OPPO unveils ColorOS 12 for Chinese OPPO and OnePlus smartphones

OPPO has unveiled the Android 12-based ColorOS 12, which will come to OPPO and OnePlus smartphones through an open beta in China later this year. The upgrade has a redesigned design with new icons, more white space, and revamped animations.

The new design of ColorOS 12 reduces information density and makes more use of different colors to display information more clearly for users. The different colors should help users tell the difference between important and less important information. The new operating system will also receive Omojis, avatars that can display facial expressions and can be used in video calling apps, for example.

ColorOS also adds more gestures, according to XDA Developers, so that users can switch between full-screen apps and apps in separate windows with hand movements within apps. The upgrade also brings a new Cross-Screen Interconnection function, which should improve the connection between smartphone and PC. For example, users can edit documents on the PC that are stored on a smartphone and they can control their smartphone from the PC.

Another new feature is Smart Sidebar 2.0 with six new features, such as playing music or comparing prices from online stores. With the new Car Screen Projection function, users can once again link their smartphone to a car.

The upgrade also gets 300 improved animations so that the operating system feels smoother. There is also a new AI engine that should prevent stuttering while using the smartphone. Finally, the upgrade removes metadata from shared photos and videos to ensure user privacy.

The ColorOS 12 upgrade will appear in China next month as an open beta for OPPO’s Find X3 and OnePlus’ 9 smartphones. In November, Find X2 and Reno6 models will receive the open beta upgrade, followed a month later by Ace2, Reno5, K9 and A95 models. More smartphones will be coming in the first half of 2022, including OnePlus 7 models and Reno3 smartphones.

Chinese OnePlus smartphones have been receiving ColorOS since March, the manufacturer said at the time that OxygenOS would continue to be used outside of China. In July, the two companies said they would integrate their codebase.