The one thing that I love about Android is variety. No, I am not talking about specifications but the software experience, which differs from brand to brand. Some of them are a work in progress, some are good, some are really good (*cough cough* One UI), and there is OxygenOS. After reviewing phones running every major skin out there, I keep coming back to OnePlus phones just because of the software.
But what's so special about it? How does it one-up other Android skins in 2026? Let me explain my side of the story in this read.
What OxygenOS Gets Right That No One Else Does
I was not always a part of the OxygenOS fan club. In fact, I stopped caring for it when the news broke out that it was merging with ColorOS. But then I picked up the OnePlus 11 for review. It was my first time trying a OnePlus phone after a while, and I wasn't excited to use it at all. But then everything just clicked.
I was just swiping between home screens, opening folders, and pulling down the notification panel – nothing I had not done a thousand times on other phones. But the animations had a springy weight to them. Apps opened up graciously, and the haptics complemented every interaction I made with the phone.
Even the small things, like the quick settings panel, would bounce on tap. The recent panel would glide open. These are very small things, but they come together to make the software experience livelier and more interactive. As if you are touching something physically, but of course, it is not there.
The experience only got better with OxygenOS 16. The new parallel animations have made things even more fluid. Opening apps just feels as if they are ice-skating on your screen. Folders have become far easier to resize on the home screen, and the lock screen customisations are truly amazing. I often try to hunt for new wallpapers to find different ways to personalise my phone's lock screen.
And if that is not enough to spoil a person, OnePlus dropped the OxygenOS 16.1 update on the OnePlus 15, further improving the already smooth animations. Adding the new One UI-style Live Space on the home screen, a new music player for the lock screen, and so many more exciting features that I can keep rambling about for days.
It's Not Just Me, Everyone Loves It
I would be okay if you called me a OnePlus fanboy or a die-hard enthusiast. But it's not just me. Spend ten minutes searching OxygenOS online, and you will find similar praise cropping up again and again.
Reddit threads on r/Android and r/OnePlus are full of people describing the same thing in different words. Some call it 'buttery', some call it 'weightless', and some say it just feels right. Even long-time users insist that, even after the ColorOS merger, the core of OxygenOS is still next level.
Even returning OnePlus users who are again coming back to OxygenOS have grown a new appreciation for the OS all over again. One Reddit user mentioned, "The animation speed of the whole interface is something to appreciate", in their post.
While another said, "Really incredible software. From the look to the feel. Very smooth all around". Of course, some people debate which skin has the best AI features or the most customisation, but on the question of which one feels best to use day-to-day, the answer always comes out the same.
OxygenOS Is the Only Android Skin I Keep Coming Back To
My love for OxygenOS started with the OnePlus 11, and then I switched to the OnePlus 11R as my daily driver. Then I upgraded to the OnePlus 12R and am currently sporting the OnePlus 13R as my primary. You see the pattern?
Every time I have come close to switching, whether it was for a better camera, a flashier design, or some new feature, I have ended up back on a OnePlus phone. Now, the recent rumours of OnePlus shutting down its operations have me worried, because I don't want to switch to a different device for my next phone. I know ColorOS and OxygenOS are pretty much the same.
But like I have explained in my Oppo Find X9 Pro review, ColorOS feels the same, but the experience is not as snappy or bloatware-free. It is hard to put into words, which is exactly the problem. Specs you can measure. Cameras you can compare. But the feel of an OS is something you can only understand when you use it, and OxygenOS has a feel nothing else offers.
Maybe I sound very biased here, but if you have used any OnePlus phone, you know exactly what I mean.
-1120w630h.webp "Why Does Every App Look Better on iPhone? The Ugly Truth About Android Design thumbnail")
