The OnePlus 15 is seemingly a short few months away, as it’s already been officially announced for both China and global markets. In order to launch a new phone, though, OnePlus also needs a new software build, and with Android 16 having been around for a while now, it’s time for OxygenOS 16’s official debut.
OxygenOS 16 feels like a big update for the company, continuing a push into all things AI-focused after a similar initiative last year while also throwing in a fresh redesign for good measure. If you were hoping for something inspired by Material 3 Expressive, however, I have some bad news. Rather than beating around the bush, it’s worth coming right out and saying it: OxygenOS 16 looks almost exactly like modern builds on iOS, taking a style usually reserved for China-exclusive devices and setting it up for a launch in the US unlike anything we’ve really seen.
OnePlus says its new design language is called “Breath [sic] with You,” and practically every element reminds me of pre-Liquid Glass iOS. The weather app, already relatively similar to Apple’s relaunched version, is practically indistinguishable. Quick settings looks right out of Control Center (even moreso than last year), with rounded translucent circles and oval-shaped sliders. The app drawer can be transformed into a category-based layout that’s a dead ringer for Apple’s App Library. The lock screen is one of the few places where Liquid Glass inspiration really does appear, with OnePlus utilizing those same ultra-tall numbers for one of its clock stylings, right next to iOS-styled widget icons.
Image: OnePlus
Image: OnePlus
Image: OnePlus
Image: OnePlus
OxygenOS really is loaded with good ideas, but it’s difficult to see beyond just how blatantly stolen the overall design is, and the stuff that isn’t directly inspired by Apple — like elongated home screen icons — just doesn’t look very good. I’ll be curious to see how longtime fans react. At the very least, some of the more ridiculous elements like an App Library-esque app drawer can be ignored.
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The obsession with Apple doesn’t stop there, though, as OnePlus has also continued adding “Cross-Eco Connectivity” to its platform. Last year, the company effectively built an AirDrop client into OxygenOS, allowing OnePlus and iPhone users to trade files back and forth. This year, though, the company’s going much farther, adding the ability to pair an Apple Watch with their OnePlus device through OHealth. OnePlus says this enables notifications, messages, synced exercise records, and even phone call support, though I’ll be shocked if Apple doesn’t snuff this feature out in the coming weeks.
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