When an OEM releases a new smartphone, they usually introduce new features that will make the owners of previous devices a little bit jealous and maybe even consider upgrading. The good news for OnePlus users is that some of these features are usually made available to older devices through a software update. The recently announced OnePlus 7 Pro brought a couple of new things to the table and now they will be coming to the OnePlus 6 / 6T and even the OnePlus 5 / 5T later on.
The Zen Mode and the Screen Recorder are two of the new features on the OnePlus 7 Pro that will then be made available for a couple of the older flagships. Both will be included in an update to the software of the OnePlus 6 / 6T while only the Screen Recorder will be added to the OnePlus 5 / 5T. Another new feature, the Nightscape 2.0 will not be available for older devices because of hardware limitations.
The Zen Mode will give you a 20 minute break from your smartphone once you reach your threshold duration. The maximum hours or minutes can be set manually and adjusted depending on your current situation. When you get into the mode, you won’t be able to receive notifications so you’ll be able to take a break from always taking a look at your phone. You will still be able to make and receive calls, which may not be so much of a distraction.
The Screen Recorder feature is pretty easy to understand based on its name. You’ll be able to record the content of your screen as well as record audio from your system or the mic. You can use this if you want to livestream a game you’re playing or if you’re doing instructions for a product or an app. You can also change the resolution of your recording to optimize the file size.
If you can’t wait for the software update to come to you, you can always side load the APKS on your device if you know what you’re doing. The good folks over at XDA Developers have the files ready for you to download and upload.
