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OnePlus has released Oreo for the 3 and 3T as part of the Open Beta program.

Early access programs can be a cool way to experience new features, so long as you don't mind a few bugs. The same is true for OnePlus's Open Beta program, which brings early features to some of its phones. As part of that program, the company is trialing Android 8.0 Oreo before rolling it out to all of its users later in the year.

Known issues with this build include:

• Fingerprint actions may be slower than you are used to.
• Shortcut to access Google Photos is unavailable
• Some stability issues with NFC and Bluetooth
• Performance and compatibility of 3rd party apps will continue to be optimized

In the 30 minutes I've been using Oreo on my OnePlus 3T, I haven't encountered any of these problems. In addition to staple Oreo features such as notification channels and colored media notifications, OnePlus has also tweaked the quick settings and updated the phone to the September 2017 security patch.

For those already in the Open Beta program, you should see the update from the settings menu. Those that have not enrolled in the Open Beta can download will be able to follow the installation instructions here.

Are you going to try Oreo on the OnePlus 3 or 3T? Let us know down below!

OnePlus will give users the option to opt out of data collection when setting up an OxygenOS phone for the first time by the end of October.

As it has a tendency to do every now and then, OnePlus found itself in hot water earlier this week when users were reminded as to just how much personal data OnePlus smartphones were collecting and sending back to the company. Essentially, the operating system on OnePlus devices (OxygenOS) has a "user experience program" that users are automatically entered into.

The goal of the program is to collect data from phones so that OnePlus can then analyze it and then provide better customer service as a result, and while there was your typical stuff such as which apps were being installed on phones, how they're being used, etc., OnePlus was also collecting IMEI numbers, Wi-Fi network information, MAC addresses, and telephone numbers.

OnePlus responded to us shortly after people started raising a fuss, and while this helped to clear some things up, the company co-founder, Carl Pei, has since issued a more formal response in the form of a blog post on OnePlus's forums.

By the end of the month, customers will be able to opt out of data collection from day one.

Pei starts out by reiterating a number of times just how much OnePlus values its customers' personal information, and he reminds everyone that you can choose to opt out of the company's data collection practices by going to Settings -> Advanced -> Join user experience program. This reminder is nice, but it's not readily apparent that you can do this without a proper explanation first.

Thankfully, by the end of October, OnePlus will be adding a new prompt when setting up an OxygenOS device for the first time that will give customers the option of opting in or out of the program right out of the box.

Although this is something that should have been made available in the first place, it is a step in the right direction. Pei doesn't outline why OnePlus was collecting MAC addresses, Wi-Fi networks, and other info to begin with, but I wouldn't hold your breath for a proper explanation on that anytime soon.

OnePlus responds to OxygenOS data collection concerns

Well, this sort of escalated quickly.

Google has said it will permanently disable the touch-sensitive function of all Google Home Minis — including touching it to pause/play audio, we suppose — following reports this week that issues with the software and hardware were causing the devices to constantly record and send audio back to Google. The issue, which stems from the Home Mini's touch-sensitive fabric cover being overly sensitive and inadvertently activating on its own, gave people a bit of a spook when it was discovered that early Home Minis were activated and therefore recording 24 hours a day.

Going forward, all Google Home Minis will have the touch-to-activate functionality disabled — leaving the "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" hot word activation as the only option to summon the Google Assistant in the smaller speaker. The touch-sensitive sides for changing the volume of the Home Mini will remain active.

To make things incredibly clear, Google offered the following statement on the situation:

We take user privacy and product quality concerns very seriously. Although we only received a few reports of this issue, we want people to have complete peace of mind while using Google Home Mini.

We have made the decision to permanently remove all top touch functionality on the Google Home Mini. As before, the best way to control and activate Google Home Mini is through voice, by saying "Ok Google" or "Hey Google," which is already how most people engage with our Google Home products. You can still adjust the volume by using the touch control on the side of the device.

While it's certainly conceivable that Google would be able to redesign the Home Mini's software to reject prolonged accidental activations, the bad optics of the situation somewhat forced its hand here. Making it completely clear that the root of the always-recording bug has been disabled entirely makes it much clearer to consumers what's happening with their new Home Mini. This also points to a likely core issue with the Home Mini's touch-sensitive fabric top that may be too expensive to re-engineer and release after likely pre-producing hundreds of thousands of units ahead of launch.

This was clearly a mistake — but the optics of the situation are horrible for Google.

Either way, we must remember that every Google Home device will still be constantly "listening" in order to pick up on your "Ok Google" and "Hey Google" commands — the difference is that the listening should, as always, be kept local until an actual request is given after the fact. For what it's worth, Google Home users can always go into the Google Home app and see every single time one of their Home devices is activated and even see what the Home heard — this is, after all, how this initial Home Mini issue was discovered in the first place.

Is Google's choice to disable the touch functionality of the Home Mini enough to convince you that it's taking your privacy seriously? We're sure you have some opinions — let us know in the comments!

Well this isn't a great look — but there's an explanation.

A concern from earlier this year over how much data OnePlus has been collecting has resurfaced this week, pointing to the fact OxygenOS on all recent OnePlus phones keeps track of all sorts of information on the phone and sends it back to the company. Despite this being something that's been happening for some time on OnePlus phones and that's several months since first being discovered, users have just now been reminded of it and are (rightfully) concerned over just how much is being collected and what's being done with it.

OnePlus, just like any other phone manufacturer, collects information on how your phone is being used, what apps are installed, and what issues may arise — and it's often tied to that phone and your user account in particular. The report from earlier this year clearly shows how a OnePlus phone (a OnePlus 2 in this case) was collecting how long apps were used for, what Wi-Fi networks were being connected to, the phone's associated user account and much more. It was sending the data back to OnePlus as well — and mostly for good reason, as it helps OnePlus improve its software and help with customer support should the need arise.

When asked for a comment on the matter, OnePlus responded with exactly as we'd expect:

We securely transmit analytics in two different streams over HTTPS to an Amazon server. The first stream is usage analytics, which we collect in order for us to more precisely fine tune our software according to user behavior. The second stream is device information, which we collect to provide better after-sales support.

While it may seem like a massive treasure trove of information that shouldn't be leaving the phone, this sort of diagnostic and usage data is collected routinely, with rare exception, on smartphones. In this case, some of the data collection can actually be turned off. The first "stream" of information, which includes things like which apps are installed and how the software is used, can be disabled by going to Settings, Advanced and turning off "Join user experience program." The second "stream" cannot be turned off, as is typical on phones.

Now the fact that this wasn't something that was clearly explained to the user during setup or even in the settings where you turn it off is something that's worth being a bit upset about. As is the fact that personally identifiable information like user accounts and IMEI numbers are being tied to the data, as shown by the research. But OnePlus is hardly alone in what it's collecting from its phones, and the core issue of the data itself being collected isn't something we should be surprised or alarmed by — and taking OnePlus as its word, it seems to be handling the data appropriately as well.