OnePlus Adopts an iPhone Feature — Here’s Why I Like It

The Alert Slider, a small switch on the side of OnePlus phones, lets you easily change between silent, vibrate, and ring modes without unlocking the phone. Many OnePlus users love this feature because it feels premium and makes using the phone easier.

But now, OnePlus adopts an iPhone feature by planning to remove this popular slider and replace it with something inspired by Apple’s design. Surprisingly, I’m actually excited about this change. Even though it might seem like a bold move, I think it could make the phone feel even more modern and useful.

OnePlus Phones Getting a Custom Button Instead of the Alert Slider

Since the start, the Alert Slider has been one of the best features of OnePlus phones. It made switching between ring, vibrate, and silent modes super easy without unlocking the phone. Many OnePlus fans loved this feature because it was simple and convenient.

However, not every OnePlus phone had the Alert Slider. For example, the OnePlus 10T was launched without it, which upset many users. Due to the backlash, OnePlus brought it back in later models.

In its next phones, OnePlus plans to use a new configurable button in place of the Alert Slider. In addition to switching sound settings, users can program this button to perform additional functions, such as opening the camera or turning on the flashlight.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared this update and said the company wanted to improve the Alert Slider for a long time. But because of hardware limits, it wasn’t possible. So, they decided to add a new button that offers more options.

With this change, users can still control sound modes but also customize the button for other features making the phone more useful.

Why a Customizable Button Makes More Sense Than the Alert Slider

A customizable button on smartphones is not a new idea. Apple already uses it on iPhones, called the Action Button. This button replaced the old mute switch and lets users choose what they want it to do—like opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, or starting a voice recording.

The best part is that Apple allows you to link the Action Button to the Shortcuts app. This means you can run several tasks at once. For example, I set mine to open my favorite apps with just one press. It’s super helpful and saves time.

If OnePlus does the same with its new customizable button, I think it’s a great idea. It would be more useful than the old Alert Slider, which only changes sound modes—like silent, vibrate, or ring. A customizable button can do so much more.

It would be good if OnePlus supported functions like launching the virtual assistant, capturing screenshots, accessing camera and scanning QR codes. Even better would be if they included support for programs like Tasker or MacroDroid so users could make their own shortcuts and execute them with a single click.

The Alert Slider was useful if you often changed sound modes. But for people like me, who keep the phone on silent most of the time, it didn’t help much. That’s why a customizable button is a smarter choice—it gives more options and makes the phone more useful for everyone.

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Why Some People Aren’t Happy About This Change

Many OnePlus users are unhappy that the company would be using a customisable button in place of the Alert Slider on its next handsets. This response makes sense because a lot of individuals have become used to using Alert Slider to quickly swap between sound settings.

However, OnePlus has confirmed that the new button will still allow users to switch sound profiles if they want. So, fans of the Alert Slider can still use the new button the same way, although it may take a little time to adjust.

Personally, I think this change is a good move. The customizable button will give users more options. It can work as a simple sound profile toggle or perform other tasks like opening the camera or turning on the flashlight. It’s perfect for people who’ve always wanted more control over the Alert Slider.

Right now, OnePlus hasn’t announced which phone will get this new button first. While it might not appear on the next flagship soon, we could see it on a OnePlus 13T or the upcoming Nord series.