Chinese device maker Xiaomi has never quite placed a lot of emphasis on Android updates as other device makers have. The company has always believed in delivering a strong feature set using its in-house MIUI software that runs atop Android on its devices.
Over the years, MIUI updates, which the company has prioritized over Android system updates, have been the great equalizer that other devices lack since they bring pretty much the same features to most, if not all, Xiaomi devices in active service (i.e. not fallen foul of the 18-24 month update window).
This has seen recent devices like the Xiaomi Redmi 4 and 4X enter the market while still running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow while we’re already half a year into Android 7 Nougat’s existence and Android 8.0 is already under public testing, ready for a late 2017 rollout.
Even with that in mind, Xiaomi, whose devices have been officially available in Kenya for over a year now and unofficially for quite some time (through retailers like Avechi Kenya), is still keen on delivering the Android Nougat update to most of its devices.
A leaked update roadmap has revealed 15 smartphones that are either already receiving Android Nougat, under testing or set to receive it soon. These are the devices:
| Xiaomi device | Android Nougat version | Availability in Kenya |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 4X | 7.0 | Available |
| Redmi Note 4 | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi Mix | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi Max | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi Note 2 | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi 4C | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi 4S | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi 5 | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi5s | 7.0 | Available |
| Mi 5s Plus | 7.0 | Not available |
| Redmi 4 | 7.1.1 | Available |
| Redmi 4X | 7.1.1 | Available |
| Mi Max 2 | 7.1.1 | Available |
| Mi 5C | 7.1.1 | Not available |
| Mi 6 | 7.1.1 | Available |
Notably missing from the list is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, a popular mid-range smartphone unveiled back in January last year, meaning that it is just clocking its 18th month at the end of July, a situation that will leave users of the device edgy.
Another device missing on the above list is the popular entry-level Redmi 4A unveiled late last year and which also happens to be the cheapest Xiaomi device that one can buy in Kenya at the moment.
Still, hope is not lost if Xiaomi’s record of delivering updates is anything to go by.
Xiaomi is set to reveal MIUI 9, its latest custom software for its mobile devices, in a month’s time.
