OxygenOS support for OnePlus 3(T)

Does it end with the "O" of Oreo? Find it out now!
Arjan Vlek

The OnePlus 3 is now slightly over a year old, and the 3T nears this milestoon pretty soon. This means they are still a very decent devices, as seen in the performance comparison I wrote a few weeks ago.

From time to time, the devices get new software updates from OnePlus. These updates include security updates, bring some new features and sometimes even a new Android version. However, these updates won't be released forever, so it's a good time to look into the current state of support for these devices. So, how is the support holding up as of today (August 2017)?

Well, let's see. OnePlus recently disclosed information about the plans they have for these devices. They stated that they still care very much about them, but there are also some less favorable mentions in their posting. Let's first start with the most important question:

Will the OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 3T get Android 8.0 "Oreo"?

Yes, they will! According to OnePlus, Oreo should be released for both devices. It's likely it will first be released as an Open Beta, so enthousiasts can try the latest and greatest in terms of Android versions and report bugs back to OnePlus. Once the software has become stable enough for daily usage, it will be released to everyone rocking a OnePlus 3 / 3T.

Will the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T continue to receive Open Betas?

For a while, they'll continue to receive Open Beta software updates (also known as Community Edition builds). However, once Android Oreo has been released, these updates will stop appearing as they will be transferred to the OnePlus 5. 

This makes it likely that OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T will not receive another major OxygenOS / Android upgrade. While 2 major Android updates (Nougat and Oreo) is decent, it's not excellent. It's about the same as the treatment that the OnePlus One got, but certainly better than the OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X, which both received only 1 major Android update.

Will the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T continue to receive security updates?

Yes, it's likely that both devices will continue to receive important security updates, even after the release of Android Oreo. It's not yet known until how long these updates will come, but rest assured that you'll still get a year worth of updates.

I hope this clears up any questions about the software support for these devices. In the meantime, install the latest versions using Oxygen Updater. Hint: a new update has just been released :)

Image credit: OnePlus