Do you prefer OxygenOS or Pixel software?

By Joe Maring
published

Pixel 3a XL and OnePlus 7 Pro
Pixel 3a XL and OnePlus 7 Pro (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The open-source nature of Android is a pretty cool thing. In addition to users being able to customize and tweak how their phone looks, companies that make your phone are also able to create special interfaces and features that only their phones offer. This is why we have things like One UI, OxygenOS, etc.

One of these custom Android interfaces isn't necessarily better than all of the others, but there are certain ones that people tend to prefer. Recently, one AC forum member asked what the rest of our community thought about OxygenOS and how it compares to Google's software for its Pixel phones.

Here's how that conversation went down:

OOS is very close to stock Android with only a few addition that are very good. Performance is excellent and the phone runs smooth and fluid, you'd like OOS. Depending on the model you can get very good pictures, not so good as with the Pixel though. There are ports of the Gcam that can be used in all OP models and they improve quality in many situation. For example, my main camera in the...

Javier P

I've heard that Oxygen OS is very fluid, and wonderful to use. Feel free to check out the "Photos Taken With the OnePlus 8" forum - I've seen some beautiful pictures taken with the OnePlus 8. I think it'd be a great Pixel alternative. Plus, OP seems to get updates almost as quickly as the Pixel (from what I've heard), so there is another plus in the OnePlus column! Good luck, and let us...

Morty2264

Google will owe updates even if the Pixel phone hardware line is killed. Also - your Pixel 3XL won't stop working if the Pixel line is killed.

Ry

Oxygen OS is even better than stock Android imo, but the hardware it runs on has gotten very generic and unergonomic.

the_boon

Now, we want to hear from you — Do you prefer OxygenOS or Pixel software?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Joe Maring
Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.

20 Comments
  • Oxygen OS for me but Pixels are definitely better for timely updates but overall I prefer iPhones over both, you can't beat that Apple optimisation, more polished and better app quality and of course Apple's software support crushes both OnePlus and Pixel and these are the reasons why I'm going back to iPhone with an iPhone 11 Pro Max in just over 2 weeks time now on contract. I'm done with all the Android BS.
  • Why not wait and get the iPhone 12 Pro instead of the 11 Pro Max?
  • My only guess is with the soon to be announced and launched 12, the 11 will have better deals!!
  • I don't want the 12 Pro Max because the battery is going to be smaller and Apple's going to sell the whole iPhone 12 lineup without a charger and don't care about 5G as it's not available everywhere right now and the iPhone 11 Pro Max will still be a performance beast in 3 years, when I'll likely upgrade as I'm getting my 11 Pro Max on contract.
  • I see. Well I heard that the new A14 chip running on the new 5nm design is suppose to be much more power efficient by 20-30%. So that's why their bettery is gonna be a bit smaller.
  • That's why Apple should keep the existing battery capacity in the iPhone 11 series with the iPhone 12 since the A14 bionic is going to be on a 5 nanometre process. And not then there's the fact that the iPhone 12 won't be coming with a charger so that's another reason why I'm not waiting for the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
  • Just because you prefer one over another doesn't make your choice any better. It's simply what you prefer. For me, I would never go down the rabbit hole of the Apple world. I want no part of it. I love my Pixel phones and have been an Android person since the G1. I'm not going to switch.
  • I started with an iPhone but I've used Android exclusively for over 2 and a half years and I've had enough of the bs Android shortcomings, unoptimised apps, piss poor updates and fragmentation along with being so complicated beyond the basics, the only reason I'd keep an Android phone around after I get my iPhone 11 Pro Max is because of TV shows I watch like Supergirl, The Flash, etc on TeaTV and some apps from the Play Store but even they aren't as reliable anymore. iOS is simply better for my needs and I have wasted 2 and a half years on Android.
  • I had iPhones years ago and switched to Android. Whiel I have my gripes with Android, I recently had to get a second phone (iPhone) for work, and ... honestly don't know how people use these things regularly. To each their own, and iOS may be better at optimization and app updates and fragmentation or whatever, but.... a base model Civic may be the most reliable transportation y ou can drive but it doesn't mean I want to drive one.
  • People love iPhone because it's easy to use along with all the other advantages I stated, and more importantly iPhones are more secure than Android will ever be that's why your boss gave you an iPhone instead of an Android phone.
  • There idea that an employer choosing iPhones is proof that they are more secure is complete nonsense. The logic is laughable. Employers often choose iPhones just because they don't want to support more than one platform, and they don't have to worry about differences between phones. Things like ease of use with an iPhone and app quality are also very tired arguments because it has more to do with perception and muscle memory. I've used both (and others). Both have strengths and weaknesses. Apple makes some great hardware, but getting all of the benefits from Apple requires multiple purchases of Apple hardware. Android allows a user to do more out of the box unless you choose something like LG that tries to mimic Apple, but that is also something Android makes possible.
  • Employers choose iPhones because it's not only more secure because it's better for businesses but I agree with you that you need multiple Apple devices to get the best out of all the Apple devices which is what I plan on doing with an iPad Air 2019 and am Apple Watch but you can still enjoy an iPhone as long as you have friends who have an iPhone which is more likely that they will be am iPhone user than am Android one (at least in developed) and you need to face facts that most apps are more polished on iOS and are of better quality and many games especially are exclusive to iOS. And no LG don't try to mimic Apple that would be Google with their FAILED Pixel phones. I don't care about doing more out of the box, I care about enjoying my phone and my phone lasting a long time which is something that's only possible with an iPhone which keeps their resale value for much longer than any Android phone. Again facetime and iMessage are only possible on the iPhone and Android doesn't have anything to touch these.
  • Firstly, iMessage has RCS, however, people hardly use these anymore. They have WhatsApp, and other services that work irrespective of the OS of the reciever. FaceTime has Duo, that is again cross-platform. Secondly, Apple phones do not give you any flexibility. You can do only what Apple allows you to do with their phones. For Android, you are given the freedom to do whatever you want. IMO, Apple is for people who just want to use phones. Android is for hobbyists who use phones as productivity tool and as a hobby. Thirdly, Apple's interfaces are refined, but that comes at the cost of delayed features. It took them 5years to bring "refined" widgets, but took some Android users less than a week to replicate that on Android, using tools that are possible only on Android.
  • Loads of people use iMessage and only use WhatsApp for their non Apple using friends and I just want to use my phone and care about ease of use don't care about the nerdy stuff that Android offers. When Apple bring in features that has been on Android for years, Apple's implementation is always better and gains popularity in the mainstream.
  • I will upgrade iPhone 12 max pro.. I done with s10plus. Time to switch back to ios. I have Been with Android since Galaxy S7 edge.
  • OxygenOS without question! The OnePlus 8pro is the best Android device I have ever used my Pixel 4XL is nice but to me it doesn't compare
  • Purely on software, which one would you prefer: Pixel or OnePlus? And why?
    I want to know because I am currently confused between Pixel 4A and OnePlus Nord.
  • Both of them are subtly modified versions of stock Android. I like the stock Android, ever since the Android 6
  • Moved from a pixel 4xl to the OnePlus 8 Pro. Since the pixel is moving down to 765g and not 120hz. So far I have been loving this phone. Very high performance and much better software than the s20 Ultra I returned. I would still take pixel software and camera but OOS does have some nice features and the camera is just as good 90% of the time, but with much better video and macro shots. Overall I may stay with OnePlus until Google goes back to the premium flagship space.
  • Hey, can you please elaborate on who you prefer Pixel Software over OOS (Other than faster updates)?