Vivo's OriginOS 6 review: Redesigned UI with smoother animations, AI smarts

OriginOS 6 marks Vivo's biggest software shift yet, replacing FunTouchOS 15, with a cleaner design, fluid animations and deeper AI integration built on top of Android 16

OriginOS 6 marks Vivo’s most ambitious software overhaul in the past few years, arriving with a promise of cleaner visuals, smoother performance, deeper AI integration and a modern design language that feels more coherent than anything the brand has delivered before. This is an ambitious update because smartphones from Vivo and its related brands iQOO used to run FunTouch OS earlier in India and other global markets, but OriginOS in China.

 

Built on Android 16, the OriginOS 6 pushes Vivo’s UI closer to a premium, fluid and functional experience. After using the new OS on the iQOO 15, here’s a complete look at what OriginOS 6 gets right and where it still needs refinement. 

Design and visual experience

At its core, OriginOS 6 introduces what iQOO calls a Space System – a three-dimensional design layer that adds depth to the UI. Instead of flat panels, the interface feels like stacked cards, where different layers respond to gestures in a way that makes the screen feel alive rather than feeling too plain and monotonous. If I talk about stacked notifications particularly, one might need some time getting used to it. I was saving my WhatsApp notifications to open them later and when I tried to remove one of them, I accidentally removed the whole stack in one simple motion. 

 

According to iQOO, one of the visual highlights of OriginOS 6 is the Dynamic Glow: every element responds to light, creating subtle natural lighting effects across the UI. When I tested it, I did not see much of a noticeable effect for this. The translucent colour system brought a semi-transparent feel, which gave a sense of clarity and airiness while preserving legibility. Complementing this is the Gradient Blur, which softens transitions between UI layers so new windows don’t abruptly pop in, but emerge in a more fluid way. Overall, this gave me iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design vibe which was also seen in ColorOS 16 and OxygenOS 16.

 

On the lock screen, Flip Cards animate with tilt: your photos come to life as you tilt the phone. If you have set a scenic view as the lockscreen, then as you tilt your phone sideways, the lighting of the scene will change, for example, from a clear morning to a pleasant evening. Furthermore, the moment someone swipes up to open the App drawer menu, they will also see a Widgets drawer menu beside it for convenience. For fonts, iQOO has created its own iQOO Sans – a custom typeface that supports numerous languages and scripts. The typography and layout feel clean, which helps elevate the whole experience.

Performance and smoothness

Where the OS really distinguishes itself is in the way it handles speed. Cold app launches are noticeably quicker, and background apps stay alive longer even during heavy multitasking. iQOO claims around an 18 per cent improvement in launch speeds, and while I can’t quantify it to that level, the responsiveness is noticeable.

 

Animations now feel more organic: elements bounce, stretch, and settle with a natural elasticity that brings character without making it feel slow. Dual Rendering seems to play a big role in power-efficient smoothness. Even during gaming, the UI layer stays responsive while minimising battery drain.

 

Another biggest shift is how OriginOS 6 handles transitions. iQOO calls this the “one-shot” animation concept, inspired by cinematic one-take sequences. Instead of abrupt jumps between apps or screens, the UI tracks visual anchors and keeps them in motion across transitions. This dramatically reduces the sense of disruption – screens glide into each other, panels stretch and merge naturally, and menus appear with soft, springy micro-interactions. It preserves continuity in a way that makes the entire OS feel more consistent. 

AI and productivity

AI is a major part of OriginOS 6’s identity, and while many brands use AI as a buzzword, iQOO’s implementation seems practical. Origin Island is arguably the highlight. A floating smart hub that accepts text, images, or content you drag into it, and instantly suggests contextual actions. Whether you want to translate text, search inside an image, share something, or open a relevant app, it feels intuitive and reduces several steps from basic tasks. I can even track my food delivery orders for how much time it will take to deliver them.

 

Features like AI UHD (photo clarity restoration), and AI Image Expander improve mobile editing. The AI writing tools inside Notes also help with quick summaries, drafts, or restructuring text when you’re on the move. 

 

With upgraded smart search, iQOO says that users can type a keyword to instantly find photos, videos, or Live Photos without digging through your gallery. When I tried this, it was not able to accurately pull the pictures that actually match with what I typed. None of these features feel like a tech demo, though. It’s everyday-use AI that meaningfully reduces friction. 

Battery management and charging

OriginOS 6 includes several thoughtful touches around power efficiency. The Energy Efficiency Engine does a decent job of balancing performance and longevity. Bypass Charging is particularly useful during gaming or long charging sessions, as it powers the device directly rather than cycling the battery, reducing heat.

 

Battery Life Extender mode, which keeps the phone alive even at critically low percentage levels, is one of those small features you hope you’ll never need, but will be thankful for when you do. And for eyestrain, the updated Sleep Comfort Mode shifts colour tone and blue light gradually, rather than bluntly toggling filters — a gentler approach that feels more natural.

Verdict

OriginOS 6 is a clear step forward than the FunTouchOS 15. OriginOS 6 on the iQOO 15 feels like the point where Vivo’s software finally catches up with the ambition of its hardware. The OriginOS 6 doesn’t just polish the interface, it elevates the user experience through smarter animations, and helpful AI tools that make day-to-day tasks feel faster.

 

Paired with the iQOO 15’s hardware, the OriginOS 6 delivers a level of smoothness and responsiveness that stands out. Whether you’re multitasking heavily, gaming for long stretches, or just navigating the UI, the system feels fluid, mature, and thoughtfully engineered in a way previous versions simply didn’t.

iQOO 15 unboxing