OnePlus might not be as consistent with software updates for older devices, but the company is quite attentive to recently launched products, and that includes the latest OnePlus 9 series. Its most recent OxgenOS update adds a toggle to disable HDR video on the OnePlus 9 Pro, plus a few smaller fixes for power consumption, stability, and the camera.

You might think, based on the change, that the OnePlus 9 Pro didn't have HDR video recording prior to this, but that isn't correct. When we asked during our review, OnePlus told us that the 9 Pro does record video in HDR. The distinction between it and the OnePlus 9, which had a toggle to disable the feature, was that the 9 Pro had no option to disable it — it was always on and automatic.

OnePlus also very clearly stated as much in a "deep dive" post to its company forums in April, explaining:

"On the OnePlus 9 Pro, DOL-HDR is on by default (that's why you won't find it in the camera settings). When shooting videos in backlit conditions, the OnePlus 9 Pro can automatically use DOL-HDR to improve its dynamic range, so you don't ever have to worry about it."

That means as far as we know, this update does not add HDR video recording to the 9 Pro, as some other venues are reporting. The phone already had that, this is just a toggle to disable that automatic control, though we are reaching out again to the company to doubly verify what they already published publicly and told us previously.

Changelog

  • System
  • Reduced power consumption in specific scenarios
  • Fixed known issues and improved stability
  • Camera
  • Newly added HDR option in video recording interface（Path: Menu options in the upper right corner of the screen-Dynamic video) (9 Pro-specific)
  • Improved the shooting and recording experience

The update is also rolling out to the OnePlus 9, and OnePlus claims that it fixes some known issues and improves stability. Power consumption has also been reduced in specific scenarios, and the "shooting and recording" experience for the camera has apparently been polished.

Like most OnePlus rollouts, this update is likely staged, and you might have to wait for several days before you see it pop on your phone — the previous update still hasn't rolled out to all users. But if you're not big on waiting, you can get the OTA with the help of the unofficial Oxygen Updater tool.

Ryne Hager contributed to this post.