OnePlus Making Own Operating System with 'Back to Basics' Features

Chinese phone maker OnePlus has created its very own operating system called OxygenOS with the theme "Back to basics," replacing a software customized for the company by Cyanogen.

The OxygenOS can now be downloaded by OnePlus One phone owners, according to a report from The Verge.

Justifying its move to create its own operating system, OnePlus said in a blog post that this way "we can quickly respond to user feedback and make it easier for you to continue playing a fundamental role in the future of OnePlus."

It said its goal for OxygenOS is "to provide faster, more meaningful updates and a better-integrated range of services for every OnePlus user."

The company said it prioritized certain features in order to keep the software as simple as possible. "We place things like performance and battery life over gimmicks and bloated features," it said.

"We want to be careful that we aren't adding features simply for the sake of differentiation. We've implemented some important features thus far, but they are subtle and meaningful. That's our philosophy behind OxygenOS: keep it light and essential," OnePlus said.

Some reviewers, however, saw the OxygenOS as only a "modest refresh" of the Android 5.0 Lollipop.

"What that means is that the software doesn't look much different than what you'll see on a Nexus device," said The Verge.

"But simple is not necessarily a bad thing — it should certainly be stable, fast, and functional," added the report.

OnePlus One was launched in the market last year as the company tried to take on Samsung and HTC with its own devices selling for just half the price of those from the two well-known brands.