The OnePlus 9 Pro made me fall in love with Android again

The OnePlus 9 Pro made me fall in love with Android again — hither's why

(Paradigm credit: Tom's Guide)

The OnePlus 9 Pro is an excellent device, heading up our list of the best Android phones and challenging for the title of best phone overall. Merely more importantly, this new OnePlus flagship rekindled my love for Android.

If y'all'll recall, I switched to iOS after over a decade on Android. The iPhone 12 Pro had become my daily driver and I was adapting to life in the Apple ecosystem.

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Then the OnePlus ix Pro arrived on my doorstep. I hadn't used a OnePlus device since 2018's OnePlus 6 (which I quite liked), so I hadn't experienced the changes to the company's Android skin, OxygenOS. I knew that version xi had stirred up some controversy because it departed from the design language that many — myself included — had come to love almost OxygenOS.

Despite my initial misgivings, I came to enjoy OxygenOS and appreciate it. I had grown bored of Samsung's One UI and even the Pixel experience, but OnePlus' software helped relight my fire for Android. At first, I couldn't understand why — all I knew was that I loved using the 9 Pro.

But as I've pondered this, I realized that information technology comes down to the overall user experience and the software'south speed and smoothness (thank you in office to the OnePlus nine Pro's dynamic 120 Hz display). That'south all well and good, but liking the OnePlus 9 Pro and loving Android again aren't the same matter. What about this telephone fabricated me want to switch back to Android? It comes downwards to what I couldn't stand nigh iOS and what I enjoyed about OxygenOS.

Gripes with iOS

When I wrote nearly switching to iOS, I mentioned a couple of sticking points that made me pine for Android land and what I knew. Fundamental among those was notifications. I despise notifications on iOS. I still don't sympathize how or why they're grouped together, or why dealing with them is so clunky and unpleasant.

I'm more than than happy to mutter about this all day long, but I'll spare y'all. Going over to the OnePlus 9 Pro, I immediately remembered one of the things I love most near Android: my conversations are grouped differently than my principal notifications, and silent items are placed below all of that.

Managing everything is easy, I tin can expand what I need to, and I can clear away it all with a single tap when I'thousand washed. Boom, simple. Replying inline to a message, deleting an e-mail, or checking/clearing a news headline or weather written report can all be done in the span of a few seconds with some swipes and taps. I cannot say the same for using an iPhone.

While using iOS full-time, I came to actually dislike the stock keyboard on the iPhone. I know that a few years back, Apple tree opened up the operating system to allow for 3rd-political party keyboards. A good thing, for sure, but it quickly became obvious that things weren't equally elementary equally swapping a keyboard on Android. And even on iOS xiv, the feel left me frustrated.

I prefer Gboard on both Android and iOS, but the feel on the latter is near enough for me to grit my teeth and utilize the default iOS keyboard. There's a huge push button in the bottom left of the screen to switch between keyboards and I've accidentally pressed it and then many times — and hit the cog icon also switches the keyboard.

At random points, especially when inbound passwords, you're stuck with the iOS keyboard. It's janky and information technology sucks to use. Yes, iOS is a walled garden and Apple wants you to apply its stuff, but why open up information technology up if yous're going to hamstring the experience?

I got over the honeymoon phase with iOS and while I nevertheless enjoy using my iPhone for the amend app experience, I'thousand less motivated to at present. This isn't simply me being resistant to change, mind you, because I welcomed the iOS feel with open arms. While I enjoyed many things, those two pain points nagged at me the entire time.

The OxygenOS user experience

For OnePlus 9 Pro review purposes, I was dorsum on Android. While I tin can still level the same complaints at Google'southward software as before, I recall I approached them differently coming back. I appreciated notifications over again, I valued the apps that did take great pattern, and I respected all the things that piece of work well on Android.

OnePlus doesn't mess with likewise much when it comes to Android, at least on the surface. The company has prided itself on the performance of its phones. Part of that pride comes down to the fact that OxygenOS usually has felt snappier than other Android experiences, even Google's ain. Before high refresh charge per unit displays came along, OxygenOS felt faster likely because OnePlus had sped up the animations ever so slightly to make the phone appear faster. This little play a joke on worked.

Using the OnePlus 9 Pro, you come to appreciate how fast everything is. OxygenOS seemingly irons out the kinks I noticed on my Pixel iv Forty and beautifies everything that I found drab on the Galaxy S21 Plus. There's something then satisfying near pulling down the notification shade to apace answer to a message, manage Spotify playback, or toggle one of the Quick Settings (like Zen Mode) easily. The feedback is instant — in that location is no filibuster.

Staying flexible with Android

Coming dorsum to Android once again subsequently a month felt weird. A month, afterwards all, isn't that long. I wondered how I had adapted to iOS then chop-chop, when I was constantly complaining to myself and my wife about the notifications and keyboard. Looking back, that month felt longer in retrospect than it did living it.

I concluded my article well-nigh switching to iOS by saying that I needed to observe the solution that worked best for me. At the time, I was speaking about letting become of tribal loyalties to make sure that I chose the best device and Os for me. Now, I realize that I was bored. Over a decade on one arrangement will do that to you, I suppose, but I'g amazed at how quickly I got bored of iOS.

This sounds wishy-washy, and I get that. Merely I think the important matter here is to stay flexible and open up-minded. Find what works for you, just be prepared to consider other options when either your needs alter or you observe out the solution you chose initially isn't really the best thing for you.

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Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, roofing all things telephone-related. He's written most phones for over five years and plans to go on for a long while to come. He loves cypher more relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Hashemite kingdom of jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, but you can best reach him on Twitter.