It is Android, with some UI changes and device specific drivers. It comes with Google Play Store so you have access to every Android software under the sun.

Moved to Android sub-forum.

Dingbatt

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#2630276 4-Jan-2021 17:25

As far as I’m aware “ColorOS” is Oppo’s skin that runs over top of Android, in the same way that Samsung runs One UI over top of Android.

They run Android apps.

Cant comment how close it is to plain Android now but in the past Oppo skins were quite heavily modified.

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Benoire

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#2630277 4-Jan-2021 17:34

I've got an Oppo Find X2 Lite which runs the latest version of ColourOS... I came from a Nokia with Android One (pure stock android) and I don't find it an issue to use, mostly its a light skin over the top with some Oppo applications already installed... I find it preferable to my partners Samsung Galaxy M31 as the app tray is still annoying compared to stock android!

Jase2985

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#2630278 4-Jan-2021 17:36

its just the OEM's skin they put on android. should operate pretty much the same.

Oblivian

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#2630282 4-Jan-2021 17:43

Your current may not be as simple 'android' as you think either. Most bigger makers have an overlay or their own mods to make things pretty and have fancy features. Diff camera apps etc to try get a user sales advantage

Samsung - Experience/One

Huawei EMUI / HarmonyOS

Oppo - ColorOS

Motorola - (reasonably pure Android as far as I know)

OnePlus - OxygenOS

Then there is Nokia, who have the oneOS agreement with google

And whoever made Googles flagship at the time was fairly raw OS. So you could get LG/Motorola/HTC/Samsung often similar spec'd

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_phone

Bananabob

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#2630287 4-Jan-2021 18:03

Well thank you all for the quick replies. It makes the decision a little easier.

Oblivian

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#2630319 4-Jan-2021 20:00

Slight warning however.

All good if you are sampling or shopping approved NZ market sold devices - They tend to have VoLTE support, google apps etc. However..

Start going down parallel or getting international/overseas purchased ones because they're cheaper, You can get landed with a model stripped of google apps thanks to odd china trade restrictions and google disagreements. Which may also lack local network feature support.

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nztim

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#2630323 4-Jan-2021 20:18

Not all phones sold through official channels in NZ support VoLTE and on a 4G only tower your stuffed

On that note it might be time to upgrade one of my iPhones which is a 5s

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

Bananabob

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#2630326 4-Jan-2021 20:32

nztim: Not all phones sold through official channels in NZ support VoLTE and on a 4G only tower your stuffed

On that note it might be time to upgrade one of my iPhones which is a 5s

VoLTE? is that 5G?

Oblivian

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#2630328 4-Jan-2021 20:38

Bananabob:

VoLTE? is that 5G?

Voice over LTE/4G.

Issue being, if you are on a new 4G data only tower and no fringe 3G cover and it doesn't work. Can't make calls unless you have Skype or Whatsapp etc that use internet

Big ol thread about it around the traps. Not much to be concerned of unless you have a specific reason for requirement. Just a headsup if you were that there's a lot of models may not fit your bill totally (incl the google apps)

nztim

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#2630448 5-Jan-2021 09:17

Oblivian:

Bananabob:

VoLTE? is that 5G?

Voice over LTE/4G.

Issue being, if you are on a new 4G data only tower and no fringe 3G cover and it doesn't work. Can't make calls unless you have Skype or Whatsapp etc that use internet

Big ol thread about it around the traps. Not much to be concerned of unless you have a specific reason for requirement. Just a headsup if you were that there's a lot of models may not fit your bill totally (incl the google apps)

Doesn't affect me as my personal phone does support it (unless I get a work job in the middle of no-where)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

deadlyllama

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#2630726 5-Jan-2021 13:46

I hated ColorOS. It had a maximum number of background apps that it hit really quickly with my usage. This is with an Oppo AX5 from 2018.