Realme has confirmed that its future smartphones will ship with ColorOS 17, marking the end of Realme UI as the company’s standalone Android software platform.
The confirmation follows earlier media reports suggesting that Realme planned to merge its software experience with parent company Oppo’s ColorOS to reduce research and development costs and streamline software development.
Realme adopts ColorOS 17
During a one-on-one meeting with Realme India, the company said future devices will launch with ColorOS 17, although it did not specify which smartphone will be the first to debut with the operating system.
As Oppo traditionally releases new versions of ColorOS before other brands under the BBK Electronics umbrella, ColorOS 17 is expected to appear first on upcoming Oppo smartphones.
Realme said the transition is intended to simplify software development while making the operating system update process more efficient.
Existing eligible phones will also receive ColorOS
The company confirmed that current Realme smartphones still eligible for Android version upgrades will also migrate from Realme UI to ColorOS.
For example, the Realme GT 8 Pro, which launched with Realme UI 7 and is promised four Android operating system upgrades, will receive ColorOS 17 as part of its software update roadmap.
This ensures users will continue receiving future Android updates despite the software platform change.
Minimal changes expected for users
From a user perspective, the transition is unlikely to bring dramatic visual changes.
Realme UI has long shared much of its design language and functionality with Oppo’s ColorOS, making the two interfaces largely similar.
The move effectively reunites the two software experiences after several years of operating separately.
Return to Realme’s roots
The change also marks a return to Realme’s original software strategy.
Early Realme smartphones launched with Oppo’s ColorOS before the company introduced Realme UI in 2020 to establish its own software identity.
The Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT were among the first devices to receive Realme UI, while the Realme C3 became the first smartphone to ship with the interface out of the box.
For now, Realme has confirmed the transition only for the Indian market. However, given the company’s global software strategy, industry observers expect the switch to ColorOS 17 to eventually expand to other regions where Realme smartphones are sold.