OnePlus might not be the fastest manufacturer when it comes to updates anymore, but at least you can get your hands on new releases early, if you're okay with the occasional bug or issue. OnePlus' extensive Open Beta program lets owners participate in the software creation process, to an extent, and the latest phone to receive a new Open Beta version is the OnePlus 8T with version 4.

The new firmware introduces the April security patch — a bummer considering that the stable release will probably only roll out in May at best, when the April security update is already outdated. At least the rest of the changelog is packed with bug fixes and improvements across the board. The most notable ones are improvements for the always-on display that had issues with timely contextual information updates, a new data monitoring feature for OnePlus Games, and improvements to the camera.

Key updates

  • System
    • Fixed the issue that some app's fonts are displayed abnormally after setting customized fonts
    • Fixed the small probability issue where the status bar cannot be pulled down
    • Fixed the small probability issue where the status bar does not display app icons
    • Fixed the issue that the missed calls are not displayed in the notification bar
    • Fixed the small probability issue that the expanded screenshot may stop working
    • Fixed the small probability issue where recording audio with headphones may not work as expected
    • Fixed known issues
    • Updated Android security patch to 2021.04
  • Camera
    • Fixed the small probability issue that the previewed photos are flickering under the photo mode
  • Calculator
    • Fixed the abnormal display with the calculator under the split screen
  • Ambient Display
    • Fixed the issue that the contextual information of AOD is not updated timely
    • Fixed the issue that the ambient display is switched to Canvas after the device owner is changed
    • Fixed the issue with AOD that the time is displayed abnormally when the system language is Hebrew
  • OnePlus Games
    • Newly added the Data Monitor feature, you can find it in the Game Toolbox and monitor the FPS/CPU/GPU changes in real-time
  • Gallery
    • Improved the loading speed of the gallery to speed up the process of previewing pictures

In case you've been keeping count, OnePlus mostly skipped Open Beta 3 for the 8T. That's because the company noticed a few issues with the software, so it halted the rollout shortly after release. Open Beta 4 is safe to install from both Open Beta 2 and (for those who got the update) Open Beta 3. You should receive an OTA update when you're using either.