Xiaomi had a glitzy event where it revealed some futuristic-looking devices. Buried in all that hubbub that greeted the were some news that matter a lot to anyone using a Xiaomi smartphone or one from its sub-brand, Redmi.
Xiaomi took the opportunity to reveal a comprehensive list of all the devices it and its sub-brands will be upgrading to the next version of its customized version of Android, MIUI.
MIUI 11, as it will be known as, will start rolling out to users of the devices below located in China starting this Friday, 27th September, in beta.
The stable version of MIUI 11 is not expected until later next month when the first batch of devices scheduled to receive it will finally get it. Other devices will get it in subsequent months since Xiaomi will be seeding the software in patches just as it has done in the recent past with MIUI 9 and MIUI 10. The phased rollout is also what HMD Global has adopted for its Nokia devices even though those don’t run the kind of customized Android that can be found on Xiaomi smartphones.
Phase 1 (Mid-October)
Mi 9
Mi 9 Explorer/Transparent
Mi 9 SE
Mi MIX 3
Mi MIX 2S
Mi 8
Mi 8 Youth
Mi 8 Explorer Edition
Mi 8 In-display Fingerprint Edition
Mi 8 SE
Mi MAX 3
Redmi K20 Pro
Redmi K20 Pro Premium Edition
Redmi K20
Redmi Note 7
Redmi Note 7 Pro
Redmi 7
Phase 2 (late October)
Mi 9 Pro 5G
Mi CC 9
Mi CC 9 Meitu Custom Edition
Mi CC 9e
Mi MIX 2
Mi Note3
Mi 6
Mi 6X
Redmi 7A
Redmi 6 Pro
Redmi Note 5
Redmi 6A
Redmi 6
Redmi S2
MIUI 11 Update roadmap Phase 3
Phase 3 – final phase (early November)
Mi MIX
Mi 5s
Mi 5s Plus
Mi 5X
Mi 5C
Mi Note2
Mi PLAY
Mi Max 2
Redmi Note 8
Redmi Note 8 Pro
Redmi 5 Plus
Redmi 5
Redmi 5A
Redmi 4X
Redmi Note 5A Standard Edition
Redmi 5A High Edition
MIUI 11 brings with it several new features. The most standout among them is the new Always-On Display (iPhone users excited about the new iOS features are in good company). As is the OnePlus 7 Pro-like Horizon Light notification light on the sides of the devices.
Another standout feature of the new software is the high-speed file transfer protocol that Xiaomi joined forces with other Chinese device makers Oppo and Vivo to actualize last month. It will however be limited running on Android 9 Pie and later versions (only 10). That feature is offered as part of an app suite that Xiaomi is calling Mi Work. Besides high-speed file sharing, Mi Work also covers other functions like wireless printing and screencasting, both features that are not new to Android having been supported at the system level for years now.
Another app suite like Mi Work is Mi Go. Unlike Google’s idea of “Go” stuff, Xiaomi’s mission is simple: provide the best possible user experience when users are “on the go”. This means things like extended battery standby times and the like when enabled.
Unlike other device makers like Huawei who are using their new software overlays to roll out Android 10 to older devices, as we have previously noted, Xiaomi operates a bit differently.
Sure, all the new features that have made their way to MIUI 11 will stand out on newer devices running on Android 10 but they won’t be exclusive to them. Instead, Xiaomi usually uses its custom software to create some uniformity among all its devices regardless of the version of Android running underneath. On MIUI 11, save for a few features whose availability is limited by the kind of hardware available, devices running on Android 10 and those still stuck on Oreo will look and work the same.
All users that had enrolled for MIUI 10 beta will be automatically enrolled to the MIUI 11 beta.
