This is one reason why the unlocked version of an Android phone tops the carrier-locked model

Back in September, the unlocked version of the OnePlus 7 Pro was updated to Android 10. But three months later, those who purchased the phone from T-Mobile still had not received it, leaving their handset running Android 9 Pie. That meant that they were forced to use the three-button navigation system (back, home, multitask) familiar to Android users or the half-assed gesture system that turned out to be a stop-gap before Android 10's improvements.

You'll notice that we used the past tense in the above paragraph because this past weekend, the T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 7 Pro finally received the update to OxygenOS 10.0.1 bringing Android 10 to the handset. And users of the device were so excited about this development that they took to Reddit (via Android Police) to announce its arrival. With the update, OnePlus 7 Pro users will be able to switch between the three-button navigation system of old and the new gesture system that includes a problematic back gesture (that accidentally takes you out of an app from time-to-time) but otherwise offers a quick trip home by swiping up from the bottom.

Besides the much-improved gesture navigation system, other features found on Android 10 include the system-wide Dark Mode. This turns the UI from showing black text on a white background to white text on a black background and can prevent one's eyes from getting strained at night or in a dark room. Dark Mode also can slightly improve the battery life of phones that sport an AMOLED panel. With Smart Reply, an appropriate response to a message will appear and if warranted, a link will take the user directly to Google Maps for directions. Android 10 also adds 65 new emoji and many more improvements to the Android operating system. The update weighs in at 1.9GB and includes the November security patch.

Those who heard about quick Android updates for OnePlus phones and figured that their handset would be running Android 10 months ago will learn a lesson for next time. If you don't have the unlocked version of a phone, you will still be at the mercy of your carrier and they are usually the last to push through an update.