OnePlus 8 series almost ready for Android 12, first open beta now available

OnePlus, just like every other major handset maker, is trying to keep its flagships up to date with the latest Android versions. Although they’ve been released nearly two years ago, the OnePlus 8 series is definitely eligible for Android 12.

So, it’s not really a matter of “if,” but more of a matter of “when” the OnePlus 8 phones will receive Android 12. Until a stable version of Android 12 is ready for release, OnePlus is letting customers who are anxious to install the update to test a beta version of Android 12. Here is what you’ll get in the first open beta of OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12:

System

• Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers

Dark mode

• Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience

Shelf

• New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
• Newly added Earphone Control Card with Bluetooth earphone one-click adjustment
• Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
• Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health stats

Work Life Balance

• Work Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
• WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization

Gallery

• Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing

Canvas AOD

• Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
• Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment
• Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures

There are, of course, some known issues with the update like the fact that some third-party apps haven’t been optimized for the latest Android version and may not function properly. Also, the clock might be missing the dial display when the Always-on Display feature is enabled. Obviously, other features might be completely broken or not working as intended, but if you’re not bothered by that, you can definitely install this beta build.