Actually, I won’t miss the alert slider on future OnePlus phones

When I first heard OnePlus was planning to replace its alert slider, I was pretty disappointed. It’s about as important to the brand’s identity as its proprietary SuperVOOC charging or the iconic green finish that’s been around since the days of the OnePlus 8 series. I was especially bummed when I realized that not only was the alert slider going away, but that it would be replaced with a very iPhone-like multifunctional button — just another Android brand trying to copy its biggest rival.

So I sat down, ready to write out all my complaints and beg OnePlus to change its mind, but I’ve since realized I can’t do that. I can’t insist that OnePlus stick with the design traits it’s always had because change isn’t always a bad thing. After a few hours of thinking about it, I’ve realized that I won’t miss the alert slider, and neither should you.

If I’m being honest, the main reason that I won’t miss the alert slider is that I didn’t use it very often. I typically just set my phone to vibrate and leave it there, whether using an iPhone, a Pixel, or something with a neat sound profile like the Nothing Phone 3a. Sure, if I’m expecting an urgent call or an important message, I’ll toggle the sound on, but that happens maybe once a month at best. So, a hardware button dedicated to one job and one job only didn’t feel like the most useful decision for me. But don’t worry, it’s not just OnePlus’s alert slider that I ignored — I didn’t use Apple’s mute switch very often, either.

Besides, when I occasionally adjust the volume on my phone, I never really forced myself into reaching for the alert slider anyway. For me, it always sits too high and too far on the opposite side of whatever OnePlus device is in my pocket, making it hard to reach without using two hands. And, since most of the best Android phones I review don’t come with alert sliders, I’ve just gotten so used to adjusting my sound levels with the volume rocker that it’s a hard habit to break over a few weeks. Oh, and I appreciate that the volume rockers allow me to tweak my ringtone, notification sounds, and media volume individually.

Of course, I realize that you might be in the opposite situation — you might be a longtime OnePlus user who’s learned to live and die by the alert slider. You might reach for it almost every day out of instinct and be crushed to see it go. If that’s the case, I’d also like to point out that the alert slider isn’t really disappearing, at least not entirely, you’ll just probably have to adapt to a slightly different motion when the OnePlus 14 or OnePlus Open 2 comes out.

As I suggested above, OnePlus isn’t simply ditching the alert slider. It’s not axing the one button that sets its phones apart for no reason — it’s copying Apple. You can be mad about that and question why so many Android brands set their sights on their biggest rival, but I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. Instead, I’m looking at this change as an evolution of the alert slider, which I believe will make OnePlus phones more flexible going forward.

If Apple ditching its mute switch for an Action Button taught me anything, it’s that I don’t want a dedicated mute button. I already have volume rockers to adjust my sound, so why add another button that does the same thing? I’d much rather have a quick toggle for Do Not Disturb (which isn’t the same as a mute switch), a fast way to launch my camera, or quickly open Google Translate — all of which the Action Button can do with some planning.

However, my problem with the Action Button is that Apple only seems to want it to do one thing at a time. You can set it up for any of the tasks mentioned above, but that’s it — there’s no difference between a double-press, a triple-press, or just holding down the Action Button until your fingers hurt. If OnePlus wants to stick the landing, it’ll make its own action key a truly multifunctional button, opening the door to all kinds of customizations. Even if it doesn’t do that, at least I don’t have to worry about it launching Bixby, and that feels like enough of a win for me.