OnePlus 3 Android 7.0 Nougat beta update: test available now; touch latency issues seen on handset

Catherine Salvador Thursday, December 01, 2016

OnePlus 3's successor may be armed with a massive 8GB RAM. | OnePlus

OnePlus 3 gathered positive reviews from tech analysts and users themselves due to the impressive specs that the handset carries. Now, the handset is even more raved about as it received an Android 7.0 Nougat in open beta.

Those who own OnePlus 3 may already download the beta version of the Android 7.0 Nougat and see what the operating system (OS) has in store. However, it should be noted that the software is just for testing and so it does not guarantee a smooth operation. If this is not an issue, then Android 7.0 Nougat can now be downloaded in a manual way.

To manually install the update, the first thing that OnePlus 3 users will do is to download a zip file that contains all the necessary actions to install the software. Once done, users will be able to see several improvements in their OnePlus 3 device. OnePlus forum has listed the specifics:

An upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat
New notifications design
New Settings menu design
Multi-window view
Notification direct reply
Custom DPI support
Addition of status bar icon options
Addition of quick launch for third-party applications
Improvement of shelf customization

For more information, the forum post has further details provided. Users can also read the reported issues that testers have already encountered. Testers are also encouraged to report new issues encountered.

Speaking of issues, latest news has it that OnePlus 3 is observed with touch latency issues. Users are reportedly airing out their concerns as they initially thought that the issue has only been seen in the initial model. Touch latency issues refer to the delay between the user's touch and the response of the touch screen on a particular device. XDA Developers explains that the usual touch latency of smartphones is specifically at 50ms, but OnePlus 3 has touch latency of 94ms, according to a French reviewer.

"We hear the touch latency feedback, and will look at it soon. N has higher priority," said company co-founder Carl Pei. Currently, OnePlus is working on to fix the issue.