Theta Android News: Your OnePlus 8 video recordings should now take up much less space

Update, June 4, 2020 (2AM ET): It looks like OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro owners are getting a meaty OxygenOS update right now. According to XDA-Developers, this latest update brings HEVC encoding.

The High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) allows users to record videos at the same quality as the legacy H.264 codec, while consuming far less storage. It also theoretically allows companies to offer better video quality for the same file size. Either way, you can expect your newly recorded 4K HDR videos to consume far less space now. Check out the changelog below, courtesy of XDA, for more on the update.

System

Optimized the touch and interaction experience
Optimized the expanded screenshot user experience for some scenes
Optimized the power consumption performance of the system, battery life extended to be longer than ever
Optimized the wireless charging stability, providing better user experience (OnePlus 8 Pro only)
Optimized the pocket mode to reduce mistouches
Optimized the unlocking animation, making the unlock transition smoother
Updated Android Security Patch to 2020.05
Updated GMS package to 2020.03

Message

Added the 'Delete' button in the notification bar of incoming messages
Added keyword whitelist option in SMS blocking settings, the messages with the specified keywords will not be blocked

Camera

Newly added H.265 HEVC codec to reduce video storage size seamlessly, capture and shoot more without compromising on quality
Added auto ultra-wide-angle lens feature when shooting at close range to improve picture quality of edges (OnePlus 8 Pro only)
Optimized the click animation for camera shutter, boosting the smoothness of photo-taking experience
Improved the shooting experience with camera and improved stability

Network

Improved the stability of communication
Improved the performance and stability of Wi-Fi transfers
Optimized network latency for online games and improved the smoothness

Game Space

Added Epic Games in Game Space. With one-step installation, check out Fortnite and many other Epic Games, all from Game Space

What else would you like to see from OnePlus 8 series updates in the future? Let us know in the comments!

Welcome to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro update hub. Here, you'll find everything you need to know about the latest Android updates for the two devices, including their current versions and when future updates are likely to arrive.

Both the 8 and 8 Pro run OxygenOS, OnePlus' proprietary Android skin. OxygenOS is known for fast updates that come for a very long time, so be sure to bookmark this page and visit often.

OnePlus 8 Pro Killer flagship

OnePlus is all grown up. With the OnePlus 8 Pro, you get an unabashed flagship, with all the bells and whistles. Powerful specs, an amazing display, fast wireless charging, and water resistance make the OnePlus 8 Pro a great alternative to the Galaxy S20 Plus, and it's up to $300 cheaper.

OnePlus 8 Snapdragon 865 on the cheap

The OnePlus 8 sticks to the formula that has made OnePlus so successful. It gets you the latest processing package, a versatile camera, and a beautiful display, running the smooth Oxygen OS. You miss out on wireless charging and the official IP rating, but for what it offers the OnePlus 8 is an attractive deal.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro updates

Current stable version: Android 10
When will the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro get Android 11? September 2020 (estimated)

The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro launched on April 14, 2020. Both launched with the latest version of Android out-of-the-box: Android 10. We expect both devices to receive at least two major Android updates in the future — Android 11 in 2020 and Android 12 in 2021.

Days after the phones launched, OnePlus rolled out the Oxygen OS 10.5.4 update for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. It was a minor update, but brought Google's Live Caption feature to the phones. It also enhanced support for the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z earbuds, optimized the cameras and fingerprint sensor, improved system stability and more.

However, a bunch of users started reporting the appearance of a green tint on the displays of their phones. Some also reported a black crush issue which made dark areas of the screen lose detail.

OnePlus then rolled out Oxygen OS 10.5.5 for both the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. The update sort of fixed the green tint problem for some, but the black crush issue remained.

The changelog was also tight-lipped about the display problems. The only indication on it related to the display was a pointer noting "optimized the display effects," which doesn't clearly mean the green tint or black crush issue.

In early May, OnePlus rolled out Oxygen OS 10.5.6.IN11AA for the OnePlus 8 Pro and 10.5.5.IN21AA for the OnePlus 8. The changelog didn't clearly verify a fix for the display problems on the OnePlus 8 Pro, but mentioned general system, camera, and network improvements.

However, some users who received this update weren't too happy with it. A user on Reddit said that the update fixed the green tint issue on the OnePlus 8 Pro when DC Dimming was switched on, but it reappears when DC Dimming was switched off. Another user on OnePlus forums reports that the camera on the OnePlus 8 Pro became worse after the update and resulted in images showing random flares.

On May 29, OnePlus reportedly started rolling out an update to disable the color filter camera on the OnePlus 8 Pro, not just in China, but globally. The move came after it was recently discovered that the gimmicky color filter camera on the back of the OnePlus 8 Pro can be used as a sort of x-ray camera. The update was attached to Oxygen OS 10.5.9.

The aforementioned update was short-lived though, as the firm then pulled it and confirmed to Android Police that it was an accidental roll-out. It added that the color filter camera would be enabled once again in the next update.