Xiaomi MIUI 12 global update: Everything you need to know

After weeks of teasing, Xiaomi finally unveiled the new Android-10 based MIUI 12 update, which will soon be released to all the eligible Mi, Redmi, and Poco phones.

The new MIUI 12 brings a boatload of new features, refreshed interface, visually appealing wallpapers, and also optimisations to make the devices work more smoothly and consume less battery.

Xiaomi MIUI 12: All you need to know

Wallpapers: The new MIUI 12 brings eye-catching interstellar space, Martian surface, Earth from space and more.

MIUI 12 brings new set of wallpapers (Picture credit: Xiaomi)

Weather app: With MIUI 12, Xiaomi brings nature-inspired animations depicting clouds, sun rays, and rain shower, which promises to offer a refreshing perspective.

The weather app on MIUI 12 (Picture credit: Xiaomi)

Mi Light Cone animation framework: In MIUI 12, Xiaomi promises lively animations for button touches, screen touch, app installation or uninstallation, app launch, and more.

"We've developed a new physical animation engine that takes all system rendering mechanisms to a new level. By combining MAML graphics, Folme animations, and MiRender rendering, we can round corners, mix colors, and imitate natural motion blur better than ever before," Xiaomi said.

Control Center: The new MIUI 12 brings new Toggle animations. Buttons imitate real objects. Feel what you're doing with every tap, the company says.

Ultra Battery Saver: With this feature on, the most power-consuming features will be restricted to extend the phone’s standby time and reduce power consumption when the phone’s battery is running low. Calls, messages, and network connectivity won’t be affected and will remain fully usable.

Refreshed interface: The new MIUI 12 offers a refreshed interface and also offers more information to view in a single glance.

App Drawer: Apparently, Xiaomi received good feedback on Poco Launcher from users, so it has integrated the signature feature – the App drawer-- in the MIUI 12. Once turned on, all apps will go there, which will make the Home screen cleaner and neater. The user can also group apps automatically according to the user’s preferences to find the needed app in just a few swipes.

Privacy improvements: Recently, Xiaomi had come under scrutiny for user-data being sent to the Chinese server. Now, MIUI 12 update is said to enhance user-privacy. It will now notify the user if an app is using a camera, location and mic ( recording audio).

And also, users will have the option to permit tracking of location only when using the app and not in the background. Now, Xiaomi has received certifications for MIUI 12 from various independent security agencies including Trust Arc, DJCPand TUVRheinland.

Other notable features coming in the MIUI 12 is the floating window, which helps users switch between multiple apps more easily than before. Now, the camera app also gets a new interface, which expands the viewfinder to the whole screen. Also, there is a Video toolbox, which can auto-adjust contrast and font-weight to decrease eye strain in the dark.

MIUI 12 features (Picture credit: Xiaomi)

The MIUI 12 also features Tasks board, Lite mode, Smart Messaging, and dark mode.

List of Xiaomi devices eligible for MIUI 12 global update:

Phase 1
Xiaomi plans to release the MIUI 12 global update to the Mi 9, Mi 9T, Redmi K2, Mi 9T Pro, and the Redmi K20 Pro in June 2020.

Phase 2
Xiaomi plans to release the MIUI 12 global update to the Redmi Note 7, Remi Note 7 Pro, Redmi Note 8 Pro, POCOPHONE F1, POCO F1, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 10, POCO F2 pro, POCO X2, Mi 10 Lite, Mi Note 10, Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi MIX 3, Mi MIX 2S, Mi 9 SE, Mi 9 Lite, Redmi Note 7S, Redmi Note 9, Mi MAX 3, Mi 8 Lite, Redmi Y3, Redmi 7, Redmi 6 Pro, Redmi Note 6 Pro, Redmi Note 5, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Y2/ Redmi S2, Redmi 6A, Redmi 6, Mi Note 3, Mi MIX 2, Redmi Note 8T, Redmi 8, Redmi 8A, Redmi 7A, Redmi Note 9s, Redmi Note8, Mi Note10 Lite, Redmi 8A Dual, Redmi Note 9 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. The Estimated Time Line (ETA) of the update for these devices will vary depending on region of sale.

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