Remember the OnePlus X? Back in 2015, OnePlus played the game of launching a ‘mini’ or ‘lite’ variant of the regular flagship (aka OnePlus 2). You may call the regular OnePlus 7 as a similar marketing stance, but you are not thinking deeply.

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The ill-fated OnePlus X

Now that the boundaries between the top notch and middle tier SoCs are rapidly phasing out, OEMs don’t prefer to release a budget friendly, trimmed down variant of their flagships. Of course there are exceptions: Redmi K20 (SD730) versus Redmi K20 Pro (SD855) is a prime example.

Keeping aside those cases, mainstream companies are cutting the cost in the domains like camera sensors, battery capacity or fast charging support. The SoC remains untouched, so that the users get the same level of satisfaction.

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OnePlus 7 is powered by Snapdragon 855, similar to OnePlus 7 Pro

Talking about business practices, don’t forget the ‘shotgun strategy’ adopted by various companies. The idea is to manufacture every possible combination out there, so that you can (theoretically) cater a larger consumer base without any hiccup.

Xiaomi and Huawei are known for such strategies, and OPPO becomes an important member of this clan. One of the major negative aspects of this practice is the lack/delay of software updates, although OPPO is now providing Android Pie OTA to their older phones.

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OPPO Find X: 2018’s flagship recently got soak test build of Android Pie

PiunikaWeb readers should remember that OPPO R17 also got an equivalent early adopter build of ColorOS 6 (based on Android Pie) in China. The beefier variant, i.e. OPPO R17 Pro is now entitled for receiving the trial version of Pie based ColorOS in India.

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Users need to install the latest ColorOS 5.2 based firmware for OPPO R17 Pro before participating in the trial

Similar to the soak test of other OPPO phones, only 2,000 volunteers can take part in this pilot deployment. They need to open the Settings app on their phones, navigate to Software Updates and follows the steps as shown in the screenshots below:

oppo_r17_pro_coloros_6_apply_1

oppo_r17_pro_coloros_6_apply_2

ColorOS 6 brings a visually overhauled app drawer, bunch of new features like Game Space, navigation gestures and an intelligent smart assistant. The full changelog is as follows:

「Visuals」
·Redesigned the UI to suit the bezel-less screen. Blank spaces and color gradients are carefully harnessed to interpret aesthetics, grace, and youth.

「Hyper Boost」
·Added Game Boost 2.0 (which integrates Frame Boost and Touch Boost), reducing game lags.
·Added System Boost: Optimized the whole system through improved compatibility between bottom-layer hardware platforms.
·Added App Boost: Optimized platform-level heavy-weight apps.

「System」
·Added a button to hide unimportant notifications with just a tap.
·Added swipe gestures on both sides to go back, allowing for easier navigation.
·Added custom “Do Not Disturb” scenarios. Different time ranges can be set according to the scenario.

「Game Space」
·Game Space: New visuals, avatar game console, landscape, and portrait screen orientations.
·You can reduce image quality to save power in Low Power Mode.

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Game Space

「Home Screen」
·Added default wallpapers with aesthetics and modern feeling.
·Added drawer mode on Home screen.
·Added live wallpapers to satisfy different users.
·Added batch icon management on Home Screen.

「Tools」
·Calculator: Result in each step is immediately displayed.

「Camera」
·Optimized Portrait mode.
·Optimized UI.

「Photos」
·Optimized UI.
·Added Favorites function: Photos and albums can be added to Favorites.

「Communication」
·Added block rule: Block calls and messages from numbers that start with certain prefixes.
·Added Flash on Call: The flash blinks if there is an incoming call when the screen is locked or off.
·You can connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, allowing a quick switch between them.

「Settings」
·Added a setting option to adjust the animation speed upon app launch.
·Added Riding Mode (applies to partial regions).
·Added Low-Brightness Flicker-Free Eye Care

Don’t be late! Register ASAP, test the ColorOS 6 build and spot the bugs. Based on your feedback, OPPO will internally fix the glitches and release the final stable version of Android Pie for the R17 Pro.

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Kingshuk De
896 Posts

I came from a mixed background of Statistics and Computer Science. My research domains included embedded computer systems, mobile computing and delay tolerant networks in post-disaster scenarios. Apart from tinkering with gadgets or building hackintosh, I like to hop on various subreddits and forums like MyDigitalLife and XDA.

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