OnePlus 13 gets Android 16 beta 2 release

Google is following an accelerated timeline for Android 16 compared to previous years. Thus, it should come as no surprise that OEMs are now testing Android 16 on their devices. OnePlus has just announced the release of Android 16 Beta 2 for the OnePlus 13, marking it as the first device outside of the Google Pixels to receive the new update, right on the eve of Samsung’s rollout of stable Android 15 for the Galaxy S24 series in the US.

Per the announcement on the OnePlus forums, this Android 16 Beta 2 build for the OnePlus 13 is intended for developers and advanced users only, allowing them to test their apps on the upcoming platform update. As such, you shouldn’t install this on your daily driver, as you risk bricking your phone. There’s also a long list of already known bugs, and several more may be unknown. For instance, the phone will crash and restart if you answer a call using a Bluetooth headset. There are also plenty of camera-related crashes, so you should definitely stay away.

OnePlus mentions that Verizon and T-Mobile carrier devices are incompatible with this Android 16 build. This is the first build of the new platform, so don’t go hunting for the older Beta 1 build, either. There are ways to roll back to Android 15, but keep in mind that you should proceed only after backing up your data, as there will be a data wipe in the process.

Still, it’s rather impressive that OnePlus has already started adapting Android 16 for its devices. We’re not expecting new features on this build, but it gives us hope for a speedy rollout of Android 16 stable in the coming months. At least OnePlus is doing better than Samsung, which is still lazily working its way through a One UI 7 and Android 15 rollout in the US.