OPPO Find X9 Ultra sounds like a monster phone, but its iPhone-style UI is the wrong flex
OPPO may have one of 2026’s most exciting Android flagships on its hands with the Find X9 Ultra — but according to Android Authority, the phone has one very awkward problem: its software now looks way too much like Apple’s latest iPhone design language.
The issue is not the hardware. In fact, that part sounds properly beast mode. The Find X9 Ultra reportedly runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, unlike the rest of the Find X9 series that uses MediaTek silicon. For gamers, heavy multitaskers, creators, and anyone who abuses split-screen apps like crazy, that kind of chip choice matters.
The camera setup also sounds very serious. OPPO has apparently packed in a 200MP 3x zoom camera and a 50MP 10x periscope lens, backed by its Hasselblad partnership. On paper, this is exactly the kind of phone that should be flexing its own identity: premium build, huge performance, and camera hardware that can compete at the very top end.
But the complaint is that ColorOS has taken a hard turn toward Apple’s “Liquid Glass” look. Android Authority says the OPPO Find X9 Ultra review unit changed noticeably between ColorOS 16.0.5 and 16.0.7, adding a much stronger glassy visual effect. The bigger problem? There does not appear to be an obvious way to disable it.
That matters because ColorOS had already become pretty good on its own terms. Recent OPPO and OnePlus software builds have had a clean, practical style with useful features and less visual noise than some other Android skins. The camera app was highlighted as a good example: simple enough for quick shots, but still offering deeper controls when needed.
With this new direction, the concern is that OPPO is hiding its own strengths under an Apple-flavoured skin. Some system areas now look like they are chasing the iPhone aesthetic, while several OPPO apps such as Photos, Video, and Weather reportedly have not fully matched the redesign. That makes the change feel less like a full software evolution and more like a trendy layer added on top.
For Malaysian and SEA buyers, this is especially relevant. OPPO and OnePlus have strong recognition in this region, especially among Android users who want flagship features without blindly joining the Apple ecosystem. A lot of local buyers choose Android because they want flexibility, faster charging, camera variety, gaming performance, and more customisation. If the UI starts looking like an iPhone clone, it weakens that whole reason to pick Android in the first place.
And let’s be real: people who want the full iPhone experience usually just buy an iPhone. They are buying more than icons and glass effects — they are buying iMessage culture, Apple Watch integration, AirDrop, long software support, and the “it just works” ecosystem. Android brands copying the surface-level design does not automatically steal that loyalty.
The frustrating part is that OPPO does not need to do this. The Find X9 Ultra already sounds like it has enough power and camera hardware to stand proudly beside Samsung, Google, and Apple. Samsung has One UI. Google has Material design. These brands are recognisable because their software and hardware feel connected. OPPO should want that same confidence.
If anything, this whole situation shows how important software identity has become. A flagship phone is no longer just about benchmark scores and megapixels. It needs to feel distinct every time you unlock it. If OPPO wants the Find X9 Ultra to be remembered as one of 2026’s best Android phones, it should let the phone be OPPO — not an Android phone trying too hard to look like an iPhone.
Source: Android Authority
