Android 12 comes to OnePlus Nord 2 w/ OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1

Damien Wilde | Apr 28 2022 - 2:26 am PT

After launching with Android 11 back in late-2021, it has taken quite some time for the latest OS version to come to the OnePlus Nord 2. That said, if you’re happy to run preview software, OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 is now rolling out and gives OnePlus Nord 2 owners a taste of the Android 12 ahead of an upcoming stable release.

Back at launch, the OnePlus Nord 2 already had early signs of the Oppo-OnePlus merger with OxygenOS acting as a launcher for the budget device. Since then, the unified platform has been scrapped in global regions, but that hasn’t stopped Android 12 on OnePlus phones from resembling Oppo’s ColorOS in all but name.

OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 for the OnePlus Nord 2 offers a substantial overhaul with a number of Android 12 features and functions also bundled in alongside some unique options only found on the third-party software skin.

For longtime fans of the clean OxygenOS aesthetic that were annoyed or left frustrated by the Android 11 changes, you may find the drastic overhaul quite different. The start of this early preview phase was confirmed in an announcement post over on the OnePlus Forums and was accompanied by a lengthy changelog — which you can find below:

System

Newly added Smart Battery Engine, a feature that prolongs battery life based on smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology

Optimized AI System Booster to 2.1 for your system to run smoothly even when the load is high

Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers

Optimized Extra HD, a feature that can significantly enhance image and video resolutions

Dark mode

Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience

Shelf

New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read

Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc

Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health status

Work-Life Balance

Work-Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings

WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization

Gallery

Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing

Canvas AOD

Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals

Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures

Games

Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer

If you are wondering just what to expect from Android 12 on your OnePlus Nord 2, then you should definitely check out our deep dive into all of the key changes and tweaks added within OxygenOS below: