At the Xiaomi Mi 11 launch event, Xiaomi announced a new massive update to its Android skin with MIUI 12.5, along with the list of devices that can start testing the MIUI 12.5 beta.
Xiaomi clarified that the update may sound like a small iteration of MIUI 12, but it’ll get a huge UI improvement and will power the Xiaomi smartphones in 2021.
New MIUI 12.5 features
The new MIUI 12.5 update comes with a number of enhancements, primarily in the UX department. Also, there are privacy improvements and changes in how MIUI interacts with Windows.
Snow Mountain and Geometry Live Super Wallpaper
Super Wallpaper is one of the biggest features of MIUI 12. Back when MIUI 12 first arrived, Xiaomi introduced Earth and Mars super wallpaper. Later, the Chinese smartphone company also came up with Saturn super wallaper.
With the MIUI 12.5 update, Xiaomi has now come up with two more new super wallpapers — Geometry and Snow Mountain live wallpapers.
The MIUI 12.5 Geometry live wallpaper consists of shapes that move while interacting with the screen, however I am more fascinated by the Snow mountain live wallpaper from Xiaomi. When unlocking, the wallpaper zooms out of the mountain peak. On top of that, the scenery color changes based on the time of the day.
Thanks to the developer linuxct, you can sideload the MIUI 12.5 Snow Mountain and Geometry super wallpaper on any Android device.
Changes in UI
According to Xiaomi, the new version of MIUI 12 comes with less number of pre-installed apps compared to other Android skins. Xiaomi compared MIUI 12.5 with iOS 14, EMUI 11, Color OS 11, and Funtouch OS 10.5.
The MIUI 12.5 comes with new animations and transitions. Xiaomi says the MIUI 12.5 interface is now as good as the interface of iOS 14.
Apart from that, there are changes in the Xiaomi Notes app. First, there is a new Notes app icon. Secondly, there are multiple new features in the Notes app such as ability to create indented lists, brain maps, drawing and doodling etc.
In MIUI 12, Xiaomi added nature-inspired sounds which can be applied as ringtones, and message tones. In the new update, Xiaomi has added new nature sounds which are inspired from places in Amazon, Australia, Artic and Africa.
System enhancements
Xiaomi claims there are major improvements in the back end, and therefore MIUI 12.5 is highly optimized to give more performance while consuming less battery.
The latest MIUI 12.5 uses 32% less memory and and 17% less power. Also, there is a 20% decrease in memory usage in core usage situations. On top of that, background memory usage has been decreased by an average of 35%.
MIUI 12 Super Wallpaper, which is known to take up high battery consumption, will now consume 40% less power.
MIUI and Windows integration (MIUI+)
Xiaomi has introduced a new service called MIUI+. It’s similar to how Microsoft’s Your Phone app enables users to see their Android device’s activity on PC.
With the help of MIUI+ in MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi users will be able to see phone’s notifications on PC. The service will also support a universal clipboard where users can copy content from a Xiaomi device and paste it directly on a Windows PC.
Xiaomi fans will also be able to access files on their Xiaomi device as well as access clicked screenshots instantly.
As of now, below are the Xiaomi devices that will provide MIUI+ service —
- Mi 10 Ultra
- Mi 10 Pro
- Mi 10
- Mi 9 Pro 5G
- Mi 9
- Redmi K30 Ultra
- Redmi K20 Pro
- Redmi K30 Pro
Privacy Changes
Xiaomi has also introduced some big privacy enhancements with MIUI 12.5. In the latest MIUI update, Xiaomi and Redmi users will be able to send a rough location instead of the exact location when asked by an app. Since most apps don’t need the exact location data, this will help in safeguarding the user’s privacy.
Another big change is how apps access the clipboard data. For the apps trying to access the clipboard data, you now have the option to grant or decline their request.
MIUI 12.5 Supported Devices and Roll-out Schedule
Reportedly, Xiaomi will start delivering MIUI 12.5 updates starting in April 2021. It goes without saying that the MIUI 12.5 Stable ROM will first arrive to Xiaomi China users.
As of now, MIUI 12.5 China Closed Beta ROM is available on the following devices:
- Mi 10
- Mi 10 Pro
- Mi 9
- Mi 9 SE
- Redmi K20 / Mi 9T
- Redmi K20 Pro / Mi 9T Pro
- Mi CC9e
- Redmi Note 7 / Redmi Note 7S
- Redmi Note 7 Pro
- Redmi K30 Pro / POCO F2 Pro
- Redmi K30 5G
- Mi 10 Youth Edition / Mi 10 Lite Zoom
- Redmi K30 4G / POCO X2
- Mi CC9 Pro / Mi Note 10
- Redmi K30S / Mi 10T
- Mi 10 Ultra
- Redmi K30 Ultra
- Redmi 10X
- Redmi 10X Pro
- Redmi Note 9 5G
- Redmi K30i 5G
Below are the devices that will start receiving MIUI 12.5 Closed Beta starting mid to late January 2021:
- Mi 9 Pro 5G
- Mi CC9 / Mi 9 Lite
- Mi CC9 Meitu Edition
- Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G / Mi 10T Lite
- Redmi Note 8 Pro
- Redmi Note 8
- Redmi Note 9 4G / Redmi 9T / Redmi 9 Power
MIUI 12.5 Stable version will start rolling out to these devices in April 2020:
- Mi 11
- Mi 10 Ultra
- Mi 10 Pro
- Mi 10
We will keep on updating this list when more devices are added to the MIUI 12.5 roll out schedule. So bookmark this page to check later!
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