OnePlus promises to deliver regular system updates for its wide array of smartphones for at least two years and in some cases longer for flagships, so let’s see how they’re handling the January 2022 security update.
OnePlus January 2022 security update — What’s new?
Google added the January security patch as the third post-Android 12 update for all eligible Pixel devices save the Pixel 6 — which required a much bigger bug-fixing patch. As has been the case for a little while now, Samsung has continued the recent exceptional update cadence for its immensely popular Galaxy series. The January patch for Galaxy devices arrived in late December and puts many other OEMs to shame.
The bimonthly update process for OnePlus smartphones means that keeping track of scheduled updates for your device can be frustrating. We saw a late rollout of the December 2021 security patch for a number of selected devices, but the January patch has only just arrived on a small pool of OnePlus devices — some 25 days after Samsung hardware started seeing the patch.
Unlike Samsung and Google, OnePlus doesn’t always prioritize the flagship lines with updates. This means that it can feel random or unorganized. For 5G-enabled OnePlus phones, the January patch addresses some connectivity issues encountered on selected global carriers. However, most changelogs will vary from model to model.
We are still awaiting the stable Android 12 update for eligible handsets including the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus Nord/Nord 2, and the OnePlus 7/7T series with some minor models also expected to be eligible. No word has been shared on an Android 12 roadmap even some months after the AOSP build arrived.
OnePlus devices with the January 2022 update
OnePlus 9 series
As we await news of the OnePlus 10 series launch in global regions, the current flagship remains the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. At least as far as updates go, the duo has been well replenished over the past six months. The January patch has arrived as part of a huge update for the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. It was announced over on the OnePlus Forums and includes a vast changelog full of fixes for common issues introduced or exacerbated by the Android 12 rollout.
OxygenOS 12 C.44 is heading out right now across all regions and targets issues such as network stability and camera performance, addresses display-related quirks, and refines a number of the Android 12-specific additions such as the three-tiered Dark mode. For OnePlus 9 series owners, it’s an important update that we highly recommend installing.
OnePlus Nord series
The growing affordably-focused OnePlus Nord range was actually first to get the January 2022 update over some of the more capable stablemates. Reports on the OnePlus Forums (via XDA) suggest that the OnePlus Nord 10, Nord 200 and Nord CE are receiving various OTAs with the latest security patch included.
For owners of the OnePlus Nord CE, this comes with OxygenOS 11.0.14.14 and simply includes the latest January 2022 security patch. The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is seeing the patch with OxygenOS 11.0.4, while the Nord N200 is receiving OxygenOS 11.0.5.0. Neither update adds more than the latest security update and should be rolling out right now.
Devices still awaiting the January patch
While we’re seeing a very small pool of devices get the latest patch, a larger selection of the OnePlus hardware lineup is still running the now outdated November and October 2021 security patches — all are noted. We’re not entirely sure if or when we could see the devices updated, but we are hoping that they are patched soon.
It’s important to note that OnePlus has confirmed that the 6 and 6T series will no longer be officially updated or supported over the coming months. The 2018 flagship duo received a surprise update in mid-November and now will only be supported via third-party unofficial means moving forward.
OnePlus has a habit of rolling out updates for devices in a staged manner. That means that the initial release and subsequent confirmation on the OnePlus Forums don’t always indicate when you’ll be able to grab an OTA file and get your device updated/patched.
Our advice is to use a third-party application to get updates in a timely manner. The community-run Oxygen Updater allows you to sideload official update .zip files as soon as they are available publicly. While this will ensure you get updates right away, if you encounter problems, you may need to revert to an older build. This may require a device reset if problems are major.
