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

Date:
Tue, 27 May 2025 15:19:24 +0000

Description:
OnePlus has replaced its iconic three-stage Alert Slider with the new Plus
Key button, starting with the China-only OnePlus 13s it comes with a few features, but is most clearly designed as a gateway to OnePlus AI.

FULL STORY ======================================================================OnePlus has revealed the Plus Key, a new button positioned as a way to access the new OnePlus AI suite The Plus Key replaces the Alert Slider found on OnePlus phones since the OnePlus 2 The Plus Key will come to all OnePlus phones launching this year

OnePlus has announced OnePlus AI, and while the Chinese companys vision for mobile artificial intelligence comes mainly via new software, the list of changes includes an update to one of the brands 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 wed 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.

Its this, alongside the timing of this hardware announcement, that
illustrates OnePlus vision of the Plus Key as a part of the companys AI strategy. "It's time for us to evolve" OnePlus revealed its new AI suite on May 27 (Image credit: OnePlus)

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 Id always found it to be a useful and charismatic addition to the brands handsets . However, even with the Alert Sliders fan-favorite status, Lam tells me the company is confident that its 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. More than just a button OnePlus is keen to market the Plus Key as a versatile, AI-forward feature (Image credit:
OnePlus)

Theres 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 weve 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
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/oneplus-phones/oneplus-new-plus-key-gives-use rs-a-hardware-link-to-ai-replacing-the-fan-favorite-alert-slider


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