Skip to main content

Oppo brings Android 11 goodness to its latest version of ColorOS

Oppo has announced ColorOS 11, the newest version of its own user interface installed in its smartphones, and one of the first to be built over Google’s Android 11. Anyone familiar with ColorOS may be wondering what happened to ColorOS 8, 9, and 10, as the last version to be released was ColorOS 7. The reason, according to Oppo, for skipping these is to make it less confusing to people about which version of Android the UI is built around, and clarifies the stock Android features that can be found inside.

ColorOS 11’s new Always-on screen, and other customizations Image used with permission by copyright holder

ColorOS 7 was a major step forward for Oppo, as it edged closer to stock Android in the way it was used and appeared, and away from the highly customized versions seen previously. In conversations with people that use its phones, Oppo has listened to feedback and is keeping the basics of Android, from gesture controls and the Gboard keyboard, to the Settings page and notification drawer, intact for ColorOS 11.

What’s new? ColorOS 11 is about giving you a little more control over the software without getting rid of the Android basics. The Always-On screen now has animated patterns that can be customized, right down to the way the shapes move and the colors they use. Each Always-On panel shows the time, date, battery indicator, and notification icons too.

The phone’s wallpaper can be customized by using a photo to isolate colors, and even the ringtones are editable using a slider to create different sounds, including simple tunes, vibrant musical pieces, with a fast or slow tempo. One of my favorite new features is ideal for anyone that gets multiple messages in quick succession. ColorOS 11 will string the sounds for these notifications together to create a single melody, so they don’t become too distracting.

ColorOS 11’s auto-translate gesture Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dark Mode has been given an upgrade with three different visual options, each with a different greyscale level available, and the ability to set the start and end time too, which joins the existing sunset and sunrise timer. ColorOS 11 has a few new features inside, the most notable being a three-finger, quick-access gesture to Google Lens for instant text translation, plus version 2.0 of Oppo Relax, a mindfulness app that now includes specially create city soundscapes.

Elsewhere there’s FlexDrop, which adds the ability to resize floating multitasking windows, a Super Power Saving Mode that prioritizes up to six apps to still operate when the battery is getting low, plus Battery Guard that pauses battery charge at 80% overnight before completing the full charge in the early morning. Because ColorOS 11 is based on Android 11, it comes with all the new privacy features including app permission settings, Private System, and App Lock.

When will ColorOS 11 arrive? Oppo says the Find X2 Pro, Find X2, and the Find X2 Pro Lamborghini Edition will see the update in December, with theater phones coming during the first three months of 2021 and onwards. In total, 28 Oppo phones will get ColorOS 11, including the Reno 10X Zoom. The launch will be staggered, and phones not locked to a carrier will likely receive the software first.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
This is how Android 13 looks on Windows 11
The under display fingerprint scanner of the Google Pixel 6.

Many tech brands are currently sharing previews of their upcoming software. Microsoft's Windows 11 is in its final stages of Windows Insider previews before the public build is released. Google recently shared the first developer preview of its Android 13 software. Now, developers are showing what it looks like when you blend the two.

Android web and app developer Danny Lin showcased his porting skills by running Windows 11 on his Google Pixel 6 via a virtual machine, after having updated the device to Android 13 Developer Preview 1.

Read more
Microsoft Surface Duo reportedly getting Android 12L despite missing Android 11
Surface Duo 2 on a textured background.

Microsoft has failed on its promise to deliver the Android 11 update to its first Surface Duo foldable before the end of 2021. The update was already over a year late, with Android 12 launching in October 2021 to Pixels and other Android phones. Now, a report from the Microsoft-focused tech blog Windows Central claims that Microsoft will deliver the Android 11 update soon, with an Android 12L update following shortly in lieu of Android 12 sometime in 2022.

The Surface Duo launched with Android 10 in 2020, with Microsoft promising to deliver two years of updates. While other, more mainstream Android phone and tablet companies have pushed out Android 11 and even Android 12 to larger fleets of devices, the company has yet to deliver a single major update to the original Duo. It did launch Duo 2 in 2021 with Android 11, but none of the most useful improvements have trickled down to the original Duo yet.

Read more
The best guitar-learning apps for Android and iOS
Woman playing the guitar

Learning guitar has never been easier. In the past, you would have needed to hire a guitar teacher and buy music books to start learning how to play, but now, the explosion in guitar apps and free online content means that you can learn guitar without breaking the bank. There are a wealth of excellent guitar apps available for the beginner guitarist, as well as specific guitar learning apps to help you get started.

This article runs through eight of the best guitar apps for beginners on Android and iOS. It includes everything from the best guitar learning apps to guitar apps that every self-respecting guitarist should have on their phones. Regardless of your level, you'll find something here to improve your playing.
Justin Guitar Beginner Lessons

Read more