OxygenOS 13 update may leave OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro phones inoperable

Released late last year, the update to OxygenOS 13 initially didn’t create any problems for owners of OnePlus 9 phones, but the firmware patches released to improve device security have had catastrophic effects.

Without a specific explanation, Google appears to have had some difficulty with the distribution of the so-called January Play system update, to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 phones. But in the case of Oppo, the same security patch seems to have completely messed up the OxygenOS 13 firmware, with users who took the chance to apply it to OnePlus 9 series devices left with their phone permanently stuck in the home screen. Apparently, the only possible remedy is to manually apply a previous version of the firmware, which is not exactly a handy procedure for inexperienced users and non-ROOT devices. Therefore, unlucky people are advised to send their remaining OnePlus phones to the nearest authorised service centre, with the manufacturer bearing the cost of the intervention for devices with a valid warranty. The company promises to fix the fault without any loss of data.

Withdrawn in the meantime, the problematic firmware patches are labeled LE2111_11.F.19 and LE2121_11.F.19. Still, it’s odd how the Chinese manufacturer managed to distribute a properly untested firmware update to consumers in Western markets.

The fact is that the problem wasn’t even officially acknowledged until last week, with the company blaming the omission on the Chinese New Year holiday, which sent most employees home.