OriginOS: Features, availability, and everything you need to know (Updated)

Update: December 18, 2020 (0:15 AM ET): vivo has confirmed the first device in its offerings that will launch with OriginOS. We’ve updated the hub with the latest details.

Original article: November 19, 2020 (2:25 AM ET): Vivo has been teasing its OriginOS Android skin for a while now, promising a major revamp of its polarizing FunTouch software. Now, the company has finally revealed the new skin at its developer conference in China, giving us a look at how it stands out.

OriginOS: Design and features

For starters, the OriginOS homescreen makes extensive use of rectangular and square widgets, with vivo dubbing it a Klotski grid. This is in reference to Klotski puzzles that feature rectangular and square puzzle pieces.

These widgets can also deliver so-called “Nano Alerts,” displaying constantly updated info in them akin to Windows Live Tiles. Examples shown by vivo include flight information, weather, and courier updates.

The company is also leaning on the real world for wallpapers and backgrounds in OriginOS. For example, you can opt for a sky background that showcases various weather effects, such as clouds and wind. vivo claims that the clouds are sampled from various regions and that the wind will dynamically affect them.

Another example of vivo turning to the real world for inspiration are wallpapers that mimic the time of day, being brightest at midday and going darkest at night. Finally, the firm is also touting live wallpapers featuring a timelapse of flowers blooming, with users able to adjust the animation speed as well.

It also looks like users can still toggle between OriginOS and the polarizing FunTouch skin. Hopefully, there isn’t a significant performance or storage penalty if this is indeed the case.

Eligible phones and availability

The vivo X60 series will be the company’s first to launch with OriginOS, it confirmed on Weibo. The phone family will make its debut on December 29 ahead of the skin’s beta rollout for vivo’s legacy devices.

The company also confirmed to Android Authority in November 2020 that the fresh skin will be available only to those in China, at least initially. The company didn’t rule out a future rollout to other global markets, though. Read the full statement below.

OriginOS will be implemented on devices for the Chinese market only, covering vivo’s mainstream series. OS upgrade on current models will be available in batches starting in the first quarter of 2021. We will keep you posted with any updates on the OriginOS release plan for other markets.

In a post on Weibo, the company detailed a three-tier rollout structure for the OriginOS public beta. The first rollout will arrive at the end of January 2021. The following devices will be included:

The second brief batch of devices will receive the update in mid-February 2021. These include:

• vivo Nex 3 (including 5G variant)
• vivo X30 (including Pro variant)
• Iqoo Neo series

Finally, the third and lengthiest batch of devices will see OriginOS beta arrive by Q2 2021. Supported devices include:

That’s all we know about vivo’s new OriginOS skin so far. Is there anything you’d like to see from the new UI? Let us know in the comments below.

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