For years, the alert on the OnePlus phone stood as a symbol of the slider utility and the brand focus on the user-first design. This made the OnePlus phone immediately recognizable and gave users quickly, tactile control over sound profiles. But now, CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the iconic slider is being replaced by a new adaptable button, and with the OnePlus 13t arriving with this “action button”, we can see the end of an era – and possibly some smart start.

As someone has used OnePlus phone for years, I will accept that it is a little difficult to see the alert slider going. It offered the level of simplicity and immedia which is difficult to repeat. But as I think more about it, this change can really understand.

At first glance, removing the slider may look like a step back – especially for loyal fans. Eventually, it allowed users to tolerate the ring, vibrate and silent without unlocking the phone. It was touching and sharp. In the world powered by software, it was a rare hardware feature that was actually added.

So, is this shift a smart trick?

The answer lies in functionality and flexibility. The alert slider was limited to only three volume-related functions. However, the new action button will be optimized. This will allow users to assign various types of tasks – launching the camera, triggering the flashlight, opening the Google assistant, or even running a custom routine. This is a step that borrows heavily from Apple’s latest iPhones, but it also opens the doors to personalize its interaction with the phone for users, the way an alert slider could never do.

Importantly, Apple still allows users to control the sound profile through their action button. I have used the feature on the iPhone 16 to silence the phone and while the sliding action seems more satisfactory, long -res on the action button provide an equally effective result.

There is also a practical reason behind this change, which the company revealed when it removed the alert slider from its OnePlus 10T and criticized for it. A three-way physical slider takes more internal location-or horizontal and vertically. Swaping it for a program -able button provides more space for OnePlus: a potential large battery (confirmed by the 6,000mAh+ brand), better thermal design, or even a slimmer body. For phones like 13T – compact is still expected to be powerful – this location can create a real difference.

Then there is a strategic angle. While OnePlus 13 is expected to live with alert slider, 13T introduces a new element (action button) that helps to separate it. In the past, the T-series phones were often seen as incremental upgrades. But with this change, 13T can make its mark with its compact form factor, new design, a rumor flagship chip and a huge battery under the hood. It will be interesting to see how the OnePlus OnePlus will balance between 13 and 13T models, as the new T series models have also been tipped for the facility of Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite. It is likely that instead of the company original 8-core chip, Qualcomm decided to offer the recently unveiled 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip. It is prime and performance core in a 2+5 configuration.

We have not confirmed this yet. However, the success of offering the action button depends on the execution. If the OnePlus nails integration-it is responsible, useful, and well-supported by oxygen-Users cannot miss the slider at all. But if it is reduced or reduced, it can be a misunderstanding.

Nevertheless, Shift feels that OnePlus is reading the room. Smartphones are developed in more streamlined, adaptable devices with low physical trade-bands. The action button may not look revolutionary, but it may just be a clever step.