Xiaomi is not the best when it comes to offering latest updates to its devices. None of Xiaomi phones except for the Mi A1 that is the company’s first Android One phone runs Android 8.0 Oreo. Most of its devices are still stuck on older versions of Android.
Today, Xiaomi announced the rollout of its Nougat-based MIUI 9 Global Stable ROM to all the compatible handsets. Xiaomi’s India MD and Vice President took to Twitter and made the announcement stating that the MIUI 9 is now available for all smartphones in India.
Redmi 4, Redmi Y1, Mi Mix 2, Mi 5, Redmi 4A, Redmi Note 3: MIUI 9 OS Update
According to Jain’s tweet, Xiaomi is updating most of the devices in its kitty to MIUI 9 in India. The list of devices even includes some of the oldest devices from the company, such as the Redmi 1S and the Mi 3 smartphones that were launched four years ago. In his tweet, Jain has also included a direct link to MIUI forum where users will get the list of eligible handsets along with their Fastboot, Recovery ROMs.
Devices on the MIUI 9 Global Stable ROM update list includes the Xiaomi Redmi 2, Redmi 2 Prime, Redmi 4A, Redmi Note Prime, Redmi 3S, Redmi 3S Prime, Redmi Note 4G, Redmi 1S, Redmi Note 3, Redmi Y1, Redmi Y1 Lite, Redmi 4, Redmi Note 4, Mi 4i, Mi 3, Mi 4, Mi Max, Mi Max Prime, Mi 5, Mi MIX 2, and the Mi Max 2. Many of these smartphones have already started receiving the latest update.
Xiaomi first announced the MIUI 9 Global ROM rollout in India in November 2017, after launching it in July. Xiaomi’s Android Nougat-based MIUI 9 comes with a slew of new features and enhancements that includes split screen feature, smart functionality, new design, faster app loading, latest design elements, availability of shortcuts on the lock screen and lot more.
As is the case with most of the custom UIs from manufacturers, smart assistants have now become a must. Treading the same path, the MIUI 9 also includes Smart Assistant that users can easily access just by swiping up on the home screen. It also includes a smart app launcher, which is responsible for suggesting apps related to the work user is doing on the screen, for example – it can suggest the dialler app whenever users select a phone number. And lastly, the MIUI 9 also has an image search feature that can differentiate between images by keywords entered by the user.
MIUI 9 OS Update: How to update Redmi 4, Redmi Y1, Mi Mix 2, Mi 5, Redmi 4A, Redmi Note 3, and others
The MIUI 9 update will come as an OTA update on compatible devices. Users will receive a notification on their phone for the MIUI 9 update. Besides, users can also check for it manually by heading to the Updater app. Alternatively, the update can also be checked by opening phone’s Settings > About Phone > System Update.
For the ones who are used to flashing their phones, they can download the update from the MIUI forum. However, for the ones who have never flashed an Android device, it is advisable to wait for the official OTA update from Xiaomi.
Redmi 4: Price in India, Specifications, Features
Xiaomi’s Redmi 4 is the company’s most affordable and successful device in India. It comes with a 5-inch IPS LCD HD display and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 435 SoC paired with 2GB/3GB/4GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB/64GB storage, depending on the variant. The phone sports a 13MP rear camera with phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) and an LED flash, and a 5MP camera on the front. A 4100mAh battery backs the device without support for fast charging.
The Xiaomi Redmi 4 debuted in India on 16 May 2017, priced at Rs. 6,999 for the 16GB storage variant, Rs. 8,999 for the 32GB storage variant, and Rs. 10,999 for the 64GB storage variant.
The Redmi 4 seems like an excellent buy for the ones on a tight budget. However, if your budget can stretch to 10K, then the Redmi Note 5 is a way better choice than going for the 64GB storage variant of the Redmi 4. The Redmi Note 5 runs MIUI 9 out-of-the-box.
