OnePlus 7 Pro features are being brought to older OnePlus phones by fans

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When the OnePlus 7 Pro launched it brought with it some novel new features such as a pop-up selfie camera and 90Hz refresh rate, which we haven’t seen in many phones before.

It also included some unusual software, most notably screen recording and Zen Mode, and it looks like older OnePlus phones could be seeing these features early.

OnePlus had already said it would bring these software features to older OnePlus phones at some point in the future, through updates, but fans have already extracted these features and turned them into APKs, hosted on XDA Developers.

An APK is an Android app file you download through the internet, as opposed to the Play Store, and then install onto your phone like any other app. Many apps use this method of installation for various reasons, including the game Fortnite, but you should make sure to check an APK is secure and safe before downloading it.

Zen Mode on the OnePlus 7 Pro lets you irrevocably lock your phone for 20 minutes, keeping you away from distractions, while screen recorder lets you record the screen (as the name implies).

The OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T will officially receive Zen Mode and screen recording, while the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T will receive just the screen recorder functions, but the update that brings these functions is still a couple of months out.

By jumping the gun on the update, fans have shown how keen they are about the new features OnePlus has created, and fan approval is great for any company - but this also means the OnePlus 7 Pro has lost one of its big selling points already.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.