You've heard the advice "don't fix what's not broken," and that couldn't be more appropriate than when we're talking about OxygenOS 12. It feels like hardly anyone's a fan of the updated UI that's largely a rebrand of Oppo's ColorOS, and the numerous issues that arose following the integration of the two platforms only added to the mess. Perhaps due to these lingering concerns, OnePlus Nord 2 users may not be quite as eager for Android 12 as they should be, but for those willing to take the chance, their time is finally here.

The very first Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 Open Beta build is now available for OnePlus Nord 2 users to download and install on their devices. A lengthy changelog details all that's changing with the update, and there's quite a bit to see here, both in terms of new features and tweaks to the interface.

For starters, the dark mode now supports three different shades for backgrounds — Enhanced, Medium, and Gentle — for a more customized experience. There's also a lot going on in the optimization department, making a lot of big promises, but we'll have to actually see how the phone holds up to some punishing apps. Here's the full list of changes from OnePlus:

  • System
    • Newly added Smart Battery Engine, a feature that prolongs battery life based on smart algorithms and biomimetic self-restoration technology
    • Optimized AI System Booster to 2.1 for your system to run smoothly even when the load is high
    • Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
    • Optimized Extra HD, a feature that can significantly enhance image and video resolutions
  • Dark mode
    • Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
  • Shelf
    • New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
    • Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
    • Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health status
  • Work-Life Balance
    • Work-Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
    • WLB 2.0 now supports automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization
  • Gallery
    • Gallery now allows you to switch between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing
  • Canvas AOD
    • Canvas AOD brings you new diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
    • Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures
  • Games
    • Newly added the HyperBoost end-to-end frame rate stabilizer

Of course, this is an early beta, and OnePlus has already warned of a couple of known bugs: face unlock may not work as intended in the dark depending on phone settings, and gamers can expect Fortnite to crash. It's only safe to assume that more will be found. Additionally, OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man Edition users are recommended to skip the update since it would cause them to lose all the Pac-Man-themed goodies in OxygenOS 11 for that model — and really, aren't those the whole point?

OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 for the Nord 2 can be downloaded directly from OnePlus and flashed through recovery. For full instructions, check out the official forum post.