OnePlus News Daily Dose #3: January security updates for 6/6T, 5G prototype on MWC and more!

In yesterday’s OnePlus News Daily Dose #2, we highlighted that OnePlus started to rollout Open Beta builds for OnePlus 6 and 6T. At least for OnePlus 6, the new OB12 build is identical to the previous build which was pulled back.

Well, that was not a mere coincidence. We have captured the current Open Beta build for OnePlus 6T (OB4), and unsurprisingly it is also byte-by-byte same as the previous one.

Old:

https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus6TOxygen/OnePlus6TOxygen_41.W.26_GLO_026_1901280420/OnePlus6TOxygen_41_OTA_026_all_1901280420_f2b12497.zip

New:

https://otafsg1.h2os.com/patch/amazone2/GLO/OnePlus6TOxygen/OnePlus6TOxygen_41.W.26_GLO_026_1901280420/OnePlus6TOxygen_41_OTA_026_all_1901280420_723d3beb9f6.zip

The release identifier tags are different, which is also true for OnePlus 6. The MD5 hash is 1b38e0b424d14b071e1f0bc15848ef79 for both files.

There is, however, a noticeable anomaly. In case of OnePlus 6, the old build is still available for download. But the former OB4 build for OnePlus 6T is either deleted or (more likely) restricted from public by OnePlus – cause the URL is not working.

We are still looking for community members to help us to capture and analyze the smaller incremental OTA zips.

On the other hand, OnePlus pushed the red button for stable branch as well. Stable version of OxygenOS is getting update prompts on OnePlus 6 duos.

The version numbers are 9.0.4 for OnePlus 6 and 9.0.12 for OnePlus 6T respectively. Both phones share very similar codebase, thus the changelogs are (mostly) identical.

The updates bring January security update on the stable branch. Google Duo integration with native dialer is also part of these updates, which was already introduced in Open Beta channel.

The changelogs also mention screen display optimizations for OnePlus 6T which are probably targeting better color temperature and improved sRGB display profile. OnePlus has also posted an official announcement thread regarding the updates.

Changelogs:

System
* Updated Android security patch to 2019.01
* Optimizations for Screen Display (*Only for 6T)
* Deep integration with Google Duo
* General Bug Fixes & Software Improvements

With the help of the Oxygen Updater community, the whole OTA tracking business becomes less convoluted. If you are still waiting in queue for the update and don’t want to fiddle with VPNs, give Oxygen Updater a go!

For sideloading fans, you can find the full signed zips here:

• OxygenOS 9.0.4 for OnePlus 6 (MD5: 3dd6ecd5f96db9e2da4a962c650d8e8a)
• OxygenOS 9.0.12 for OnePlus 6T (MD5: 08545381559a8c1acf5886ff9c042a3b)

OnePlus removed the ability to sideload from their stock recovery environment, but you can still flash them from compatible TWRP. ‘Local upgrade’ inside the OxygenOS is another option to install these zips manually.

It is worth to mention this (again): the new updates for OnePlus 6T are only applicable for the unlocked global variant. The T-Mobile exclusive variant is crippled in terms of quick updates and the community suggest to stay away from it.

Hint: You can *stil* convert your T-Mobile OP6T to international unlocked version.

Let’s shift our focus to elsewhere.

Remember the secretive MWC invitation sent by OnePlus? We talked about it a lot on our first Daily Dose.

OnePlus later gave a statement which clearly mentioned about a closed door networking event. The rumors around the 5G phone or smart television were debunked thereby.

In a surprise turn of events, OnePlus announced that they will indeed present their 5G prototype phone in MWC 2019. OnePlus describes their exhibit like the following:

Connect with the OnePlus Community over 5G

OnePlus, at Qualcomm’s booth (Hall 3 Stand 3E10), invites all to connect and communicate with our community over a 5G network. Attendees will also be able to experience the capabilities of 5G gaming on a OnePlus 5G prototype. Keep an eye out for the limited-edition Qualcomm x OnePlus pin badge, only available at the OnePlus stand.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau is also on the list of speakers, along with Qualcomm’s president Cristiano R. Amon, Motorola’s Jeff Snow and other notable players in the 5G game.

His session is titled as “5G Devices: When Will they be Ready?” which will be held on February 26th.

Although most of us will be using 4G devices for the foreseeable future, some carriers have plans to deploy mobile 5G networks by early 2019, with some early efforts even planned for later 2018. Upon arrival, what should we expect? What impact will 5G have on battery life, usage and new services? Is the much hyped folding screen set to become mainstream? Is VR and AR a major 5G proposition?

As we mentioned earlier, the 5G phone from OnePlus will see a commercial release with some delays. In UK, EE will be the carrier partner.

Pete himself hinted about the price hike by $200-$300 and projected the launch period “before the end of May.” regarding the 5G phone.

The exhibit will probably be intended for network engineers and OEMs, not for regular masses. If the previous leak about it is justified, then we may see the arrival of Moto-esque circular camera bump.

Let’s end this for today… “Live long and prosper”! ??

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