OnePlus 13 Android update confusion: Company clears the air, original 4-year promise intact

OnePlus 13 will still get its originally claimed 4 years of Android OS updates.

Earlier this week, there was major confusion surrounding the OnePlus 13 series, including the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 13R. Some communication from OnePlus' US PR team confused users about whether the phones would receive four major OS updates or not, as reported by Droidlife.

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By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Reportedly, a US-based PR claimed that OnePlus would consider the out-of-the-box software version, which is Android 15, as one of the four updates. However, the company has now clarified that this will not be the case, and as promised, the phones will receive four major OS upgrades.

OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R To Receive Four Major OS Upgrades

Clarifying the matter, OnePlus posted that the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R will indeed receive four major Android updates—Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, and Android 19. In addition, the devices will get six years of security updates.

OnePlus stated:

“Let’s clear up the confusion. The OnePlus 13 and 13R will receive four major Android updates: Android 16, 17, 18, and 19 & six years of security updates. The pre-installed Android version at launch does not count as the first update. We are committed to keeping your device fast and smooth for years to come.”

The company posted this clarification on the OnePlus Community forums.

What OnePlus Promised At Launch

At the OnePlus 13 series launch in January, the company had already confirmed that the OnePlus 13 models—the 13 and 13R—would receive four major upgrades and six years of security patches.

That said, this recent miscommunication could have been a cause of concern among some buyers and fans. Butnow, if you have purchased a OnePlus 13 or are considering buying one, you can rest assured that you will receive the originally promised software upgrade experience.