Forking Away: OnePlus Introduces Android-Based OxygenOS 38
The Verge reports that phone maker OnePlus has introduced its own OS, an Android fork called OxygenOS.
OxygenOS was developed in-house by OnePlus, though at this point it is merely a modest refresh of Android 5.0 Lollipop. In a blog post, the company explains that it took a "back to basics" approach with the software, adding, "We place things like performance and battery life over gimmicks and bloated features." ... The company says its goal with OxygenOS "is to provide faster, more meaningful updates and a better-integrated range of services for every OnePlus user." What it doesn't say is that the software also gives it a way to reduce its dependence on Cyanogen. The two companies have had strained relations since Cyanogen signed an exclusive deal with Indian phone maker Micromax just before OnePlus' planned launch in the subcontinent. It's expected that OxygenOS will eventually be the default on future devices like the OnePlus Two, but, for now, you'll have to install it yourself over Cyanogen if you want it. You can find instructions on OnePlus' website.
(Also at TechCrunch.)
What they really mean is: (Score:5, Insightful)
"We released an almost vanilla fork of Android Lollipop because it's the easiest thing to do to step away from Cyanogenmod."
And that's actually a good thing, because picking up an "Android" phone that's running some perplexing launcher with everything in the wrong place and packed with dozens of horrible branded apps that you can't remove is utterly stupid (Yes, Samsung, I'm looking at you).
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
CM12s (the OnePlus One version of Cyanogenmod 12, Android 5 Lollipop) is due in the next few days as well. They are not abandoning it, they are just having OxygenOS as an alternative for markets where they don't have the right to ship Cyanogen.
I'm on the stock CM11s ROM at the moment and am not going to switch. I'll wait a few more days for CM12s. It's a shame they broke their promise to release Lollipop within 90 days, but the phone was so cheap and is so good I can forgive them. £230, extremel
Re: (Score:2)
they're trying to market it as having new useful features.
they don't mention anything worthwhile though. quick wifi etc access on notification bar? YEEHAAAAW
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:YAGPLV (Score:5, Insightful)
Don't need to give source code until they distribute it. And then only to those who they distribute to if they wish. Not a GPL violation at all _yet_.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't know if you need to clean your glasses, but the page you linked to specifically mentions the GPL'd code bits but if you need more information, this should inform you.
http://source.android.com/sour... [android.com]
Re: Can someone please advise... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
a generic Android phone?
There is no such thing as generic Android phone.
That became patently obvious to me when I have tried to buy a "generic" ARM board (Raspberry, Banana, Odroid) for Ubuntu.
It just doesn't exist.
There is no IMB/Intel/Microsoft aliance to help create and maintain a standard ARM-based platform. And it seems all vendors try to differentiate, making the devices slightly incompatible with each other.
The most ridiculous part is that past boot loader/after kernel is loaded, differences are minimal and can be e
OnePlus not created by Cyanogenmod folks? (Score:1)
Am I the only one who thought that OnePlus was create by the same folks as Cyanogenmod?
Re: (Score:2)
Cyanogen got certain headset manufacturers to pick up their OS as the stock/base OS; the first one being the Opo. I've heard OnePlus was a couple of the Opo engineers who went of and did their own thing. So no, Cyanogen didn't make or design the phone. And the Cyanogen version on the OnePlus isn't the same as their open source version (has some closed apps on it).
I'm not entirely clear on why Cyanogen broke their contract with OnePlus. There must be something more there, but I haven't found anything on it.
Re: (Score:2)
OnePlus was not the first to contract Cyngn to provide them an OS - they were the second.
Oppo was the first with the N1.
You'll see a trend of Cyngn partners dropping them as Cyngn burns them. Look at the job they did with the N1 - didn't get an official KitKat OTA until after Lollipop became available. (Nightlies don't count since they're unsupported.)
Also, OxygenOS is not an Android "fork" - I would not consider anything that passes Google's CTS and is in fact Google Mobile Services (GMS, aka gapps) cert
Slashdotted? (Score:1)
And this is news... why? (Score:3)
I'm usually thoroughly annoyed by people asking this question, but I really don't get why this is news. So many good tech articles go around in the Firehose that never make it, then cruft like this floats up. If only my uid was shorter I could yell for you all to get off my lawn.
"Its own OS" ? It's just a bloody stock Android build with Google Apps and a handful of 5 minutes tweaks courtesy of the Paranoid Android developer they hired. It's literally 2-3 guys who 'built' this in a couple of weeks.
There really is nothing special about this whatsoever, many OEMs have this. OnePlus (A handful of Oppo rejects) marketing strikes again, and you all fell for it (again). Heck, OnePlus is more of a virtual OEM than a real one, relying on Oppo for their funding and production.
The only tiny part news about this is that they did this to have an alternative to CM, which isn't really news, as it's been known for quite a while that they'd be doing this.
Re: (Score:2)
Considering the state of Android from the majority of android manufacturers, a new non-google phone without the bloat IS news.
Honestly even though I have been an android user since version 1.0, I tend not to recommend them to people just because of the crap-ware manufactures put on.
The same problem with windows vs mac. I don't think windows is really harder or easier then the mac anymore, but the hours of uninstalling bloatware from a pre-built windows machine is painful for even someone who is techsavy.
Re: (Score:2)
OnePlus One is significant because it is now the go-to unlocked smartphone for the geeks. The OS story is mildly interesting. Another Android mod released...
Nothing to sneeze at (Score:2)
I installed it on my OPO. It's not impressive. Going back to CM11 shortly.
NOTE: Do *NOT* install this if you use an encrypted filesystem. It will hose itself up and be stuck in a "couldn't mount /data; reboot" loop. First, format /data the hard way -- without preserving encryption or *ANY* files on there.
E