China's OnePlus Set To Release OxygenOS Ahead Of OnePlus Two Smartphone Launch

Chinese manufacturer OnePlus started its journey to make the perfect smartphone by teaming up with popular custom software team CyanogenMod. Now, the smartphone maker will branch out on its own, with the help of quite a few former members of rival software customization team Paranoid Android.

OnePlus published a blog post Thursday, introducing its developer team, prior to a Reddit Ask Me Anything session hosted Friday. The company is not lacking for international reach. Six of OnePlus’ new developers were poached from Paranoid Android, including U.S.-based Aaron, the Android technical leader. Other members include Canada-based Helen, the head of mobile products and India-based Arz, the UI/UX designer and many more from locations including Italy, Colombia, Lebanon and Spain. (OnePlus did not provide surnames for its crew.)

Friday’s Ask Me Anything session delved into the nitty-gritty of software development, with the team explaining to fans that the OnePlus software, called Oxygen OS, won’t be open-source, meaning third parties won’t be able to develop their own systems and applications based on the code. They also clarified that Oxygen OS will be a system uniquely for OnePlus with no inspiration from Paranoid Android; and that the OnePlus One smartphone won’t receive wireless updates.

The smartphone maker has said that it will be releasing its second device, likely called the OnePlus Two, later this year. The device could release around June, and will likely run Oxygen OS.

OnePlus started developing Oxygen OS after dealing with a territory conflict involving the Seattle-based Cyanogen Inc. and the Indian telecommunications company Micromax. The OnePlus One was the first smartphone to ship with the CyanogenMod 11S software on board when it released in late April 2013. However, Cyanogen then struck a deal with Micromax in late November, giving its YU brand of smartphones rights to the Cyanogen OS exclusively in South Asia. The dispute, which included the OnePlus One being banned in India for some time, concluded when One Plus decided to make its own software, particularly for Indian users for the time being.

OnePlus has been hailed as one of the few manufacturers that have been able to branch out into the U.S. from China. The company prides itself on providing a higher-quality product than Chinese competitors, adhering to the motto “Never Settle.”