OnePlus Nord 2 gets its first taste of Android 12 via OxygenOS 12 Open Beta

The Nord 2 is one of the not-so-many OnePlus smartphones that hasn’t yet been updated to Android 12. However, the Chinese company is working on bringing the update to OnePlus Nord 2 users as quickly as possible, and the latest announcement confirms this theory.

A massive OxygenOS 12 Open Beta is now available for OnePlus Nord 2 units all over the world, the first of its kind. Although this isn’t a stable version of the long-awaited Android 12 update, it’s a clear sign that OnePlus Nord 2 is probably the next device to receive the upgrade.

The changelog of the Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 includes references to system improvements and new features, dark mode enhancements, Gallery, Work-Life Balance feature, Games, and many more. Here are the main highlights of the update:

System

• Newly added Smart Battery Engine, a feature that prolongs battery life based on smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology
• Optimized AI System Booster to 2.1 for your system to run smoothly even when the load is high
• Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
• Optimized Extra HD, a feature that can significantly enhance image and video resolutions

Dark mode

• Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience

Shelf

• New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
• Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
• Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health status

Work-Life Balance

• Work-Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
• WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization

Gallery

• Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing

Canvas AOD

• Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
• Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures

Games

• Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer

OnePlus has also listed a couple of known issues that will be addressed in future update, such as the fact that OnePlus Nord 2 users might not be able to use Face Unlock in the dark after turning on Brighten screen in dim light through Settings. Also, Fortnite will crash after installing this update, so don’t even try playing it.

OnePlus Nord 2 users who’d like to test the first Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 build can download the update via OnePlus’ official forum. A rollback package is also available for download for those who want to go back to Android 11.