- OnePlus has revealed the plus key, a new button placed as a way to access the new OnePlus AI -SUITE
- Plus -Key replaces the alarm slider found on OnePlus phones since OnePlus 2
- Plus -Key comes to all OnePlus telephones launched this year
OnePlus has announced OnePlus AI, and although the Chinese company’s vision for mobile artificial intelligence is mainly via new software, the list of changes includes an update to one of the brand’s most iconic hardware features.
The new plus key is a physical button that replaces the slider in the three-stage alarm. The button can be customized to Settings to enable one of several features such as opening the camera or starting a live translation.
The new hardware feature debuts with OnePlus 13S, a only China model known as the OnePlus 13 Mini in online rumor circles.
OnePlus has confirmed that the plus key will come to all OnePlus smartphones that roll out this year -at a minimum, we would expect this to include the rumor OnePlus 14 and OnePlus 14R, which based on prior releases we would expect to launch in China at the end of 2025 for Global Launch in 2026. instead.
By default, the plus key activates the new AI Plus Mind Capture system that saves a screen, plus an AI-Resume of the on-screen information, in the new AI Plus Mind app.
It is this, along with the timing of this hardware message, that illustrates OnePlus’ vision of the plus key as part of the company’s AI strategy.
“It’s time for us to develop”
At the official OnePlus AI disclosure event, I spoke with Arthur Lam, director of Oxygenos and AI strategy on OnePlus, how the plus key and AI Plus -mind work together.
“The thought process behind it was that we would bring AI that can allow you to do different things. And I think one of the biggest things was that we live in this digital age, where we have a lot of fragmented memories in several places,” Lam said.
“We think this is not a software-art solution,” continued lamb, “it’s a hardware software solution; it makes it unique OnePlus.”
When OnePlus announced the end of the alarm shooter, I wrote that I always found it was a useful and charismatic addition to the brand’s handset. However, even with Alert Slider’s fan favorite status, Lam tells me that the company is convinced that it’s time for an update.
“People ask us, ‘After using the alarm shooter for a decade, why are you changing it?’ For now, it’s time because it’s associated with your AI Plus mind.
“It makes sense for us to make changes. Even though we have been there in the last decade, and many of the users love it, we think it’s time for us to develop it for the next generation.”
More than just a button
There is more to the OnePlus AI than just the Plus key and AI Plus Mind -upcoming features include AI translation, an AI -geno -fresh tool for pruning photos and AI Voicescribe that automatically transcribes phone calls.
When
It also says that OnePlus is willing to cut a well-loved feature like Alert Slider to the AI-Focused Plus key. This suggests that OnePlus AI could be an important priority for the brand that is moving forward.
Personally, I’m a fan of Alert Slider, but I think AI Plus Mind is a good idea, and a good enough feature to make the plus key appear novel and really useful.
Be sure to follow our phones coverage for the latest updates as the plus key comes to several of the best OnePlus phones.
What do you think of the plus key? Wanna miss the alarm slider? Tell us that in the comments below.
