OnePlus is now rolling out a new beta software update to its first flagship smartphone of 2017, which brings the features of Android 8.1 Oreo. So the OnePlus 5 joins the elite list of smartphones running Android 8.1, after Google's Pixel phones and Nokia 8, although in the form of a beta version. The OxygenOS Open Beta 6 brings a couple of new features to the OnePlus 5 and the company also updated to the February 2018 security patches. Do make a note that the update is currently available only for the OnePlus 5 users on Open Beta program.
The OxygenOS Open Beta 6 brings a new auto pick up gesture to the built-in phone application. When activated, you can answer an incoming call by raising the phone. This is not a new gesture as it's already present on various smartphones, but OnePlus has finally added it to the OxygenOS.
OnePlus also addressed general bug fixes and improvements, alongside that, it added new clock styles for ambient display. There are some new optimisations to the Gaming mode as well such as power saving and pausing adaptive brightness. And lastly, OnePlus is preinstalling the OnePlus Switch application to the OxygenOS ROM itself. The OnePlus Switch app was introduced back at the OnePlus 5T launch event in December, which allows users to migrate data to switch between devices easily.
And as stated, this is an Open Beta software, meaning only the OnePlus 5 users already on the OxygenOS Open Beta program will receive an OTA update. If not, users have to flash the Open Beta ROM first to enjoy the latest version of Android.
However, do make a note that these beta ROMs will have some bugs, as compared to the stable builds of OxygenOS. Once you flash the Open Beta ROM, you'll start receiving beta OTA updates going forward and not the stable OTA OxygenOS ROM updates. If you want to roll back to the stable ROM, you've to manually flash it again.
