Earlier this year, in a bid to improve its software roll out times, OnePlus merged OxygenOS with HydrogenOS. While OxygenOS offers a near-stock Android experience, HydrogenOS is preloaded on the OnePlus units sold in China and doesn’t resemble stock Android in any way. Soon, there were multiple reports that the company would be merging HydrogenOS and OxygenOS into one and thereby stop offering the stock Android-like feel.
Now, in an AMA on Reddit, the OnePlus software team has clarified that while the company is indeed working on merging the backend of OxygenOS with HydrogenOS, it will keep both versions separate. By merging the underlying sources of both OS, OnePlus will be able to roll out software updates quickly for the OnePlus 3. OxygenOS will continue to have a stock-ish UI and the company will “stick to create a pure Android experience while at the same time adding some features that we believe will be very valuable for our users.” As OnePlus software team members note in the AMA, the OxygenOS 3.5 community builds are the perfect example of this. It is based on the merged OxygenOS-HydrogenOS platform and features many new features and enhancements.
