As is known to fans of the Xiaomi brand, the company in its Xiaomi phones and Redmi uses the popular MIUI user interface. It is a software add-on that graphically changes the sometimes boring Android and brings many functions and improvements to it.
MIUI is popular for its enhancements
Software developers in the company are working hard to improve MIUI and always try to integrate some new features into it. Sometimes the new version of MIUI also contains interesting features from the latest version of Android, although this is not yet available for your phone.
Since the beginning of MIUI in 2010, Xiaomi have released so-called test versions of MIUI. These have been and still are published every week and are used to test new functions, improvements or fixes for possible bugs.
What is the significance of trial versions?
MIUI has two layers of beta testing – one, closed, where it releases a beta version, which has a more unstable ROM and the circle of testers is limited. The second public beta version, which is mostly more stable. These versions are freely available, and after unlocking the phone, he can test them on a Xiaomi phone and Redmi each.
These are still non-final and unstable versions of the software, which may contain various bugs, some functions on some phones may not work correctly or at all. At Xiaomi, they relied on the fact that test versions would not be used by lay people as primary in their primary phones.
The purpose of the weekly beta versions of MIUI was feedback from fans and testers and pointing out specific bugs, shortcomings, or the functionality of individual enhancements. Recently, Xiaomi has expanded significantly and their phones are owned by more and more users. The use of test ROMs is increasing, but the number of real testers is not.
Unwanted advertising can also be the reason
Such global use of test ROMs could ultimately harm companies. Inexperienced users who do not understand the meaning of trial versions can create unwanted advertising by pointing out possible shortcomings in the MIUI beta versions.
In Xiaomi, they have taken a step that will not please many, but it is necessary for the progress of society. They stated on their forum that MIUI Global test ROMs will be discontinued to the general public on July 1/2019. These ROMs - software packages - have been popular with many for their weekly updates.
Tested and fully functional stable versions of MIUI will remain available to the public. These are published approximately every six months. They are usually applied to phones by updating the software directly via the menu on the phone. It is assumed that after the end of the weekly beta versions, stable versions will be released more often.
These steps could help MIUI develop as a stand-alone operating system. We will see what the future brings. A new version of MIUI 11 is expected to be released, which will bring significant graphical changes and many new features.
Have you used test versions so far, or do you prefer to appreciate the stability and functionality of the stable version of MIUI?
