After what seemed like forever, Xiaomi finally revealed the latest version of its Android skin, MIUI 13, just as 2021 wrapped up. As expected, MIUI 13 comes with a host of new features and performance improvements which includes, a new system font, new privacy features, an expanded library of wallpapers and also a version optimized for tablets.
Let’s get into it.
As expected in a new version, MIUI 13 brings a few performance improvements over the previous MIUI 12.5. Xiaomi claims that MIUI 13 offers better app fluency with 15% fewer dropped frames in third party applications when compared to MIUI 12.5. The improvements do not stop there as Xiaomi’s native apps also run better in the newer version, with 23% fewer dropped frames.
When it comes to the Master Lu’s fluency test, Xiaomi claims MIUI 13 comes on top, beating other Android skins from other manufacturers on devices across all price points.
Master Lu’s fluency score mainly evaluates the system file copy, desktop slide, web page loading, boot, app use, photo viewing operation, etc., so as to test the adaptability, optimization and fluency of a mobile phone system UI.
Multitasking is another area that has seen improvements in the new version. The custom skin now lets you have up to 14 apps open in the background at any given time. However, it is worth noting that Xiaomi claims this is on flagship devices, therefore your mileage might vary depending on your device’s specs.
The Chinese company claims that they have put measures in MIUI 13 to improve the security of its users with new features like face verification protection, privacy watermark and fraud protection. Xiaomi did not go into much detail on how this will work, but one method that is currently confirmed is a user having the ability to add a watermark to images they share in order to reduce misuse.
On the design front, MIUI 13 introduces a new system font it has dubbed Mi Sans. It’s a flat and minimal font with rich OpenType features, like automatically adjusting the height of hyphens to uppercase and lowercase letters. They have even gone further to make the font free for download and can be used for both personal and commercial use, which will definitely be of interest to both designers and web developers.
If you are a fan of live wallpapers, MIUI 13 has quite a number that showcase crystal formation. Xiaomi claims that the live wallpapers were captured using a polarization microscope via 8K time-lapse photography. New widgets for those interested in customizing the look of their devices have also been added, to give users more flexibility to fine-tune the UI of their Xiaomi device according to their preferences.
In what sounds similar to what Android 12L intends to achieve, Xiaomi announced MIUI 13 Pad, which is an optimized version of Xiaomi’s Android skin for large screen devices. It supposedly brings additional features to help users make the most of the extra screen real estate.
The Chinese company claims to have worked with developers to optimize apps for this new tablet interface, and reportedly over 3,000 apps have already been adapted for large screens.
Xiaomi plans to start rolling out MIUI 13 to the first batch of devices by the end of January 2022. The new Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and the Xiaomi 12X are expected to be among the first devices to receive the update.
