OnePlus May Replace The Alert Slider With An IPhone-Like Customizable Button

The Alert Slider has been an iconic part of OnePlus smartphones for a while now, but it seems it may be going away if a new rumor is to be believed.

Physical switches are pretty rare in modern smartphones, but the three-stage Alert Slider has been a core part of OnePlus smartphones since 2015’s OnePlus 2. The switch allows users to quickly jump between “Silent,” “Vibrate,” and “Ringer” volumes without the screen even being turned on. OnePlus has included the feature in almost all of its smartphones over the past decade, and Oppo has also adopted the feature more recently.

However, it seems the Alert Slider might be going away.

Leaker Digital Chat Station says that OnePlus and Oppo will be introducing a new “Magic Cube key” (translated) which would replace the Alert Slider. The new button would be able to mute the device with one tap, as well as being able to be customized for other functions such as opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, taking a screenshot, or opening an app.

The concept seems very similar to Apple’s “Action Button” on the latest iPhones, though with more than one shortcut available.

A single image of the button was shared alongside the Chinese text for “Magic Cube” or “Rubik’s Cube” key.

OnePlus briefly did away with the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 10T in 2022, but ultimately brought it back just a few months later with 2023’s OnePlus 11.

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