[General Questions and Answers] aww102:
Hi all,

TL;DR - Please does anyone have suggestions on a stable custom OS ROM for the OnePlus 6 that has something akin to OxygenOS 10's Hidden Space feature and has ongoing security updates? Many thanks in advance!

So here's the lowdown. I love my OnePlus 6, but when OxygenOS 11.1.2.2 stopped providing security updates in late 2021, it was time to buy a new phone. I decided to go with the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, which from a hardware perspective was definitely upgrade (just crazy amount of RAM for the price). However, OxygenOS 12 has been nothing but a disappointment and I'm certainly not a fan the move to be more like Oppo's ColorOS.

OxygenOS's Hidden Space:

One OxygenOS feature I use a lot is the Hidden Space, which is great to store hidden apps like those for online banking and password management in one convenient place. To ellaborate for those that are unsure what I'm talking about, in OxygenOS 10 (and also versions of OxygenOS 11 for, I suspect, selected OnePlus models) this was where you simply opened the App Drawer, swiped left and unlocked with your passcode/finger pattern/fingerprint biometrics. Boom! There are all your hidden apps you were able to access quickly, easily and reliably.

<rant>

This feature was made worse IMO in OxygenOS 12 where you instead had to use the stock phone call dialler to dial an visible unlock code (no other unlock options) to access the same hidden apps drawer. If that wasn't frustrating enough, if you wanted to use two hidden apps consecutively, OxygenOS 12 would send you back to the stock dialler rather than what OxygenOS 10 did and sent you back to where all your hidden apps were. Even worse, there is your viewable unlock code still populated in the call dialler for any one else to see if you didn't remember to completely close dialler app afterwards. It's like having a sign on your front door telling theives where all your valuables are and that they cans also find the spare key under the flowerpot in the front yard...

</rant>

Life after OxygenOS 12:

So it's been about 18 months and I'm ready move onto a new phone. I don't think a new OnePlus phone is an option given ColorOS for Android 13/14 will be on it and that the Hidden Space is still the same as it is on OxygenOS 12. I'm thinking of going back to Stock Android (and thus the Google Pixel 7) as I have previously bought the Google Nexus 5X and Pixel 1 phones. I could be wrong and being presumptive, but Stock Android has always felt cleaner, lighter and doesn't have the bloatware that annoys me about Samsung phones. However, I've been informed that Stock Android 13 doesn't have a built-in feature similar to the Hidden Space like OxygenOS has.

As an alternative I've had a little hands-on using a different launcher app (I've tried Nova Launcher Prime and Apex) on OxygenOS 12+ with the intent to use it Stock Android too, but that solution feels unfortunately cumbersome, at least from what I experienced when using Nova and Apex.

So my next idea I'm looking into is to attempt to install a custom ROM (something I've never done before) onto my OnePlus 6. And now it's all about seeing if there is a custom ROM that fit my requirements. Is there even continuous development/patching for custom ROM's with regard to security updates? I'm freshfaced to all of this that that I'm unsure on a lot of aspects, which is why I want to try this for the first time on a phone I don't currently use day-to-day.

Anyway, any suggestions of security patch supported custom ROM's with a in-built Hidden Space feature would be gratefully appreciated!