OnePlus 6 und 6T get Android 11 – but not by OnePlus
3.5.2021
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Thanks to LineageOS, owners of a OnePlus 6 or OnePlus 6T can now also get the update to the latest Android version. The developers of the alternative operating system were faster and have released the Android 11-based LineageOS 18.1 version for various devices.
The 2018 flagship duo by Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus are finally getting Android 11. However, this isn’t happening officially via the in-house Android version OxygenOS. The developers working on the alternative operating system LineageOS were faster and have already finished their update for the OnePlus 6 and 6T.
The Android version of LineageOS has fewer connections to Google and therefore guarantees greater privacy protection. It’s run by volunteer developers and available free of charge. According to the tech blog AndroidPolice, the latest Lineage version 18.1, which is based on Android 11, is now available for download for OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T.
This means you can get all the features of Android 11 on your OnePlus phone without having to wait for the official update. Having said that, you do have to install the alternative operating system on your smartphone according to specific instructions first. Find out how it’s done for your device here.
Why isn’t OnePlus providing the update?
Californian tech giant Google develops the basic version of Android and takes care of the basic system updates. However, for the operating system to run seamlessly on various Android devices, manufacturers have to adapt Google’s software to their devices and user interfaces.
This customised version of the Android operating system then get its own name like «OxygenOS» in the case of OnePlus. Technically speaking, it would be up to OnePlus to equip its smartphones with the latest version of Android via OxygenOS. But the 6 series is still stuck on Android 10. And the last official update of OxygenOS 10.3.10 in April only came with a security patch and other small fixes.
OnePlus Android 11 update not here until August
In a community post, OnePlus announced that their in-house Android 11 release for the 6 series won’t be available until late August – and that's only in beta.
It’s been over six months since the official launch of Android 11. What’s more, the next edition of Google’s developer conference I/O is due in mid-May. The first beta version of Android 12 will be one point on the agenda.
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