Hydrogen OS 3.0 featuring Android Nougat available for OnePlus 3T and 3

The official Hydrogen OS version 3.0 (H2OS) is now available for both OnePlus 3T and 3 so that users who wish to experience an alternative OS other than OxygenOS can take advantage of this release.

Featuring Android 7.0 Nougat, the H2OS 3.0 is basically for Chinese users of OnePlus 3T and 3 but it can be installed on the global models as well. Apart from the latest Android version, the Chinese OS brings several new features and changes.

According to folks on OnePlus forum, the H2OS is better than the OxygenOS. It adds call recording, which seems to be an extra feature and even the loudspeaker sound is stronger when compared to OxygenOS. The battery life is better on Hydrogen OS. But the only thing you will have to deal with in this OS is the Chinese apps, which you can uninstall though.

Another hiccup is, since it's a Chinese variant, it does not have Google apps pre-installed. But you can install it separately, as the APK file for Google Play Store is available, which will install Play Store on your phone. If you want to try your luck with the H2OS 3.0, check out the following guide:

• Enter the phone into TWRP recovery

• In the recovery mode head over to Wipe then Swipe to do a Factory Reset, that is if you are coming from ROMs other than OxygenOS or Hydrogen OS

• If you are on any other ROM, just do a factory reset including wipe data, system, cache and dalvik

• Install H2OS

• Install Google apps and other things like SuperSU for root

• In the end reboot into TWRP then reboot into system to update your OnePlus phone.