Xiaomi HyperOS Review: Top 7 New Features You Must Know!

Summary

The Xiaomi 14 Pro, featuring the new Hyper OS, offers a fresh take on the user experience, with a focus on customization and multitasking. Key highlights include extensive lock screen customization, an intuitive multitasking interface, and a more streamlined control panel. Hyper OS also integrates AI-powered tools for image editing and smart home control, along with smoother system animations. Despite some minor criticisms, such as uninspired UI changes and the need for more consistent updates, Hyper OS shows great potential to replace MIUI with a more reliable and modern software experience across various Xiaomi devices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hyper OS is a new operating system by Xiaomi, developed over 6 years, designed to unify Xiaomi’s ecosystem, including smartphones, smartwatches, TVs, and even cars.
• 😀 The lock screen is highly customizable, allowing users to adjust widgets, fonts, colors, and apply depth effects, making it one of the most fun personalization features on Android.
• 😀 Xiaomi offers better multitasking with a more intuitive interface, featuring easy app layout switching, floating windows, and a convenient pop-up to start split-screen view.
• 😀 Hyper OS introduces icon grouping by color for better organization, which may seem simple but adds significant usability.
• 😀 The Control Center has been redesigned, removing icon labels and introducing long-press pop-ups for quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other settings, similar to iOS.
• 😀 A new media player tile has been added to the Control Center, making media management easier and more accessible.
• 😀 The Mi Smart Hub feature allows users to control and monitor all their Xiaomi devices in one place, with cross-device connectivity like screen mirroring and app continuity.
• 😀 AI-powered features are a key addition, including smart home automation (like turning on lights when entering a room), AI image editing tools, and real-time subtitle generation.
• 😀 The camera app now has easier access to settings via a downward swipe, improving usability and making it available across more devices beyond Xiaomi’s high-end models.
• 😀 Overall, Hyper OS brings smoother system animations, a more modern look for system apps, and a cleaner notification hub, creating a more polished user experience.

Q & A

What is Hyper OS and how does it differ from MIUI?

Hyper OS is Xiaomi's new operating system, developed from the ground up over the past six years. It is still based on Android but aims to provide a more unified and intuitive experience across multiple devices, including smartphones, smartwatches, TVs, and eventually cars. Unlike MIUI, which had its fair share of criticisms, Hyper OS focuses on smoother performance, a more modern design, and better interconnectivity between Xiaomi devices.

What are the key customization features available on the lock screen in Hyper OS?

Hyper OS offers extensive lock screen customization, allowing users to personalize their lock screen with different themes, fonts, colors, and filters. The system also supports a 'depth effect' on the wallpaper, similar to iPhone's lock screen features. Users can add widgets, change fonts, and even apply a variety of aesthetic styles, making it one of the most customizable lock screens available on Android.

How does the multitasking experience in Hyper OS differ from MIUI?

In Hyper OS, multitasking has been made more intuitive compared to MIUI. Features like floating windows and split-screen mode are now easier to use, with a new indicator at the top of the screen to help manage open apps. Additionally, switching between app layouts or closing apps is simpler, and users can directly launch apps into split-screen view from the sidebar. This improvement is particularly useful for tablets and foldables.

What new features have been added to the control panel in Hyper OS?

The control panel in Hyper OS has undergone several changes. For example, a media player tile has been added for easier access, and Xiaomi has removed icon labels in the control center for a cleaner look. Long-pressing shortcuts like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth now opens a pop-up menu, similar to iOS. Additionally, users can now access the settings shortcut in landscape mode, which was a limitation in MIUI.

What is the Mi Smart Hub and how does it work in Hyper OS?

Mi Smart Hub is a centralized platform that allows users to manage and control all of their Xiaomi devices. It was introduced in MIUI 13 but only available in China. In Hyper OS, this feature is enhanced with better cross-device connectivity, allowing users to control devices like smart lights, TVs, and more from one place. It is designed to work seamlessly with Xiaomi's ecosystem, though it’s still limited by the availability of compatible devices.

What AI-based features are included in Hyper OS?

Hyper OS includes several AI-based features, such as automatically turning on smart lights when entering a room and generating real-time subtitles for videos. One of the standout AI tools is the image editor, which allows users to select a subject in a photo and modify or remove the background. Other AI features include object removal, sky edits, and applying bokeh effects, though some of these may not be fully available yet.

How have the system apps and widgets been improved in Hyper OS?

In Hyper OS, Xiaomi has redesigned system app icons with a more striking, modern look and added better depth. The widgets have been revamped with a bold, clean design, offering a more polished and visually appealing interface. Some system apps, such as the camera app, now have features like a swipe-down gesture for easier access to settings, and users can also download additional widgets for a more personalized experience.

What changes have been made to the visual design and system animations in Hyper OS?

Hyper OS has made visual tweaks to improve the overall look and feel of the interface. System app icons are now more vibrant and have better depth, while the notification hub is cleaner and more organized. System animations are also smoother, whether it’s unlocking the screen or launching apps. These improvements contribute to a more fluid and modern user experience, especially on devices powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.

How does Hyper OS perform compared to MIUI in terms of smoothness and reliability?

Hyper OS seems to offer a smoother experience compared to MIUI, with more polished system animations and improved multitasking features. The design feels more modern, and the operating system is more responsive. However, reliability is still a concern, as Xiaomi's past issues with buggy updates and resource management are still fresh in users' minds. Only time will tell if Hyper OS can deliver on the promise of more stable and timely updates.

What are some potential drawbacks of Hyper OS based on the review?

While Hyper OS introduces several exciting features, there are still concerns about its reliability. The system needs to prove that it can avoid the common MIUI issues, such as buggy updates and poor resource management. Additionally, some users may find the lack of originality in certain features, like the control panel design, to be a downside. It's still too early to say whether Hyper OS can live up to expectations in the long term.