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Samsung’s OneUI software has a global reputation in 2022 for delivering quick and on-time updates that are stable for the most part. Samsung has done a fantastic job with updates in 2022. Oppo’s software skin, ColorOS, is now out to challenge Samsung and Google with an updated policy for software updates.
Until now, Oppo offered only three years of major Android updates and another year of security patches. Oppo’s sub-brand, OnePlus, also provides a similar update schedule.
How Many Android Updates Does Oppo Offer?
Oppo has shared its Android update policy for 2023. The brand aims to provide a longer life cycle to its devices. With select 2023 flagships, Oppo flagships will receive four major Android updates and five years of security patches.
| Oppo Software Update | Details |
| Number of Android Upgrades | 4 (For Select Oppo Flagships) |
| Security Patches | 5 Years |
OnePlus updates were once known to be stable and consistent with security patches. Unfortunately, from OxygenOS 10, OnePlus updates began to hit a downward spiral.
OxygenOS 10 was also the final version that closely resembled Stock Android. The OxygenOS 11 update delivery was slower than before, and the update wasn’t stable either, being a catastrophic buggy mess.
Many consider the OxygenOS 11 update the beginning of the end for true OxygenOS. This was when OnePlus began to integrate further with Oppo.
OxygenOS 12 borrows several design elements, features, and overall aesthetic design language from ColorOS 12. It does this without bloatware, spam recommendations, or advertisements in the UI, which is a good sign. The recent OxygenOS 13 update is indistinguishable from ColorOS 13 unless you zoom in with a microscope to find the differences.
The primary reason for the integration, according to Oppo, is stability. OnePlus and Oppo have been working together since the inception of OnePlus, but they only admitted that recently.
Ever since OxygenOS updates became unstable and slower, the development slowed down overall, and integration with ColorOS was promised to offer stability.
Faster and more reliable updates were promised with the merge of OxygenOS and ColorOS. The move brought many perks, like more features that gave OxygenOS some life but moved away from its originality.
Finally, we can see the perks of the software merge in action now. Realme UI 4 is cluttered with advertisements, and many of Oppo’s best phones do not hit global markets. In this situation, OxygenOS becomes desirable since it has great aesthetics and the overall UI experience is clean.
How does Oppo’s promise stack up against Samsung?
People are now upgrading their phones less. Using a phone for over three years is standard since SOCs are powerful enough to last. Phone upgrades have become incremental, and upgrading your phone every year or two is pointless to many people.
So far, Samsung offers the best support for Android updates. Even their midrange A series phones are promised four years of major Android updates and five years of security patches.
Oppo’s move of 4 years of major Android updates beats Google’s policy of offering only three major updates and five years of security patches. The updates won’t be as quick as Google since Pixels receive updates on day one. That’s a given since Google is behind Android.
However, this move from Oppo/ OnePlus challenges the best Android skins. Pixel UI and OneUI are considered the best, but ColorOS now joins the pack thanks to a perfect balance between features, aesthetics, and stability. And now, the updated software policy makes it a worthy contender for the best Android skin.
Another reason why Oppo is now promising four years of updates is its global expansion. Oppo plans to launch its flagships and Find N2 Flip in international markets. More software support is good for marketing and will build trust among enthusiasts and regular consumers.
How many devices have received ColorOS 13 so far?
ColorOS 13 has now rolled out to thirty-three Oppo phones globally. This is almost double the number of phones updated to ColorOS 12 in this time frame. The latest version of Android has now made it to more Oppo phones than ever, and the updates seem stable. More phones are said to get the update by the end of December 2022.
This pressures Xiaomi and other companies to offer more Android updates with their upcoming launches. While Oppo has not mentioned which phones will get four years, we can assume it’ll be the Find X6 and Find X6 Pro.
The recently launched Find N2 and Find N2 Flip might also be included in the list. The OnePlus 11, coming out in February 2023, might also have four years of updates.
ColorOS 13 isn’t a minor update by any means. It has the new aqua-morphic design with bold and professional-looking fonts, good application of the frosted glass effect, and an overall glassy design. The aesthetics strike the right balance between playfulness and professionalism.
Improvements are made to AOD, and there is the new large folders feature. More customization features have been added, too. The Material You design language is better now, too. The animations have now been smoothened out.
It’s nice to see that flagship ColorOS users in the future can enjoy more software support, and existing users benefit from faster and more stable updates.
