OnePlus News Daily Dose #37: Open Beta update, OnePlus 7 concept, mobile filmmaking and more!

In yesterday’s daily dose of OnePlus news, we discussed a little about the discrepancy between stable and beta channel users in terms of security patches.

Google recommends OEMs to provide monthly security patches to their devices. In fact they deliver the necessary codes to the OEMs as early as possible, and share testing infrastructures with them for easier integration.

We have been developing security update testing systems that are now making compliance failures less likely to occur. In particular, we recently delivered a new testing infrastructure that enables manufacturers to develop and deploy automated tests across lower levels of the firmware stack that were previously relegated to manual testing. In addition, the Android build approval process now includes scanning of device images for specific patterns, reducing the risk of omission.

Until now, the Mountain View giant only recommended, but didn’t enforce. However, the situation is changing, albeit in a slow pace.

OnePlus announced a dedicated Software Maintenance Schedule, where they promised “2 years of regular software updates” and “an additional year of Android security patch updates every 2 months” for their smartphones.

Thanks to the bi-monthly update policy, the users of OxygenOS stable branch (i.e. the majority) are stuck with January patch level.

The beta channel users, however, got the March security patches in mid-March. They started to get a second set of beta updates since yesterday (or today, depending on your timezone).

The version number of the new beta builds are as follows:

• Open Beta 29 for OnePlus 5
• Open Beta 27 for OnePlus 5T
• Open Beta 15 for OnePlus 6
• Open Beta 7 for OnePlus 6T

The security patch level is still on March 2019, although the Shenzhen based OEM delivered a number of UI enhancements of the stock apps with these updates.

For more details and the download links of the OTA zips, take a look at our article. FYI, the official update announcement thread for OnePlus 6/6T was not live at the time of writing the article.

Talking about updates, OnePlus 3 and 3T users have yet to know anything official regarding the closed beta of the much anticipated Android 9 Pie beta. The announcement thread is nothing but a wild west at this moment.

On the other hand, the anticipation of the upcoming OnePlus 7 is skyrocketing. Youtuber Waqar Khan uploaded a concept video of OnePlus 7 based on the earlier leaks.

The phone is shown in several color variants, including gradient ones. We stumbled on the rumor about gradient backs before, so the inclusion is not surprising.

The concept artist also shared the high quality renders, based on which the video was created. Interested users as well as digital artists may visit the repository of the pictures.

Meanwhile, the Mobile Filmmaking Masterclass event has progressed one step further. Quick recap for readers, OnePlus started a this initiative in collaboration with eminent Italian filmmaker Giacomo Mantovani.

After going through a series of tutorials created by Mantovani himself, participants were given a task to create storyboards for their film. 29 out of 45 contestants submitted their ideas in the forum.

Now OnePlus wants you to select the best storyboard by casting your vote.

With your help, these contestants will be able to make their movies come to life on your smartphone screens. View each thread and vote only for your absolute favorites from now to 27 March 11:59 (GMT).

The threads with the highest votes will then be presented to a panel of judges who will select the top ten finalists. Each of these finalists will then receive a brand-new OnePlus 6T which they will use to shoot their short film on. Once the films have been shot, edited and polished, we will select the top three.

The community team has created a separate sub-forum for the entries. Don’t forget to check them out!

The winner of the contest will be rewarded $10,000, two OnePlus devices and a gimbal. The second place holder will get $4,000 and two OnePlus devices. Wait, there’s more – $2,000 and one OnePlus device for the third one.

Oh, and don’t miss the last chance to submit your idea in the 5G Apps of tomorrow contest!

See you guys tomorrow. Ciao!

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