Introducing OriginOS 6 and BlueOS 3: A Fresh, AI-Driven Vision
Vivo has officially rolled out OriginOS 6 in China, marking a notable leap in the brand’s Android 16-based ecosystem. The update also brings BlueOS 3 to its smartwatch lineup. Initially installed on the Vivo X300 Pro, Vivo X300, and iQOO 15, OriginOS 6 is set to expand to older devices in the months ahead as Vivo rolls out a staggered upgrade schedule across its portfolio.
OriginOS 6 isn’t just a facelift. It signals Vivo’s intention to blend aesthetics with AI-powered functionality, aiming to deliver a smoother, more intuitive user experience across smartphones and wearables. The pair of new software experiences—OriginOS 6 for smartphones and BlueOS 3 for watches—reaffirm Vivo’s commitment to an integrated ecosystem with a focus on performance and intelligent features.
A Fresh Design Inspired by Apple’s Liquid Glass
The centerpiece of OriginOS 6 is a redesigned interface that rethinks the home screen, lock screen, and app layout. Notable visual changes include a dynamic, resizable clock widget that adapts when notifications arrive, circular app icons, and curved-edge widgets that lend the UI a modern, tactile feel. Reported to draw inspiration from Apple’s Liquid Glass design in iOS, OriginOS 6 emphasizes clarity, depth, and subtle motion to create a more immersive interface.
Among the new design elements is Atomic Island, a feature reminiscent of Apple’s Dynamic Island. It centralizes quick-access controls for music playback, stopwatch functions, and other on-demand tools, giving users a single, glanceable hub for essential tasks. The update also introduces progressive blur effects, stacked notifications, and an upgraded control center with customizable quick settings for faster access to frequent actions.
Blue River Smooth Engine: A Commitment to Lag-Free Performance
Under the hood, Vivo’s OriginOS 6 leverages the Blue River Smooth Engine, a suite designed to improve responsiveness and visual fluidity. The engine combines super-core computing, a dual-rendering architecture, and photonic storage concepts to optimize animations, touch latency, and frame-rate stability when switching apps or navigating between screens. Vivo’s goal with this engine is simple: deliver a noticeably smoother, more reliable user experience with less lag during everyday tasks.
AI Tools: From Photo Editing to On-Device Assistants
Around the system, AI features are deployed across Vivo and iQOO devices to streamline daily tasks. Highlights include an AI phone assistant, AI-generated summaries, and Circle to Search 2.0, which lets users highlight a screen object to fetch related information instantly. A standout tool is Live Photo AI Removal, enabling users to erase unwanted elements not only from still photos but also from Live Photos, expanding editing flexibility beyond traditional images. An AI image editor adds capabilities such as upscaling resolution, removing objects, and exporting edits as PDFs.
BlueOS 3: Extended Battery Life and Smarter Smartwatches
Parallel to the smartphone update, Vivo introduced BlueOS 3 for its smartwatch lineup. The update will debut on the Vivo Watch 5 and iQOO Watch 5 (Wi-Fi and Cellular variants) starting November 3 in public beta. Vivo claims BlueOS 3 can extend battery life on models like the Vivo Watch GT 2 up to 33 days, depending on usage. The smartwatch OS also brings new always-on display watch faces, refined animations, personalized app suggestions, and Blue Heart V calling support for easier communication on the go.
Rollout Timeline: What to Expect and When
Vivo outlined a phased rollout for OriginOS 6, with a schedule spanning November 2025 through May 2026. The plan prioritizes flagship and mid-range devices in the initial wave and gradually extends to older models. Examples of the first recipients include the Vivo X Fold 5, X200 Series, iQOO 13, and iQOO Neo 10 Pro Series in November 2025, followed by several additional lines in the ensuing months. This staggered approach helps Vivo manage updates across devices with varying hardware capabilities while expanding the new experience to more users over time.
The Bottom Line: A Modern, AI-Driven User Experience
OriginOS 6 and BlueOS 3 represent a thoughtful step forward for Vivo’s software strategy. By merging a Liquid Glass-inspired design with AI-powered features, Vivo aims to deliver a more intuitive and responsive user experience across smartphones and wearables. While the full impact will become clearer as the update expands to more devices, early indicators point to improved aesthetics, smoother interactions, and smarter, on-device tools that streamline everyday tasks without compromising performance.
