OnePlus Introduces AI-Powered 'Plus Mind' Feature, Replacing Iconic Alert Slider

Your OnePlus 13 Will Get a Dedicated AI 'Mind Space'. Here's What That Means

Katie is a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand. It's a non-negotiable right now that every phone maker out there must have a plan for integrating AI into its devices. OnePlus is a little late to the party, but it's arrived nonetheless. On Tuesday, the company announced plans for bringing its own vision of personalized AI to OnePlus phones, including the OnePlus 13. At a launch event in London last week, I not only got to see the first AI features to land on OnePlus phones in action, but learn about what the company's future plans are for bringing more complex and sophisticated AI features to its phones down the road. With all Android phone makers increasingly making use of best-in-class Qualcomm chips and relying on Google's Gemini AI, having a strong AI strategy is one way they can set themselves apart from rivals. I was impressed with how far OnePlus seems to be thinking ahead and didn't rush into going ham on AI. Its initial AI rollout will likely capture people's attention, even if its ideas aren't entirely original. OnePlus' statement AI tool is called Plus Mind, which can save, suggest, store and search based on what's currently on your phone screen, ultimately depositing the details in an app OnePlus is calling 'Mind Space'. Plus Mind can be activated at any time, either by a dedicated button (if your phone has one) or by a swipe-up gesture. If it spots details of an event or reservation, it will propose creating a calendar entry. Mind Space is a place to "organize your fragmented memories," said Arthur Lam, the company's director of OxygenOS and AI strategy. This is a hub where all of your most important content will live, and where AI search will allow you to find what you need without the information overload you may be used to, or automatically translate content in another language to make it accessible and searchable. Plus Mind will debut with the upcoming launch of the OnePlus 13s, a phone designed specifically for the Asian market, which comes with a dedicated AI button (the "Plus Key," as OnePlus is calling it) on the side of the phone. That means for those of in the US and Europe, we'll have to wait a little longer to enjoy OnePlus' vision for AI ourselves. It will eventually be rolling out to the OnePlus 13 as an over-the-air update later this year, although the company is yet to confirm exactly when. On the OnePlus 13, which shipped before the addition of the Plus Key, you instead have to use a three-fingered swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to activate the AI features. When I tested this in person it was hit or miss as to whether I could get it to work. There's definitely a knack to it -- you need to start from a couple of centimeters above lower rim -- and there's a high chance of accidentally displacing what's on the screen. It's clear that OnePlus designed Plus Mind to be used with a dedicated button, and no doubt all future OnePlus phones will feature a Plus Key of their own. It is a shame in retrospect though that the key is missing from its most widely available 2025 flagship phone. After using Plus Mind to save a variety of content, I had mixed opinions on how useful it was. The process of capturing and creating events out of details displayed on screen was seamless, and I found that I was able to use natural language within Mind Space to pull up the details of these events after the fact. But when saving articles I thought were interesting, Mind Space wasn't able to provide a summary of the entirety of what I'd been reading -- only of the specific text that was on screen at the time I activated Plus Mind. I also struggled to organise the content into collections within Mind Space. This is a manual process, rather than a situation in which the AI takes over to categorize everything you've saved. This feels a little like a missed opportunity. Like other Android phone makers, OnePlus has the benefit of tapping into the best of Google's Gemini phone tools, while also choosing what additional features it wants to bring to its phones to make them stand apart from its competitors. That said, its initial foray into AI with Mind Space is bound to draw comparisons to what Nothing is doing with Essential Space -- its own dedicated hub for saving content, snippets, links and reminders. Plus Mind and Mind Space represents just the first stage of what OnePlus' three-stage AI strategy. Next up is integrating a large language model (LLM) into Plus Mind, allowing your phone to understand your habits to create a "persona" it uses to understand you. "It will help you understand yourself," said Lam, and could even help you discover something "surprising" or "enlightening" about yourself. Stage three is where OnePlus plans to go full AI agent, turning a personal assistant that can know everything about you. But the company's not quite there just yet. In the meantime it has a few other ideas in the pipeline. Coming first to India (again, not the EU or the US), are AI VoiceScribe, which will provide you with a quick summary after your call on WhatsApp, Snapchat, Telegram, and AI Call Assistant, which provides you with in-call translation in both text and voice. On the more playful side, OnePlus is introducing two AI photo tools. The first, AI Best Face 2.0, will allow you to 'correct the faces of up 20 people in a group photo so that everyone is looking their best (if they have their eyes closed, for example, or what OnePlus describes as a "suboptimal expression"). AI Reframe, meanwhile, will analyze your carelessly shot holiday snaps and suggest creative cropping and framing to make it look like you weren't three cocktails deep when you shot them. These photo features will be come to OnePlus phones this summer, but for the major OnePlus AI tool rollout, you might have to wait a little longer.

OnePlus is replacing its Alert Slider with, yes, an AI button

OnePlus has revealed its artificial intelligence plans for its devices, starting with the introduction of the Plus Key, which will replace the Alert Slider. The Plus Key, like its predecessor, is a physical button that users can customize to launch the camera, to initiate translations or to start recording. More importantly, it launches the new AI Plus Mind feature, which can record and recall information found on screen. When a user wants to take note of important information such as schedules, event details, reservations or listings, for instance, they can press the Plus Key to activate AI Plus Mind and save those details. (Take note that the feature can extract details from both images and texts.) Alternatively, they can swipe up on the screen with three fingers. What AI Plus Mind does is save relevant content to a dedicated Mind Space, where users can browse various information that they've saved. Users can then search for the detail they want to find using natural language queries. Both the Plus Key and the AI Plus Mind will debut on the OnePlus 13s in Asia. AI Plus Mind will roll out to the rest of the OnePlus 13 Series devices through a future software update, while all future OnePlus phone will come with the new physical key. Notably, the new button and feature bear similarities to Nothing's physical Essential Key that can also save information inside the Essential Space app. Nothing was founded by Carl Pei who co-founded OnePlus. The company is also developing several tools for the OnePlus AI, including AI VoiceScribe that enables users to "record, summarize and translate calls and meetings directly within popular messaging, video, and online meeting applications." AI Translation will consolidate the brand's translation capabilities via text, live voice, camera and screen into one app, sort of like Google Translate. AI Search will enable natural language queries to search for local files and notes. Meanwhile, AI Best Face 2.0, which is coming this summer, can correct issues like closed eyes in group photos.

OnePlus phones are getting AI tools that are bound to make Galaxy and Pixel fans jealous

The OnePlus AI suite also includes localized tools to help users record, summarize, and translate calls and offer real-time call translations. Earlier this year, OnePlus confirmed plans to replace the alert slider with a customizable button on future phones. At the time, the company's CEO, Pete Lau, said this new button would allow users to switch sound profiles without waking up the device and offer a few additional features. OnePlus has now revealed that the customizable button, the Plus Key, will debut on the upcoming OnePlus 13s and let users switch sound profiles, launch the camera, initiate translation, start recordings, or activate the new AI Plus Mind feature.

OnePlus takes a page from Nothing with its newest feature

While similar to Nothing's Essential Key and Essential Space, OnePlus offers greater flexibility through button remapping and gesture controls. These days, Android flagships are more than just specifications, with companies being very bullish on AI features and their potential to improve the conventional phone experiences. OnePlus had already jumped on the AI bandwagon with features like AI Eraser and AI Summary that arrived with Oxygen OS 14 and 15. Now, OnePlus is consolidating the plethora of its AI features under the OnePlus AI branding, adding Gemini support to its stock apps, and launching the new AI Plus Mind feature, which will debut with the OnePlus 13s.

My Favorite Feature in OnePlus Phones Just Got Killed

Summary OnePlus is phasing out the iconic alert slider in favor of a customizable "Plus Key." The Plus Key can replicate alert slider functions and be used for AI features. Users can remap the Plus Key for various functions, adding versatility to OnePlus phones. The alert slider is probably one of the more iconic features of OnePlus phones. It has been there ever since the very first OnePlus One was released over a decade ago, and it's seen by some as a selling point because of the convenience it provides. The writing has been in the wall for some time, but now it's confirmed -- it's dead. OnePlus has confirmed that it will be phasing out the alert slider in future hardware releases in favor of a new customizable "Plus Key." The alert slider allowed you to quickly and easily switch between three sound profiles by switching the slider between three different modes: silent, vibrate only, and full ring mode. It's a dedicated hardware feature that allows you to switch between sound profiles without having to unlock your phone and go into your sound settings to turn on do not disturb mode or switch to vibrate mode. It's similar in concept to the ring/silent switch that used to come with iPhones. It's also something that wasn't really replicated by any big Android manufacturer, so it remained a cool selling point of OnePlus phones since you could just reach for your phone in your pocket to change sound profiles, making it as effortless as it can be. Sadly, it's now gone. Just like the iPhone replaced its own switch with a side button, OnePlus is, too, adding a side button of its own as a replacement, the "Plus Key." While capable of replicating the alert slider's traditional functions, OnePlus really wants you to use it as an AI button of sorts that brings up an AI feature of your choice. A cursed concept, I know, but hey, AI is trendy right now. One of the features OnePlus is positioning for this button is "Plus Mind," which allows you to "save, catalog, and recall key information found on the screen." You'll be able to remap this button to whatever you want, so thankfully, it won't just be a dead button if you decide you don't want to use AI on your phone. You probably can't restore the full functionality of the good old alert slider, but you can set it as a shortcut for quickly enabling/disabling do not disturb mode, which is good enough. You can also set it to other things, such as launching your camera or recording audio. Related OnePlus Watch 3 Review: Smartwatch Battery Life Doesn't Have to Suck No more nightly charging routine. Posts 2 Some people might find the Plus Key to have more value than the old alert slider since it's way more versatile, but as a former owner of a OnePlus phone, I will miss it anyway. The new Plus Key is present on the OnePlus 13T, which is not seeing a US release, but it will probably also be present on the upcoming OnePlus 14, which will, more than certainly, be available stateside. Source: 9to5Google, Android Authority

OnePlus will ditch Alert Slider across 'all' its new smartphones alongside major AI push

As previously announced, OnePlus will be replacing its iconic Alert Slider, with the new "Plus Key" officially coming to "all" of the brand's new smartphones going forward alongside a major push into AI features. The Alert Slider has been a staple of most OnePlus smartphones for the better part of a decade now, but it's being replaced with a customizable new button called the "Plus Key." This will debut first on the OnePlus 13s in India, the compact flagship that previously launched as the OnePlus 13T in China and will not be expanding to the US or Europe. OnePlus says the Plus Key is "planned to rollout across all OnePlus smartphones launching this year," meaning the next OnePlus flagship will certainly be making the swap. While the Key can replicate the Alert Slider's functionality, OnePlus is making a big push out of its ability to trigger AI features, including "Plus Mind," a feature that can "save, catalog, and recall key information found on the screen," just like Nothing's Essential Space. OnePlus explains: When users find information that they wish to retain - such as schedules, event details, reservations, or listings - they can capture it by pressing the Plus Key or swiping up with three fingers. AI Plus Mind intelligently saves the relevant on-screen content to a dedicated Mind Space, helping users streamline their experience by capturing precisely what's needed and keeping it organized in one accessible location. This feature will be coming to OnePlus 13 and 13R in the future, but obviously without the hardware shortcut. Beyond this, OnePlus has a host of other AI features in the works, and is adding Gemini integration with its own apps - something Oppo announced earlier this month. New AI features coming to OnePlus devices include: OnePlus notes that it "prioritizes on-device processing within a trusted environment" and leverages a "Private Computing Cloud" for "more intensive" tasks. There's no set date for when these added AI features will be launching outside of Best Face's "Summer" window.

OnePlus' new Plus Key gives users a hardware link to AI, replacing the fan-favorite Alert Slider

The Plus Key will come to all OnePlus phones launching this year OnePlus has announced OnePlus AI, and while the Chinese company's vision for mobile artificial intelligence comes 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 three-stage Alert Slider. The button can be customized in settings to activate one of several features, like opening the camera or starting a live translation. The new hardware feature will make its debut with the OnePlus 13s, a China-only model previously known as the OnePlus 13 Mini in online rumor circles. OnePlus has confirmed the Plus Key will come to all OnePlus smartphones rolling out this year - at a minimum we'd expect this to include the rumored OnePlus 14 and OnePlus 14R, which based on prior releases we'd expect to launch in China at the end of 2025 for global launch in 2026. Though note that OnePlus might skip the number 14 and call this the OnePlus 15 series instead. By default, the Plus Key activates the new AI Plus Mind capture system, which saves a screenshot, plus an AI summary of the on-screen information, in the new AI Plus Mind app. It's this, alongside the timing of this hardware announcement, that illustrates OnePlus' vision of the Plus Key as a part of the company's AI strategy. At the official OnePlus AI reveal event, I spoke with Arthur Lam, director of OxygenOS and AI strategy at OnePlus, about how the Plus Key and AI Plus Mind work together. "The thought process behind it was we wanted to bring AI that can empower you to do different things. And I think one of the biggest things was we live in this digital age where we have a lot of fragmented memories across multiple places" said Lam. "We believe that this is not a software-only solution," Lam continued, "it's a hardware-software solution; that makes it uniquely OnePlus." When OnePlus announced the end of the Alert Slider, I wrote that I'd always found it to be a useful and charismatic addition to the brand's handsets. However, even with the Alert Slider's fan-favorite status, Lam tells me the company is confident that it's time for an update. "People ask us, 'after using the Alert Slider for a decade, why are you changing it?' Because now is the time, because it's connected with your AI Plus Mind." "It makes sense for us to make changes. Even though we've been there for the last decade, and many of the users love it, we think it's time for us to evolve it to the next generation." There's more to OnePlus AI than just the Plus Key and AI Plus Mind - upcoming features include AI Translation, an AI Reframe tool for cropping photos, and AI VoiceScribe, which automatically transcribes phone calls. With that said, the Plus Key is the most fully-fledged AI hardware feature we've seen on a smartphone so far - this AI-first approach could help OnePlus to differentiate the Plus Key from the iPhone's Action Button, which clearly served as inspiration. It's also telling that OnePlus is willing to cut a well-loved feature like the Alert Slider for the AI-focused Plus Key. This suggests that OnePlus AI could be a major priority for the brand going forwards. Personally, I'm a fan of the Alert Slider, but I think AI Plus Mind is a great idea, and a good enough feature to make the Plus Key seem novel and genuinely useful. Be sure to keep up with our phones coverage for the latest updates as the Plus Key comes to more of the best OnePlus phones. What do you think of the Plus Key? Will you miss the Alert Slider? Let us know in the comments below.

OnePlus unveils AI Plus Mind, and I think this might be the best use of AI in a smartphone yet

OnePlus has just unveiled a new AI-powered life organization tool that might be the best use of smartphone artificial intelligence I've seen yet. The new feature, AI Plus Mind, is part of OnePlus' new AI vision, which sees the company push towards a more personalized AI, which will give users powerful tools that aim to enhance their lives. OnePlus says AI Plus Mind will "intelligently save the relevant on-screen content to a dedicated Mind Space, helping users combat information overload by capturing precisely what's needed and keeping it organized in one accessible location." AI Plus Mind is built into the new Plus Key, a customizable button that replaces the Alert slider, launching first with the OnePlus 13s in Asia and coming to future OnePlus smartphones in the US and EU in the future. By simply pressing the Plus Key, you'll be able to quickly save, catalog, and recall key information from your screen. OnePlus says the new feature, "marks a major step towards delivering truly personalized AI." AI Plus Mind is just a button press away on new OnePlus devices with the Plus Key. For the OnePlus 13, the current flagship, which doesn't have the customizable button, you'll be able to swipe up with three fingers at any point to screen capture. Once you've taken a screenshot of whatever information you want to retain, like schedules, event details, reservations, or maybe an article, AI Plus Mind analyzes content contextually and determines what to do with it. OnePlus' example is the ability to "extract schedule details from an image or text and add them directly to the user's calendar." Alongside an improved AI Search, which is integrated into AI Plus Mind, you'll be able to retain information more than ever before. The Nothing Phone 3a's Essential Key works similarly, although with OnePlus' flagship specs and the company's aim to give users the best AI experience possible, AI Plus Mind sounds like more of a complete package than Nothing's equivalent. At the OnePlus AI reveal, we spoke with Arthur Lam, Director of OxygenOS and AI Strategy at OnePlus, about how AI Plus Mind feels like the next step in the evolution of the screenshot. Lam said, "Well, the thought process behind it was that we wanted AI to empower you to do different things. We live in this digital age where we have a lot of fragmented memories across multiple places, multiple apps, multiple services." Starting with the problem, the OnePlus AI team then opted to find a solution that would not only showcase the power of AI but also have a genuine impact on users' lives. "How do we use AI to organise our mind, capture it, process it, and empower the user to do different things? I think that was the starting point. That's why you see us using the Plus Key, and we believe that this is not a software-only solution," Lam continued, "it's a hardware-software solution; that makes it uniquely OnePlus." AI Plus Mind might be the standout feature of the new AI tools coming to OnePlus smartphones, but the company also revealed some other new uses for AI coming soon: AI Plus Mind will debut on the OnePlus 13s before a wider rollout starting with the rest of the OnePlus 13 family of devices. Future OnePlus devices will also benefit from this exciting AI functionality.

OnePlus Ditching That Alert Slider You Love For This AI Button

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. OnePlus dropped a couple of announcements this morning that will pave the way for the rest of their launches throughout 2025. The first is an introduction of the "Plus Key," which will replace their beloved Alert Slider as a bit of an AI do-it-all-button, while the 2nd is also AI related and includes a set of features you may or may not see depending on which part of the world you live in. OnePlus had previously announced that the Alert Slider was on the way out, but today they've made the Plus Key official as a button that will arrive with future devices. They are debuting the new Plus Key on the OnePlus 13s, a device launching in India only. However, it will "rollout across all OnePlus smartphones launching this year." If we get a OnePlus 14, it'll have this Plus Key. So what does the OnePlus Plus Key do? It is a customizable button that can do everything from changing sound profiles to launching the camera or start a recording. But for OnePlus, they really want you to use it to fire up their new "AI Plus Mind," which sounds a lot like an advanced version of Nothing's Essential Space. The similarities between these two companies...huh. Anyways, by using the Plus Key to activate AI Plus Mind, you can save on-screen info to the "Mind Space." This is basically an app that organizes whatever you've captured from your screen to help you recover information later, make it searchable, etc. Again, it's exactly like Nothing's Essential Space and also like Google's Screenshots app on Pixel phones. OnePlus AI is also here as the second big announcement today. OnePlus is going all-in on AI, just as everyone else is, and they have a handful of features coming to the phone. Rather than rewrite them all in my own words and potentially mess something up, here's how OnePlus describes each: Additionally, OnePlus announced that they will soon offer deeper integration with Google Gemini. They are moving to have Gemini and OxygenOS apps work closely together, like Google's suite of apps does to give you a better AI experience. This is "coming soon." To recap, OnePlus made the Plus Key super official on all future devices and has new AI features you might be able to play with depending on your country.