OnePlus: OxygenOS 13 will be closer to stock UI, OnePlus 10 Pro launching end of March globally
OnePlus today had a bevy of announcements for Mobile World Congress. These focused on the company's future software and hardware launches, as well as expanding to more markets in 2022.
Starting with software, OnePlus has confirmed that OxygenOS 13 will be closer to stock Android. This decision was based on the feedback to OxygenOS 12 launched last year, which was roundly criticized for its decision to essentially become a clone of Oppo's ColorOS.
According to OnePlus, OxygenOS and ColorOS will still share codebase but will remain distinct properties with a user experience close to what their individual user bases expect. For OxygenOS, this means going back to the clean and simple stock Android appearance. OxygenOS 13 will be releasing later this year with Android 13.
Next is a hardware announcement for the OnePlus 10 Pro. This latest flagship from OnePlus has had a rather limited launch so far in China but will see a global launch by the end of March. This wider launch will take place in North America, India, and Europe.
The company will also be expanding its range of affordable smartphones in the Nord range. It will be launching its most affordable 5G smartphone in India and Europe later this year. There will also be more IoT product launches in 2022.
OnePlus will also be expanding to more markets. The company will be expanding its existing product range in Mexico and Canada. It will also launch in South America for the first time and expand to more Asian countries. It will also continue its expansion in North Africa and the Middle East.
Finally, OnePlus will be collaborating even more with Oppo going forward. The company announced that it is now an independent sub-brand of Oppo and will be benefiting from the R&D resources and technology from Oppo while providing its software and "deep user insights".
Among some of the new technologies it will be benefiting from include Oppo's 150W SuperVooc, which can charge a 4500mAh battery to 50% in just five minutes. This technology will be debuting in OnePlus phones later this year.
Finally, the company announced that it shipped 11 million smartphones in 2021, which is its highest yet. The Nord series has sold 10 million units since it debuted in 2020.