OnePlus 2 getting OxygenOS 3.0 beta featuring Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow via OTA update

Following the soak test for the OxygenOS version 3.0 that started a few weeks ago, the community build for the same version of the OxygenOS is now available via an over-the-air update for OnePlus 2. This release is basically meant for users to get a sneak peek into what is coming in the final version.

Another purpose of this release is to get feedback from users about what still needs to be fixed. The feedback must cover areas including network testing, which is about how the update is working on a specific carrier or in a particular region, camera improvements, performance and battery life. Apart from the latest version of Android Marshmallow 6.0.1, this release incorporates the following changes.

Here's what's new in this build:

• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow upgrade
• New OnePlus Camera UI

1. UI has been cleaned up: swiping up/down now switches between photo/video, whereas HD/HDR and flash settings live is in the top right corner
2. You can now change the aspect ratio and toggle grid view without going all the way to the settings

• New wallpaper picker

1. Easily preview and set both home screen and lock screen wallpaper in one place

• Shelf UX has been improved

1. No more edit mode, long press boards to rearrange or remove

• General system performance improvements

1. Benchmarked 47% faster than OxygenOS 2.2.1 on key test scenarios

• Fingerprint performance improvement

1. Tested 45% faster than OxygenOS 2.2.1 on average

• Settings changes

1. Old app permissions are gone, say hi to the new (native Android) app permissions
2. Alert Slider has its own entry point with more customisation options
3. Improved settings menu readability by changing the order a bit

• March security patches

However, there are still a few hiccups here and there, which are expected to be fixed in the due course of development. With this new build, fingerprints will not be preserved and you will need to re-register. Installing this build will remove maxxaudio tuner and presets. Before rolling back to the previous version of the build, ensure that you have performed a data wipe.

Please note that some of the old apps will not work without an Android Marshmallow compatible version. The company is investigating the Wi-Fi speed issue that cropped up in the soak test.

How to install OxygenOS 3.0 beta build on OnePlus 2

• Download OxygenOS 3.0 beta for your phone
• Connect your phone to the PC using USB cable and transfer the downloaded zip file to your phone's storage
• Reboot the OnePlus 2 to the recovery mode. For this, shut down the phone and turn it on while holding Power and Volume Down buttons together
• In the recovery mode, select Install from SD then find the zip file and hit Install
• Upon completion of the installation, your phone will reboot automatically

Do not forget to create a backup of all your important data before you go ahead with the installation. Note that the OxygenOS beta build 3.0 supports dirty flashing, which means to install the update, your phone should be running on OxygenOS 2.2.0 or higher. In case you are coming from another recovery or another ROM, perform a factory reset. Head over to the OnePlus forum to know more about this beta build.