- OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has announced that the company is ditching the iconic alert slider on its phones.
- The company is working to bring a customizable button similar to the action button on iPhones.
- This new customizable button could debut with the next OnePlus flagship smartphone lineup.
Ever since the OnePlus 2 debuted back in 2015, the alert slider has remained a core part of OnePlus’ identity. It’s a simple switch that lets you toggle between different audio profiles inspired by Apple’s iPhone mute switch. However, the company is now changing directions by retiring the alert slider in favor of a more customizable button. Basically, your next OnePlus phone will have an action button, just like the iPhone.
This announcement comes from OnePlus CEO Pete Lau in an official post on the community portal. Talking about the new button, the alert slider replacement, Lau said, “Imagine a button that adapts to you. Whether you’re a power user or prefer simplicity, this button works for you, not the other way around. Wherever life takes you, it seamlessly fits your lifestyle. It’s an innovation that is not just smart but intuitively yours.”
Seeing this, one can’t help but draw parallels to Apple. They ditched the physical mute switch, first on the iPhone 15 Pro series, replacing it with a customizable Action button . OnePlus could be going the same route, seeing how often they take notes from the Cupertino giant, like the dynamic island-style implementation in OxygenOS 15 .
That said, Lau is aware of how big of a decision this is, and how closely this physical attribute is tied to OnePlus’ identity. In the post, he reassured that the button will still let you control audio profiles. Furthermore, he opened the stage for discussion on how the community wants to see the new implementation.
The gist of all this is we can expect the OnePlus 14 series to come with a customizable action button. My skeptic mind also lingers on the fact that it could be a way for the company to let you easily bring up their AI feature, similar to what Samsung did with the Bixby button or what Nothing has done recently with the Nothing Phone (3a) series .
The response from the fans hasn’t been all favorable as people do not want to see the iconic feature go. As someone who has been following OnePlus since their first device launch, it is disappointing and seems like the company is losing its identity again right after making up (or not) for what it did to OxygenOS.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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- The OnePlus Watch 3 is launching on February 18.
- OnePlus says the watch will remain exclusive to the US Europe, and Canada.
- Watch 3 could boast a bigger battery, promising up to 5 days worth of usage in one go.
For OnePlus’ first Wear OS smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 2 did many things right. Of all the things, it brought a massive battery and a hybrid design, solving one of the biggest issues with Wear OS. Well, the next iteration, i.e., the OnePlus Watch 3 is due for launch soon, and we finally know its launch date.
OnePlus has confirmed ( via X ) that the OnePlus Watch 3 is launching on February 18 at 8:00 AM EST. The brand says the watch will be exclusive to the US, Canada, and Europe .
Image Credit: OnePlus
Like the Watch 2, battery life will be the main selling point of the OnePlus Watch 3. With a 631 mAh battery, OnePlus is claiming 5 days of battery life in smart mode. So, this could make the Watch 3 the longest-lasting Wear OS smartwatch ever made.
Image Credit: OnePlus
Besides, there are a few design changes and additions. Watch 3 could feature a Titanium Bezel, Sapphire Crystal glass, and a new rotating crown . The watch will arrive in two colors — Emerald Titanium and Obsidian Titanium. It will feature the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 and BES2800. Besides, the smartwatch could arrive with Wear OS 5 out of the box.
We can expect the Watch 3 to get new health features like ECG, Wrist Temperature, and a 60-second health checkup feature which were spotted last month in the OnePlus OHealth app. This could be a good improvement over the OnePlus Watch 2 had a great battery but was definitely lacking a bit in health tracking.
The health features on Watch 3 should put it on par with the Pixel Watch 3 ( review ) and Galaxy Watch 7. Besides that, we hope OnePlus ups the number of years of updates for the Watch 3. The Watch 2 only got two years of updates and is yet to receive Wear OS 5.
Abubakar covers Tech at Beebom, with his passion for technology tracing back to 2011 when he received a Dell Inspiron 5100 as a gift. He’s also a passionate advocate for the right-to-repair movement, believing in empowering users to maintain and extend the life of their devices. Outside the tech world, he enjoys watching anime and exploring his newfound enthusiasm for Japanese cars. In his free time, you’ll often find him immersed in Genshin Impact or researching his next gadget purchase. Before joining Beebom, he contributed to leading publications like Android Police, How-To Geek, and Fossbytes.
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