Xiaomi has launched numerous groundbreaking smartphones over the years, from flagship killers to budget champions, making a significant impact in the smartphone industry. With its sub-brands Redmi and Poco, Xiaomi has delivered some of the most popular and game-changing devices, leading it to reign as the No.1 smartphone brand in India for 20 consecutive quarters (Q3 2017 – Q2 2022). Continue reading to discover the best Xiaomi smartphones of all time that left a lasting impact.

Redmi 2 Prime

The Redmi 1S, launched at Rs 6,999 in August 2014, was immensely popular in India. Following its success, Xiaomi introduced the Redmi 2, which also received a positive response. In August 2015, the brand released the Redmi 2 Prime, an upgraded version of the Redmi 2, which became an instant hit. Its 4G connectivity proved timely, as demand for faster mobile data was rapidly increasing. Moreover, the Redmi 2 Prime was Xiaomi’s first “Make in India” smartphone, tapping into nationalistic sentiment and further boosting interest. Its affordable price of Rs 6,999 also played a key role in driving sales.

Redmi Note 3

The Redmi Note 3 became a massive success due to its unmatched value for money. Priced at Rs 9,999, it disrupted the mid-range market by offering impressive specifications at an affordable price. A key factor was its Snapdragon 650 processor, which delivered strong mid-range performance and a smooth user experience. The device featured a 5.5-inch Full HD LCD display and a premium metal body, a significant upgrade at this price point that enhanced its perceived quality. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor, still uncommon in this segment at the time, added to its appeal. With a combination of powerful performance, solid build quality, and advanced features, the Redmi Note 3 became one of Xiaomi’s most successful smartphones.

Poco F1

The Poco F1, launched in 2018, marked the birth of Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco and became an instant hit for offering a flagship Snapdragon 845 processor at an unprecedented starting price of Rs 20,999. In comparison, other Snapdragon 845-powered phones like the Asus Zenfone 5Z, OnePlus 6, LG G7+ ThinQ, and Google Pixel 3 were priced between Rs 30,000 and Rs 70,000. The Poco F1 delivered high-end performance, a liquid cooling system, and a 4,000mAh battery, making it ideal for gamers and power users. While its polycarbonate build was a cost-cutting measure, the phone’s speed, battery life, and affordability made it one of the best value-for-money smartphones of its time. Its aggressive pricing disrupted the market, earning Poco a dedicated fanbase.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, launched in 2021, gained popularity for its cutting-edge hardware and premium design. It stood out with its large rectangular camera module, giving it a distinct “camera phone” look. The module housed a massive 1/1.12-inch 50MP Samsung GN2 sensor, making it one of the best camera smartphones of its time. Another feature that set it apart from other flagship phones was the secondary display on the back. This small rear screen provided quick access to notifications, enabled easier selfies using the main cameras, and displayed other useful information.

Powered by the Snapdragon 888, the Mi 11 Ultra featured a 6.81-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a ceramic back, and the unique secondary display, making it a standout in the flagship segment. Despite its high price of Rs 69,999, its top-tier cameras, powerful performance, and innovative design attracted enthusiasts, solidifying its place as one of Xiaomi’s most ambitious smartphones.

Redmi Note 10 Pro

The Redmi Note 10 Pro surged in popularity due to its impressive features at a mid-range price. ¹ It popularized high-brightness OLED displays, offering vibrant visuals. ² The global version’s 108-megapixel quad-camera setup (64-megapixel in India) delivered exceptional photography. Furthermore, the return to a glass back provided a premium feel, setting it apart from competitors. Redmi’s strategy of offering flagship-level features like a stunning OLED display, a 108/64-megapixel camera, and an elegant design made it a highly sought-after device.

The post Best Xiaomi smartphones of all time: Iconic devices that changed the game appeared first on Gizmochina.

The story of the Poco F1 is one of audacity, trade-offs, and perseverance, as revealed by Jai Mani, former head of product at Poco, in a series of candid tweets. In his reflections, he takes us behind the curtain of one of the most talked-about budget smartphones ever, sharing how the idea was conceived and the challenges faced during its development.

The Vision Behind Poco F1

It all started with a simple yet bold idea: Snapdragon 845 for $299 (approx. Rs. 20,000 at the time). Jai scribbled this down and passed it to the head of product planning, although initial reactions were less than encouraging. “Impossible” was the response he got. Despite communication hurdles (Mani’s limited proficiency in Chinese), this clear and simple goal set the wheels in motion for what would become a game-changing device in the budget smartphone market.

Trade-offs and Design Decisions

Jai Mani emphasizes how trade-offs played a crucial role in the development of the Poco F1. To achieve the aggressive price point, sacrifices had to be made, starting with the build quality. Mani and his team realized that most users put cases on their phones anyway, so they didn’t need to splurge on premium materials. This is where the polycarbonate body came into play, functional but far from the luxurious finishes of flagship devices at the time.

Another significant decision was opting for a notch in the design, which Jai wasn’t personally fond of. However, market feedback suggested that the notch made the phone feel more “premium.” In addition, it allowed for extra space to incorporate face recognition hardware. While some users may have disliked it, there was always the option to hide the notch through software settings.

Kevlar also emerged as an interesting material choice for Poco F1, countering the notion that plastic equals cheap. Initially skeptical, Jai eventually came around to the idea when he saw samples of the Armored Edition. Kevlar added a rugged, durable feel to the phone, and it helped set Poco F1 apart from the glass-and-metal competition.

Balancing Features and Cost

At its core, the Poco F1 was about delivering flagship performance at an accessible price point. The phone was powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845, a processor typically reserved for premium devices. With additions like LiquidCool technology and up to 8GB of RAM, Poco made it clear that their focus was on delivering top-tier performance to a broader audience.

Other flagship features were brought down to the budget level as well, including a 4,000mAh battery, considered large for a phone of its class at the time. The goal was clear: “If we couldn’t win design awards with a plastic back, we might as well give users a big battery.”

Camera performance, traditionally a weak spot for budget phones, was another area where Poco F1 aimed to punch above its weight. While the camera hardware wasn’t necessarily flagship-level, the tuning was meticulously optimized to ensure that users got a reliable and capable shooter. As Jai put it, “Not flagship, but not bad” was good enough.

Collaborating with the Community

One of the most forward-thinking moves from Poco was its focus on the software experience. Jai took a risk by giving popular tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) a beta version of MIUI, which included changes to make notifications behave more like stock Android. He also reached out to custom ROM developers, offering devices to help them develop software for users who preferred a pure Android experience. This community-first approach helped solidify Poco’s standing among tech enthusiasts.

Leveraging Xiaomi’s Supply Chain

The success of the Poco F1 was largely due to its integration into Xiaomi’s supply chain. Mani acknowledged that without Xiaomi’s established resources, particularly in sourcing and manufacturing, producing the Poco F1 at such a low price would have been impossible.

The Beginning of Poco as a Brand

Perhaps the most significant outcome of the Poco F1 wasn’t just its success as a device but how it helped establish Poco as a distinct brand. Jai Mani recalls the moment when Xiaomi founder Lei Jun discussed creating a sub-brand, and he knew he wanted to be a part of it. Winning MKBHD’s “Best Budget Phone of the Year” only solidified the team’s vision that they had done something special.

The Poco F1 may not have been a perfect phone, but as Jai Mani explains, it was a product born from clear decisions, necessary compromises, and a commitment to delivering flagship performance at an unbeatable price. It remains a testament to what’s possible when a brand dares to challenge industry norms.

The post How Poco F1 Came to Be: Behind the Scene Story appeared first on Gizmochina.

A true tech enthusiast would remember the Poco F1. With a Snapdragon 845 chip and a solid display at $300 in 2018, the handset was a steal deal and probably provided the brand with a launch pad. The Poco F1 was launched with Android 8.1 based on MIUI 9.6 and was later upgraded to MIUI 12 (Android 10). Although the smartphone has reached its end, a developer has breathed new life into it by porting it to Huawei HarmonyOS.

Poco F1 but without MIUI

A Chinese developer has successfully made the Xiaomi Poco F1 mobile phone run the HarmonyOS. Well, it’s not exactly the HarmonyOS but a ported version called OpenHarmony 3.2, which was recently released by the OpenAtom foundation.

A video shared on Chinese social media platforms gives us a detailed look at the performance of the ported OpenHarmony 3.2 on the Xiaomi Poco F1 smartphone. The video demonstrates the various features and functions of the OS, such as the home page, Wi-Fi connection, F-OH app market, device information, browser for viewing web pages, virtual keyboard app, clock app, Tetri’s game emulator, and 2048 number game. Despite being a ported version, the OpenHarmony 3.2 on Poco F1 appears to run quite smoothly without any major glitches or lag.

While this was an interesting feat, we won’t advise you to install the software on your daily drivers, unless you’re into taking risks. As with any ported ROM, there is a possibility of encountering issues and bugs, which could cause some applications to malfunction. You might also face some security and privacy risks. If you still want to give it a try, you can head to OpenHarmony’s official website.

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(Via)

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Paranoid Android is one of the popular custom ROMs based on Android. Every new release of the software bears a unique name. The latest release based on Android 12 is called Sapphire. This new version of the custom ROM has now added support for some of the well-known Xiaomi smartphones, including POCO F1.

According to XDA Developers, the Android 12-based Paranoid Android Sapphire custom ROM now officially supports the following Xiaomi phones.

• POCO F1
• Xiaomi Mi 8
• Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S
• Redmi Note 7 Pro

All the aforementioned handsets were quite popular when they were released. Because each one of them offered more for their asking price tag. Above all, like any Xiaomi device, they are still well-known in the custom ROM community.

Hence, it is not surprising to learn that they are now officially supported by the Paranoid Android team for the Android 12-based Saphhire release. Currently, all four smartphones have a single alpha build. We expect more builds in the near future.

The POCO F1, Mi 8, and Mi MIX 2S were originally launched with MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo. Currently, the trio runs MIUI 12 based on Android 10. This means they have received three MIUI updates and 2 Android updates over the years. In other words, their official software support from Xiaomi has almost ended. They may now only receive necessary security update if any.

On the other hand, the Redmi Note 7 Pro debuted with MIUI 10 based on Android 9. Unfortunately, it has only got access to a single Android update and two MIUI updates as it currently runs MIUI 12.5 based on Android 10.

Therefore, the only way to experience Android 12 or even Android 11 on these phones is through custom ROMs.

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The POCO F1 has been no less than a legend for the POCO sub-brand, single-handedly propelling it into success by selling in millions. But even legends like it eventually hit the end of the road with software updates, and it appears that the device will remain stuck on MIUI 12 based on Android 10.

To recall, the POCO F1, also known by the name of Pocophone F1 in some regions, was launched over three years ago in the August of 2018. It first booted into MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo 8.1 and has since gone through several MIUI and Android upgrades. Xiaomi/POCO typically grants two Android and up to four MIUI upgrades, both of which have been met by POCO F1, so the EOL doesn’t come as a surprise.

There had been much speculation earlier about the device with regards to MIUI 12.5, but the device is yet to get even a beta build of the same so it’s best to just forget about it. As for MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition, most had already accepted that the POCO F1 will not be getting it. But new info from Xiaomi Global Community has now confirmed that that indeed is the case, effectively putting all rumors to rest.

The lack of MIUI 12.5 Enhanced for the POCO F1 isn’t the end of the world though. Sure, it does bring along plenty of bug fixes, but it barely offers much over MIUI 12 that the device is currently running. You’d be better off flashing a custom ROM which will help give a new lease of life to your F1.

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Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Xiaomi India is running a sale at Mi Home retail stores across the country. Interestingly, apart from new devices, the company has also discounted some old discontinued products by a high margin. Although this move is obviously meant to clear the old stock, the deals are not bad either as these smartphones can still perform well and they even have good third-party software support.

Almost all Xiaomi products are on sale at Mi Home stores ahead of Valentine’s Day. Also, a similar sale is live on Mi.com as well. But here in this article, we have only mentioned the old smartphones that are worth buying for their discounted price in 2021.

With that being said, let us take a look at these deals.

You might be wondering why we are recommending these old handsets since software support has ended for them except the Redmi K20 series. Because these devices are still capable of performing day to day tasks and one need not spend more money.

Also, almost all of them are popular in the custom ROM community. Hence, if you are one of those niche customers, these deals can be more attractive for you when compared to a regular customer.

That said, if you are interested, then visit your nearby Mi Home retail store or directly check the availability on local.mi.com before the sale ends on February 14.

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The post Xiaomi India’s Valentine’s Day deals bring hefty discounts on Mi Mix 2 (₹9,999), POCO F1 (₹12,999), Redmi K20 (₹14,999), and more appeared first on Gizmochina.

Does the above headline sound familiar? Yes, it does. Back in mid-January, the CEO of Xiaomi India, Manu Kumar Jain, revealed in a tweet that POCO will now be an Independent brand. Today, POCO released an official statement saying it is “going independent”.

The press release was posted on Twitter via the official POCO Global account and it mentions some of its accomplishments as well as its popular models and “brand promises”.

POCO Brand is going independent!

To POCO fans: We would like to invite you all to join our new journey ahead! pic.twitter.com/kPUMg5IKRO

— POCO (@POCOGlobal) November 24, 2020

According to POCO, it has made its entry into more than 35 global markets in the span of three years. Some of these markets include India, the UK, Spain, and Italy. POCO also mentions its very first phone, the POCO F1, which reached over 2.2 million shipments according to data from its internal sales team and Canalys.

POCO has revealed it has sold over 6 million POCO phones globally. This figure represents the total number of POCO-branded phones sold since 2018. While POCO didn’t launch its second smartphone until early this year following the release of the POCO F1 in 2018, 6 million does sound small. It is a really competitive market.

The Chinese manufacturer says it will be staying firm with the three brand promises below:

• Technology that matters
• Feedback-based product design
• Ever evolving

Now that POCO has revealed that it is going to become an independent brand, we expect that future phones will not be rebadged Redmi phones but originally designed products. We also expect POCO to branch out into other products such as portable battery packs and wearables. Maybe the POCO Pop Buds can finally launch and come along with other audio products.

UP NEXT: POCO India confirms that it’s working on the ‘POCO F Series’; Time for a resurrection?

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POCO India has been focusing on budget, and mid-range smartphones lately. It began the year with POCO X2 and then carried over to the POCO M2 Pro. While everyone was expecting that the next device would be a flagship, it came out with a POCO X3 and finally POCO C3. However, the company has finally spilled the beans on the next plan. Before you start guessing, yes it’s an answer to the million-dollar question, “when is the next POCO F smartphone coming?”.

Anuj Sharma, Country Director of POCO India, and Manmohan, General Manager of Poco India, confirmed(via Mukul Sharma) in the latest AMA(ASK ME ANYTHING) session that they are working on the POCO F series right now. Now, after this, one would pretty much expect that POCO’s next launch will be an F series device. But POCO didn’t say anything about the launch and hence, we will have to wait for a bit.

Anyway, we really hope that POCO surprises everyone by bringing back the budget flagship series sooner to India, maybe in a few months. That said, if you ask me, going by the numbers, the next device will mostly be the POCO F2 and not darn the ‘Pro’ branding. This is because the naming has reached everywhere and currently, it is probably the most asked question regarding POCO. Additionally, Anuj had earlier confirmed that POCO F2 Pro won’t come to India.

He had said in an interview with Indian Express that POCO F2 Pro isn’t a true successor to the POCO F1. Coming back, while answering another question regarding creating the magic of POCO F1 again, Manmohan says that it’s very difficult. This is understandable considering 2020 has been different and the cost of production and supply chain including other issues, has bothered companies during the pandemic.

However, if POCO manages to follow the “Everything you need, Nothing You don’t” trend of F1, we feel that it has a chance to grab the attention back. Anyway, the team including Anju didn’t reveal anything apart from this.

So, if POCO were to launch the next device as POCO F2, what should it have to draw your attention?do let us know in the comments below.

UP NEXT: POCO M3 new renders leaked few days ahead of launch

Gizmochina latest review video: Xiaomi Active Noise-canceling wireless earbuds review:

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POCOPHONE F1 aka POCO F1 is one of the most popular smartphones in recent years. It launched with MIUI 9 based on Android Oreo in 2018. It was later updated to MIUI 10 and MIUI 11. The underlying Android version was also updated to Android Pie as well as Android 10. Now, it has also begun to receive MIUI 12.

MIUI 12 is the latest version of Xiaomi’s mobile software. The company unveiled it back in April and since then, it has been rolling out beta and stable builds to a large number of eligible handsets worldwide.

Since POCO F1 is a two-year-old device, the update for it comes late. The MIUI builds are available in two flavors for this handset  – Global and Russia. Currently, MIUI 12 update is only available in the former channel with build number V12.0.1.0.QEJMIXM. Xiaomi is yet to roll out the latter variant of this update.

The update is being seeded out to select users globally. It will be rolled out to more users in the coming days if the early adopters don’t face any issues .

It is worth noting that MIUI 12 could be the last major update for POCO F1 since it is not eligible for Android 11. But still, we are yet to see its direct successor, the so-called POCO F2.

UP NEXT: POCO X3 NFC with 120Hz display, SD732G, 64MP quad cameras, 5,160mAh battery launched for 199 euros

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In late July, Xiaomi began to roll out MIUI 12 stable update for Mi 8 in China. At that time, we mentioned POCO F1 should be getting it soon since both the handsets share identical hardware. Now, nearly two weeks later, the company has started to seed out the update to the “Pilot Testers” of the first-ever POCO smartphone.

POCO F1 becomes the third POCO-branded smartphones after POCO F2 Pro and POCO X2 to get MIUI 12 update. Anyway, the update is currently limited to certain users called “Pilot Testers” who got selected for the program after enrolling themselves.

If these limited users find no major problems, then Xiaomi will roll out the update to more users in the form of Stable Beta update. If the build gets approval at that stage, then it will be finally rolled out to more users.

That means the  MIUI 12 update for POCO F1 should be available for most users by the end of this month. That said, the update that is currently being rolled out to testers carries build number v12.0.0.3.QEJMIXM.

MIUI 12 is the third MIUI update for POCO F1 and the handset already received two Android updates (Pie and 10). Hence, it is not eligible for Android 11 but there is a slight chance for it to get MIUI 13 next year going by Xiaomi’s track records.

UP NEXT: POCO F2 Pro receives MIUI 12.0.2.0 update with bug fixes

(Source / Via)

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Xiaomi officially announced the MIUI 12 custom ROM on April 27 during the Mi 10 Youth launch event. The Chinese firm later announced the custom ROM for the global market on May 19 with a schedule of models that would get the update. Earlier, the company had commenced recruitment of MIUI 12 Global beta testers for the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro. The Mi 9, Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro also joined the party of beta testers.

Xiaomi has now announced on the Mi Community, yet another Global Pilot testing program for the Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi Note 7 Pro, Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7S. Interested owners of the K20 models have until June 17, 9 PM IST to apply for the pilot testing program. Since this is for a beta version, expect the software to contain bugs. So, it isn’t advisable to install on your primary device. You can find out how to join from the source link below.

The new MIUI 12 brings Dark Mode 2.0, revamped control centre, battery app, file manager, Notes app, calendar app, and more. It also comes with new themes, Always on Display and several features.

UP NEXT: OPPO VP: Don’t be too excited about Under Screen cameras this year

(source)

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Lately, OnePlus 8 Pro has been trending for its color filter camera, which is capable of seeing through thin plastics and clothes. However, it is not the only smartphone to have such capability. The two-year-old POCO F1 and Mi 8 can also click X-Ray-esque pictures with their front-facing IR cameras.

Xiaomi introduced IR camera on Mi 8 for face unlock in low-light conditions. The Poco F1 released later that year also came with the same hardware for similar functionality.

Some users found these handsets to see-through thin plastics a few months after its release by using third-party IR camera apps. Now, there’s even a dedicated app for these two phones called ‘IR camera – Poco F1/Mi8’ on the Google Play Store.

Using this app on Poco F1, users have been clicking and sharing  X-Ray see-through pictures on Reddit lately ever since the OnePlus 8 Pro ‘Photochrom’ filter went viral.

Having said that, no major privacy issue was raised about these two cameras, unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro. That’s because the IR camera sits on the front of these Xiaomi devices and it requires an additional app.

Whereas on the OnePlus 8 Pro, the color filter camera is placed at the back alongside the other shooters. On top of that, the stock OnePlus Camera app has the X-Ray filter built-in. 

OnePlus did issue a statement to disable the ‘Photochrom’ filter within a week, however, it is limited to China. Additionally, it has also confirmed to release an OTA update to offer this filter by ‘limiting other functionality that may be of concern’.

UP NEXT: POCO’s first truly wireless earphones will be called ‘POCO Pop Buds’

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Recently, Xiaomi‘s now independent Poco brand launched the popular POCO X2 and it was basically a rebranded Redmi K30 that was earlier launched in China. This may have fuelled speculations that the Redmi K30 Pro 5G which was equally unveiled in China recently will make its debut in India as Poco F2. An XDA Developers member equally found some code which suggests the Redmi K30 Pro may launch as a POCO branded phone, possibly the much-anticipated POCO F2.

That speculation or expectation has just been squashed by POCO GM C Manmohan. The GM held an interactive Zoom meeting today with fans where he shared some few information. The most important is the disclosure that the POCO F2 is different from the flagship Redmi K30 Pro. He also disclosed that the F2 is in the works and for those expecting a POCO F1 kind of surprise, he spilt some disappointing words. The Poco GM announced that the F2 will definitely not be priced around Rs 20,000 (~$265).

Recall that the POCO F1 had a RS 20,000 price tag when it was launched in 2018. This is despite packing a Snapdragon 845 chipset, a Liquid Cooling system and more. This was a crazy price tag which definitely was superb value for money offering. But then, Xiaomi couldn’t have claimed any reasonable profit from the product as the price wasn’t competitive at all. He even advised those with a budget of around Rs 20,000 (~$265) to go for the Poco X2 instead.

While Manmohan may have put paid to speculation of the Redmi K30 Pro 5G launching as Poco F2, we may still see the Redmi K30 Pro launch in India under the POCO brand but not as F2.

Furthermore, the Poco GM has also confirmed that the company is working on TWS earbuds. No word yet on the features or launch.

UP NEXT: OnePlus 8 TPU Case goes on sale on GizTop; confirms design

(via)

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Google recently unveiled the Android 11 Developer Preview for Pixel devices. Instead of announcing the newer Android version at IO Developer’s conference during summers, the search giant launched the Android 11 Developer Preview a few months earlier. The newer build is available for Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4 devices, but it can be installed on Project Treble supported devices also. We have prepared a guide to install the Android 11 Developer Preview GSI on POCO F1.

Must See: List of all the Android 11 exciting features!

GSI is an untouched AOSP build for devices that are compatible with Project Treble devices. However, it is not advised to be used by general users as it is solely for the developers to test their apps and products prior to the official rollout. Project Treble is meant for rapid software update rollouts across compatible devices.

Project Treble carve the high-level code and low-level code and at the same time allow developers to bring updates without affecting the high-level code running hardware. The Operating System layer is differentiated from the high-level code under Project Treble. On the same principle, users can boot Poco F1 using the Android 11 Developer Preview GSI build.

Currently, the Android 11 stable version is a few months away, but until then the users can enjoy the Developer Preview. Moreover, it is not even confirmed from POCO whether the device will receive the official Android 11 update or not.

Note: Gizmochina.com is not responsible if any damage to data or device occurs while following the guide. 

Install Android 11 Developer Preview on POCO F1

The guide is solely for the Poco F1 device and we suggest to take necessary backups before proceeding.

Note: We don’t recommend installing Android 11 Developer Preview if the device is your daily driver. There are many bugs and issues which may hamper your experience even while accessing basic functions. 

Prerequisites:

• Backup your data to any external media.
• Charge your device up to at least > 60%.
• You must have the latest firmware installed.
• Poco F1 must have an unlocked bootloader. (Follow our guide to unlocking the Poco F1 bootloader)

Downloads

• Download and Install TWRP on Poco F1. However, the users can also use any other compatible recovery like OrangeFox.
• Download the GSI system image that was ported from a Pixel device by Erfan.
• Download the ROM file from the Poco F1 t0 successfully boot GSI image.
• Download Force Encryption Disabler to save internal storage.
• Download Fastboot ADB and drivers to perform all the necessities.

Steps to install Android 11 on Poco F1

1. Extract Fastboot ADB and drivers in a folder on your PC. Then, move all the files like GSI image, ROM and Force Encryption Disabler in the same folder.
2. Connect your smartphone with a PC using a USB cable, and verify the connection by executing the following command:

   adb reboot recovery

3. Once in recovery mode, goto Wipe > Advanced Wipe and select Dalvik, Cache, System, Vendor, and Data for a clean wipe. Swipe to confirm the data wipe.
4. Head over to “Install” and select the ROM file that you have downloaded from the above link. Swipe to confirm the flash.
5. Now, “Install” Force Encryption Disabler to prevent hardware encryption.
6. Once again, “Wipe” the cache before moving ahead.
7. “Reboot System” to boot for the first time on new Pixel 4 ROM.
8. Once booted into Pixel 4 ROM, you need to enable ADB from the Developer option.
9. Now, boot into the recovery by using the appropriate button configs or connect your device with PC via USB cable and enter the following command:

   adb reboot recovery

10. After booting into recovery, once again head over to Install > select GSI image and then browse “GSI System Image.” Swipe to confirm flash, and then “Reboot System”.
11. Enjoy the Android 11 GSI on the Poco F1.

We hope you’ve successfully installed Android 11 Developer Preview on the Poco F1 smartphone. If you get any problem while installing, then make sure to let us know via the comments below.

Up Next: 30 Best custom boot animations for Poco F1 + Installation Guide

The post How to install Android 11 DP GSI on Poco F1? appeared first on Gizmochina.

After a long wait, Xiaomi has finally commenced the Over-the-air (OTA) push of MIUI 11 which brings ANdroid 10 to the Poco F1. The new update ushers in the MIUI V11.0.6.0.QEJMIXM and also delivers Android security patch for February 2020 for the device.

The Poco F1 was released by Xiaomi in 2018 as a flagship killer. The device packs decent hardware, including a Snapdragon 845 flagship SoC. It ran on Android 8.1-based MIUI 9. The device was later updated to Android 9 last year. In January 2020, Xiaomi commenced the rollout of Android 10-based MIUI 11 to the device but soon halted the process due to discovery of several bugs on the software.

The Android 10 update comes with a file size of 1.9GB while the February 2002 security patch has a size of 375MB. We didn’t get to see the changelog but we expect the company to have fixed the bugs detected on the earlier release.

Android 10 is a big update that brings a lot of changes alongside the features of the new MIUI 11 custom ROM. Starting with the visual aspects, you get slightly softer icons, a system-wide dark mode, new Mi Lan Pro system font and improved always-on display functionality. There are also new animations, themes, wallpapers and improved notification system among others.

MIUI 11 also delivers an enhanced audio experience with all-new dynamic natural sound effects and alarms. Xiaomi also announced the new Mi Go Travel suite which will help you with booking tickets for a broad range of transport ranging from aeroplane to rail and bus. The update also brings an improved currency converter and an extreme power-saving m

If you are yet to get the OTA push on your device, you can follow the source link to download it manually.

UP NEXT: Poll of The Week: Gaming Smartphone or “Regular” Flagship Smartphone?

(source)

The post Xiaomi rolls out Android 10 Stable update for POCO F1 with February 2020 patch appeared first on Gizmochina.

After almost 18 months, POCO has announced its second smartphone, the POCO X2. You can read about the device which is actually a rebranded Redmi K30 4G.

The POCO X2 is not only the brand’s second smartphone since it launched in 2018 but this is its first smartphone as an independent brand. If you have not been following the news, it will interest you to know that POCO is no longer a sub-brand under Xiaomi but is now an “independent” company.

With the launch of the new phone comes some new developments. The first is that production has stopped for the POCO F1. This info was revealed by C. Manmohan, the general manager of POCO India, in a chat with India Today Tech.

When asked what the reason behind the decision was, he hinted that Qualcomm was halting the production of the Snapdragon 845 chipset that powers the POCO F1. Asides that, it has been 18 months already since the launch and very few manufacturers keep producing old devices. This can also be a marketing decision to get people to purchase their new phone.

As at the time of writing, the only place you can pick up a brand new POCO F1 (in India) is at Mi Home stores and on Flipkart and Amazon India. No, it is no longer available on Mi.com. We don’t know how much stock is available but once available stock is finished, don’t expect it to be available anymore. For those who want to pick up the POCO X2, they can only do so on Flipkart (it is not sold on Mi.com).

We are not surprised the new phone is not listed on Xiaomi’s online store since POCO India has its own website but we expected it would be available on Poco.in. We presume POCO is not ready to have its own online store yet and may not even do so for a while since it technically only has one product.

There is no news yet on when POCO’s flagship phone, expected to launch as the POCO F2, will launch, but we will let you know once we do.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi files trademark application for POCO F2

(Source)

The post As POCO X2 launches, POCO F1 production stops; gets pulled off Mi.com appeared first on Gizmochina.

After disembarking from the Xiaomi, Poco is soon going to launch its much-awaited new smartphone – Poco X2 on February 4. However, it’s predecessor, Poco F2 set a new benchmark for the affordable premium smartphone segment in 2018. Due to immense sales and popularity of Poco F1, various third-party developers are aggressively developing support for custom ROMs, Kernels, MODs, and frameworks.

Meanwhile, Poco is rolling out MIUI 11 for Poco F1 in some parts around the globe. The update is scarcely limited to few regions, and most of the users are still using the Android 9 based MIUI skin on their Poco F1 units. We have created a guide that will allow the Poco F1 owners to flash the Android 10 based MIUI 11 easily.

The user can flash the Android 10 on Poco F1 without wasting any time. The process won’t affect the root status of your device, and you will keep receiving future updates without any issue. There won’t be any warranty void after sideloading the official OTA update zip by following the guide below.

Features of MIUI 11:

• Refined Design – The user interface of the MIUI has become more minimalist and intuitive. The company has removed the unnecessary UI elements from the system.
• Always-on-display – The MIUI 11 has enabled customization options for Ambient display. The user can easily choose from different animated clocks, colorful backgrounds, and the ability to type.
• Mi Share – A nifty sharing tool from Xiaomi is also a part of the MIUI 11. The Mi Share allows the seamless transfer between Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme, and Vivo smartphones.
• Efficient Battery Saver – The MIUI 11 brings improved battery Saver moe. It disables all the background services, and other resource-intensive tasks to save battery.
• Dark Mode – As like the Vanilla Android 10, the MIUI 11 also offers a global dark mode for all the apps, settings and other menus.
• Improved File Manager – Xiaomi has tweaked the file manager with inbuilt support for PDF, DOCX, and other Office files.

Better Sound Effects, Digital Wellbeing, notification enhancements, blur app previews, new keyboard, activity tracker, dynamic video wallpapers and a lot of other features are part of MIUI 11.

Poco F1 Specifications:

The Poco F1 comes with a 6.18-inch bezel-less display featuring a small notch. The display sports the resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels, an aspect ratio of 18.7:9 and 403-pixel density. The display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass. It is powered with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 coupled with an Octa-Core processor and Adreno 630 GPU.

Poco F1 is available in 64GB + 6GB, 128GB + 6GB, 256GB + 8 GB storage variants.

THe smartphone offers a dual rear camera module with a 12-megapixel primary and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front, there is a 20-megapixel camera for selfie and video calling. There is a dual-LED flash, HDR and panorama features packed intact with the camera module.

In connectivity, Poco F1 offers a Wifi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, Radio, USB 2.0 Type-C, and OTG connector. There is Infrared face recognition, fingerprint sensor on the rear, an accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass sensors.

The beautiful yet powerful device comes packed with a 4000 mAg non-removable Li-Po battery that sports 18W fast charging. Poco F1 features a Graphite Black, Steel Blue, Rosso Red, Armored Edition and Kevlar.

Install Android 10 based MIUI 11 on Poco F1

Xiaomi has kept its promise of rolling out Android 10 for Poco F1. The company is rolling out Android update with the new firmware build number MIUI 11.0.4.0.QEJMIXM. The same update is currently limited to only a few users.

The new build includes all the luxuries of Android 10 and packs additional features from the Xiaomi side. There are some xiaomi exclusive features like swipe gestures, new navigation gestures and much more.

Download

Poco F1 Android 10 MIUI 11 full stock firmware – MIUI 11.0.4.0.QEJMIXM 

Poco F1 EU Stable MIUI 11 Android ROM – Download

Prerequisites

• Make sure you have the latest stable update installed.
• Download the MIUI 11 Android 10 OTA update.zip from the section above.
• Move the update.zip file from PC to the root directory of the smartphone.

Steps to install Android 10 MIUI 11 on Poco F1

While installing, don’t stop the update by forcing a shutdown or rebooting. It may brick your device permanently.

1. On your smartphone, open updater app on Poco F1 by heading to Settings > About Phone > System Updates. 
2. Tap three dots on the top right corner and choose the ROM package.
3. Select the Android OTA zip and wait for the installation to complete. (Note: Your phone will automatically reboot.)
4. That’s it! Enjoy the Android 11 on Poco F1.

It is the most precise and straightforward procedure to install the Android 11 on Poco F1. If you have any issues while installing, then do let us know via the comments below.

The post How to install stable MIUI 11 on Poco F1? appeared first on Gizmochina.

POCO is finally back.

For a brand that literally means ‘Little’ in Spanish, Poco managed to gather a HUGE fan following. It was so popular that Manu Kumar Jain, MD of Xiaomi India was bombarded with one question – every single day – ‘when is Poco F2 launching in India?’.

And Poco’s popularity was backed by figures. Poco sold 700,000 units of its first smartphone in just three months. Counterpoint reports that Poco managed to grab a solid 3.6 percent market share in the year 2018 in the Rs. 15,000-30,000 price segment. This figure dropped to 1.1 percent in 2019. Notably, Poco has launched only one model so far: the Poco F1.

So what was the secret behind Poco’s incredible popularity?

The Poco F1 tapped into a market that OnePlus opened up back in 2014. It came from a young & dynamic brand, was youth-oriented and affordable. But what made the Poco F1 truly special was its flagship Snapdragon 845 processor at the INR 20,000 or $300 price tag in India and €350 in Europe. Nobody could have ever imagined the all-powerful SD845 at this price point. The phone offered an incredibly smooth experience with a really capable camera. It was truly a phone built for enthusiasts.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi’s offline stores across China will be shut from January 28 due to the Coronavirus epidemic 

But even after 1.5 years, Poco’s popularity has shown no signs of dialing down.

Why?

Because there’s no one else like Poco. OnePlus sneaked its way into the premium segment recently, leaving a void in the INR 15,000-30,000 segment. Both Realme and Redmi have powerful phones in this segment right now, but their product portfolio is pretty huge, and the phones in this segment don’t really have their own separate identity.

Personally, I think fans are still waiting for Poco because they want something unique, with its own identity. So splitting up the Poco brand was definitely the right way forward.

However, if Poco X2, that’s all set to debut on February 4th in India, turns out to be a rebranded Redmi K30, I’d be really disappointed. Splitting up Poco from Xiaomi was a smart move, not just for better management. I feel Poco could have leveraged its separate identity to offer something unique to its customers, which is exactly what Poco F1 did back in 2018.

Almost everyone I have come across who have used or are still using the Poco F1 are extremely proud of their smartphones. I believe it’s because they feel no other phone can match the specifications or experience of the Poco F1, especially at its affordable price point.

After the recent teasers, we are almost sure that the Poco X2 will be a rebranded Redmi K30. But that’s not really a good thing. The Redmi K series already had a pretty strong fan following in India. If Poco fans were looking for flagship specs for an affordable price tag, the Redmi K20 Pro should have been enough. But why were fans demanding Poco F2? Because they were looking for a smartphone that has its own identity, kind of like what OnePlus enjoys in the premium segment right now.

Poco X2 makes sense in the short term

So will the Poco X2 do well in the market? Of course! The Redmi K30 is an extremely value for money smartphone and in a price-sensitive market like India, it is bound to sell well.

But Poco could lose its exclusivity by launching a rebranded Redmi device. And given how Poco plans to release multiple devices this year, it could easily lose its charm. With this strategy, Poco is setting itself to become just another value for money brand in the Indian market. But are we looking for a Redmi replacement? I think not.

It’ll be a real shame if both Xiaomi and Poco miss out on this opportunity. After all, with the kind of fan following it enjoyed, Poco could have transformed into a real OnePlus rival in India. Unfortunately, the upcoming X2 isn’t a threat to OnePlus. In fact, it’s more of a threat to the Redmi Note 8 Pro!

Regardless of how Poco performs after splitting up, it’s a really exciting time to be a consumer in the Indian market. I guess we will have to patiently wait and see what it does in the coming months.

UP NEXT: POCO GM sheds light on the company’s new plans

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Xiaomi first unveiled the Poco brand as one of its sub-brands to meet the demands of young smartphone users. The Poco F1 was launched as the first and so far, the only model under the brand. A couple of days back, Xiaomi announced that Poco has become an independent brand without going into details of what that entails.

In a recent interview with Gadgets 360, Poco India General Manager C Manmohan gave an insight into the vision of the new independent brand. He emphasized that the split between Poco India and Xiaomi wouldn’t affect Poco’s existing philosophy which is summarized in the brand’s slogan – “everything you need, nothing you don’t”. The brand hopes to achieve that by strongly considering consumer feedback and ongoing market trends

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi’s Aqara officially unveils its range of smart home products in the US

He also disclosed that Poco plans to get its own office building different from Xiaomi and should operate as a separate entity. In addition, he stated that “Poco will get a product team of its own, a sales team of its own, and a marketing team of its own.” But for now, Poco will continue to utilise the established presence of Xiaomi. It will also continue to store user data at Xiaomi’s data centres and offer after-sales services through the latter’s channels.

One of the key features that made the Poco F1 a Xiaomi phone was the presence of a tweaked MIUI version that the brand called “MIUI for Poco”. Manmonhan told Gadgets 360 that MIUI for Poco will continue to be a part of Poco phones.

“Some of my Poco fans say that it is much more stock Android-ish,” he said. “So essentially, we are kind of, leveraging that and with our Poco fans feedback and the community feedback, we’ll work towards making it much more better and better. So, that’s the plan right now.”

The users who already own a Poco F1 aren’t likely to see any changes through the spin-off. Manmohan also stated that the company would continue to provide the same support to its existing Poco F1 consumers that they were promised. The company may also replicate the marketing strategy of Xiaomi and establish a community of Poco fans – just like how you can see Mi fans at any of Mi or Redmi launch.

“That’s the idea because in all honesty, if today, Poco has come to this stage, it’s because of the community,” Manmohan said while answering the question of how Poco is set to establish its fans. “The amount of support/ feedback we got from them is just enormous. That’s exactly why we are here today and we will continue to nurture it.”

At the initial stage, Poco is aiming to cater to the online space, though it is open to establishing offline channels over time. Manmohan revealed that the company wouldn’t sell its future devices through Xiaomi-exclusive Mi Home stores, though.

“Channel strategy will keep evolving. It’s not something which we can kind of take a call on today and tomorrow we can provide. So it depends on the kind of product we launch, and so on so forth. So we will take a call as and when we launch the products and depends on what our customers are asking,” he added.

The Poco GM also disclosed during the interview that it will continue its philosophy of launching value-for-money smartphones despite not knowing the price segments in which it will launch its new devices. This clearly means that the company would cannibalise the sales of some Redmi phones. The Poco X2 is touted to be a rebranded Redmi K30 and may drop soon. Poco is also expected to launch the Poco F2, news of which seems to have sent the Indian tech pace into a frenzy.

Manmohan didn’t clearly specify whether the next phone will be the Poco F2 or something completely different. Nonetheless, he did mention that it would essentially be the successor to the Poco F1. He also didn’t completely refute the reports suggesting there are multiple Poco phones in the works, though he suggested that there would initially be one model to begin the new era.

When asked if Poco has plans to expand its range and bring some Poco devices to affordable segments, he said, “That’s also something which we are kind of evaluating. In due course of time, we will share that.”

UP NEXT: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

(via)

The post POCO GM sheds light on the company’s new plans appeared first on Gizmochina.

If you own the POCO F1, you may want to check your phone for the Android 10 update as a few users have reported that the update has hit their phones.

Actually, XDA Developers reported that it is a beta update but some users who say they are not beta testers have received the update and the changelog also confirms it is a stable update

The update arrives as version 11.0.4.0QEJMIXM and weighs in at 1.9GB in size. Apart from bringing Android 10, the update also comes with some improvements and optimizations and January 2020’s security patch.

It's stable I guess. pic.twitter.com/GqYgmItQNh

— Saugat Poudel (@poudelsaugat45) January 21, 2020

Some of the fixes include the inability to open notification settings in the Notification shade in Second Space and inability to notification shade in some cases. Both bugs have now been fixed. The changelog also says that Game Turbo has been optimized. Some users in Europe have also reported that Themes is now available for them which was not the case before.

If you check your phone and do not get the update, then you may want to wait until there is a wider roll-out by POCO.

The POCO F1 was released in 2018 and was one of the best phones released that year. It received much praise for its low-price combined with flagship specs.

A few days ago, Xiaomi announced that POCO will now be an independent brand. The official Twitter account has teased that something interesting is coming and an official letter to fans posted today revealed there will be an announcement tomorrow.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S gets Android 10-based MIUI 11 Stable update

(Sources: 1, 2)

The post Some POCO F1 users have begun receiving the Android 10 update appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi had launched the Poco F1 as its first Pocophone smartphone brand last year with the launch of Snapdragon 845 mobile platform powered Poco F2 smartphone. It was one of the most popular phones of 2018 as it arrived with an astonishingly affordable price tag along with flagship specs. Poco fans have been endlessly waiting for the arrival of the Poco F2. Some reports had claimed that the China’s Redmi K20 Pro could be rebranded as Poco F2 in India. However, that did not happen. Other rumors had claimed that Xiaomi may kill the Poco brand and continue to sell cheaper flagship phones under Redmi branding. A fresh tweet from Pocophone Global Head Alvin Tse reveals that the company has no plans to desert the brand and it may launch a new Poco phone in 2020. The tweet has since been taken down.

The above shown tweet sates, “You will hear more from POCO in 2020.” This seems to be a good hint that the Poco F2 will be made official in 2020. Tse did not share any information on the specs of the Poco F2. The tweet does not really tell that the Poco F2 is next year. Xiaomi’s sub-brand will announce something new next year. It could be the much-awaited Poco F2 or some other Poco product.

This year, the Redmi entered the upper mid-range and flagship segment with the launch of Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro smartphones. Since the Redmi K20 series carried pricing that were similar to the launch price of Poco F1, it was difficult to guess how Xiaomi could be pricing the Poco F2. It appears that the Chinese manufacturer decided to postpone the launch of Poco F2 to year 2020.

Redmi has recently launched the Redmi K30 in China. The Dimensity 1000 or Snapdragon 865 powered Redmi K30 Pro may break cover by March 2020. The Redmi K20 series had arrived with a notch-less display and a pop-up selfie camera. The Redmi K30 that has gone official in China features a dual punch-hole display. The Redmi K30 Pro may also arrive with a similar design. As far as Poco F2 is concerned, it may sport a notch-less display and a pop-up selfie snapper like the Redmi K20 series. Case renders of the alleged Poco F2 that had appeared few months had suggested that it may appear like the Redmi K20 Pro.

Poco F2 Specifications

The Poco F2 could be sporting a polycarbonate chassis like the predecessor to keep the cost low. However, it may arrive with some attractive design. It could be featuring an IPS LCD notch-less display and its rear could be equipped with triple cameras. India did not receive the Snapdragon 855+ edition of the Redmi K20 Pro that was unveiled as Redmi K20 Pro Exclusive Edition earlier in China. The Poco F1 had launched as the cheapest SD845 SoC powered phone last year in India Hence, there is a possibility that the Poco F2 could be arriving as the cheapest smartphone driven by the SD855+ SoC. All these are just speculations. It is advisable to wait for further leaks to know more about the Poco F2.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi adds VoWiFi support to Redmi K20, K20 Pro, and Poco F1

The post Poco F2 may launch in 2020 appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Poco F2, the successor to the Xiaomi Poco F1, is a much-awaited smartphone for the fans of Xiaomi’s sub-brand. Although numerous rumors and speculations regarding the whereabouts of the device have surfaced periodically in the past, no concrete evidence has been presented. That is until popular smartphone cover-maker Spigen listed a Rugged Armor Case for the Poco F2 on their official website.

This time around various details of the smartphone can be seen from Spigen’s listing. However, Spigen is currently using the renders of the Redmi K20 Pro inside one of its cases, as evident from the source of the image. While this would not have been such an important story had some local cover-maker uploaded pictures of the Poco F2. Spigen being a reputed manufacturer, might have insider information currently unknown to the world.

As suggested by the images, the Poco F2 shares most of its characteristics (hardware and software) with the Redmi K20 series. The smartphone could feature a pop-up selfie camera along with a center-aligned triple-camera layout at the back. The Poco F1 featured a notched display along with dual rear cameras.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi starts rolling out MIUI 11 stable version to second batch of devices

The Poco F2 seems to sport an edge-to-edge display with provisions for a pop-up front camera and a slim chin. The smartphone is likely to feature an in-display fingerprint scanner. While the chin is too small to accommodate a physical sensor, the rear panel does not have the provision either. 

Although the cover hides most of the F2’s rear panel, the cutouts reveal the triple-camera setup, complete with an LED flash module arranged vertically with the lenses. The first lens on the top features a red border, a design element that is currently seen on the Redmi K20 lineup. The volume rockers are present on the right edge of the Poco F2 with the power button placed right below. The speaker and USB Type-C port are visible on the bottom edge, while a 3.5mm port could be present on the top.

The Spigen Rugged Armor cover for the Poco F2 is available for $25. Since the device has not been officially launched, one might want to postpone the purchase, as the final product may vary. The Poco F2 is likely to be a flagship-killer like its predecessor. The Poco F1 is a powerhouse, featuring last year’s flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. Keeping up with the tradition, the Poco F2 might feature the latest Snapdragon 855+ chipset. Ideally, the smartphone ought to sit right below Xiaomi’s flagship, the Redmi K2 Pro, while featuring a price tag between Rs. 20,000 (~$282) and Rs. 22,000 (~$310).

UP NEXT: Xiaomi launches the MIJIA Automatic Air freshener Dispenser with Four months battery life

(source)

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UPDATE: It looks like the first batch of the MIUI 11 Global Stable update for POCO F1 is rolling out to Mi Pilot MIUI users. It is still a stable release but it might take a few days more for everyone else to get the update. If you are not a part of Mi Pilot testing but have received the update for POCO F1, do let us know in the comments below. 

Xiaomi is finally rolling out MIUI 11 Stable release for POCO F1 users across the world. Users on Reddit have reported that their smartphones are being updated to the new MIUI version via OTA. Notably, this new MIUI 11 stable build is still based on the Android 9 Pie version.

Apart from the new MIUI 11 features (complete list here), the update also brings the latest October 2019 security patch to the POCO F1. We have reports of at least one user in Italy getting this stable build but users across the globe should eventually get this update in the next few days.

The update is likely going to be rolled out in stages. So you might have to wait a while before you receive the OTA update notification. And if you don’t want to wait around, download and flash the stable ROM from here. Note that it is a large file (over 1.8GB in size), so it is recommended that you download and install it over a Wi-Fi connection.

While this is based on Android 9 Pie, POCO F1 is confirmed to receive an Android 10 update, eventually. There’s no word on an exact schedule for its release, but users could probably get it by the end of this year. Note that Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi 7 users have already received the stable MIUI 11 update a few days ago.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 is getting MIUI 11 beta update based on Android 10

(Source)

The post [UPDATED] POCO F1 MIUI 11 Stable Release finally rolling out, still based on Android Pie appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google always stuns its fans and users by introducing compelling features in the Google Camera App of Pixel devices. They always make a mark by introducing features carved out of AI-based innovative technologies. After introducing Night Mode last year, the search giant introduced Astrophotography Mode this year on Pixel devices. It allows users to take DSLR like photos of stars and other astronomical objects in the sky.

The new Pixel 4 series is incorporated with the new astronomical feature via Google Camera 7.0 app. The feature is officially limited to Pixel devices but some third-party developers have ported Google Camera 7.0 for other devices with working Astrophotography mode. The new feature is currently working on Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset devices. It is boon for the users who don’t own Pixel 4 device but still want to enjoy the Astrophotography mode.

Must Read: Here’s why Google Pixel 4 series isn’t launching in India

Along with the new Astronomical mode, the new Google Camera 7.0 carries various other advancements such as transparent UI, enhanced Night Sight, Motion Blur, AR Photobooth, Audio Zoom, and a few other features.  We expect the new Astro Mode to work on few devices as of now but we expect wider support in the future.

We have listed below the links to the respective Gcam mods for Astronomical features. You can follow the steps below to enable Google Camera Astronomical mode features easily.

Download Gcam Mod for your device

• Poco F1 (Download san1ty mod)
• Redmi K20 / K20 Pro, OnePlus Devices (Download, by Parrot043)
• Redmi Note 5 Pro / 6 Pro / 7 / 7S / 7 Pro, Mi A3 / A2, Zenfone Max Pro M1 / M2 (Download, by Parrot043)
• Realme Devices (Download, by BSG)

Note: It is always recommended to use the original Gcam app for Pixel devices. Gcam version 7.9 is available for all Pixel devices including Pixel 3, 3 XL, 2, 2XL, 1, 1 XL, and 3a (XL).

Make Sure: To make it work flawlessly, your smartphone must support Cmaera2API. Also, Android 9.0 Pie is a must for Gcam 7.0 to work without any issue. 

Steps to Enable Astrophotography Mode on Gcam 7.0

1. Download and Install the respective Gcam 7.0 Mod on your smartphone from the links above.
2. Allow the installation of APK from third-party sources by allowing the prompt if it appears.
3. Open Google Camera App and swipe down to get the settings menu.
4. Now tap the settings icon and scroll down to the developer settings.
5. In the developer menu, enable these three options to enable the Astronomical Mode:

   camera.cuttle.darken
   camera.cuttle.extended
   camera.cuttle.extended_iterable_burst

6. Head back to the main UI of the Gcam app and select Night Sight Mode.
7. Now, swipe down for settings and set Focus to Infinity and timer to 3 seconds for Astronomical feature.
8. We recommend you to use a tripod stand to make Astronomical feature work without any issue. Otherwise, the phone will take a photo in normal Night Sight Mode.
9. Once Astronomical Mode is active, it may take more than a minute to capture the farther objects clearly.
10. It’s done, enjoy!

The astronomical feature automatically gets triggered once you steadily hold the phone. It is always recommended to use a tripod for perfect shots.

That’s it for today and if you have any questions and issues do let us know via the comments below.

Related: Best third-party Night Mode camera Apps for Android

The post How to install Gcam 7.0 with Astrophotography mode on Poco F1, Redmi K20, Redmi Note 7, Realme 5 Pro and other devices appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi announced the all new MIUI custom Android skin alongside the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G and Mi MIX Alpha smartphones yesterday in China. The company also provided an extensive list of smartphones that will be upgraded to MIUI 11. The list did not include the highly popular Poco F1 smartphone from last year. Poco fans were annoyed to see the Poco F1 not mentioned in the list. Today, Head of Pocophone Global Alvin Tse took to Twitter to confirm that the Poco F1 will be receiving the MIUI 11 update.

The reason why Poco F1 (aka Pocophone F1 in global markets) was not included in the list is because Poco F1 was not released in China. Tse said that the MIUI 11 will come to Poco F1 when it rolls out globally. He added that the MIUI 11 stable edition will be released in China in mid-October. He stated that the its global edition will be “a bit behind but not too far.”

Readers can read the Editor’s Pick to know more about the features of the all new MIUI 11.

Editor’s Pick:MIUI 11 Officially Launched! Features new design and productivity tools galore!

By mid-October, phones such as Mi 9, Mi 9 Explorer, Mi 9 SE, Mi MIX 3, Mi MIX 2S, Mi 8, Mi 8 Youth Edition, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 In-Display Fingerprint Edition, Mi 8 SE, Mi MAX 3, Redmi K20 Pro Premium Edition, Redmi K20 Pro, Redmi K20, Redmi Note 7 Pro, Redmi Note 7 and Redmi 7 will be receiving the MIUI 11 update.

By late October, the MIUI 11 update will be made available to Mi 9 Pro 5G, Mi CC9, Mi CC9 Custom Edition, Mi CC9e, Mi MIX 2, Mi Note 3, Mi 6, Mi 6X, Redmi Note 5, Redmi 7A, Redmi 6 Pro, Redmi 6, Redmi 6A and Redmi S2.

By early November, Mi MIX, Mi 5s, Mi 5s Plus, Mi 5X, Mi 5C, Mi Note 2, Mi Play, Mi MAX 2, Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi Note 8, Redmi Note 5A, Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi 5, Redmi 5A and Redmi 4X will be provided with the MIUI 11 update.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Redmi 8A with 6.2-inch HD+ display and 5000mAh battery launched in India

(source)

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Google has officially released the latest Android 10 and some of the smartphones have already started receiving this new update. While the Google Pixel series, Essential Phone and Xiaomi’s K20 and K20 Pro have got the stable build, phones like OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro are on the beta build.

The source code of the new Android 10 is already up at AOSP and thanks to it, custom ROMs based on Android 10 have started surfacing online. In the latest development, Android 10-based custom ROMs for a few Xiaomi smartphones, including Poco F1, Mi 6, Mi 8, and the Redmi Note 5 have been released.

The popular Poco F1 has now received unofficial Android 10, thanks to the Potato Open Sauce Project (POSP) custom ROM. The ROM is not yet stable and there are some issues such as the fingerprint scanner is not working for some users. It also lacks some features but it’s alright given the early days of development.

The same ROM is also available for the Redmi Note 5 (India) and the Redmi Note 5 Plus (Global). However, the ROM is marked as alpha and it’s advisable to use this only if you are experience in this. It too has issues with the fingerprint scanner and the thermal engine, among others.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also receiving Android 10 through unofficial LineageOS 17 build (link) and has only one bug listed which is related to Bluetooth playback. This is quite impressive that an almost stable build is available for the smartphone just days after the rollout of this new version of the operating system. Also, the Mi 8 has got Android 10 through Pixel3 ROM (link), which has some issues with FPC scanners and Google Camera.

(Source)

Up Next: Xiaomi announces Mi Charge Turbo 30W wireless charging, Mi 9 Pro 5G first to get it

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Xiaomi Poco F1 is still a favorite choice among the users who are looking to buy a device with excellent specifications. The competitive pricing, high-end specifications, and timely support are some significant advantages of purchasing the Poco F1. However, it misses on the high-end camera carrying a dual rear camera of 12MP + 5MP. Some users are opting for Google Camera ports to gain some additional software-based features on Poco F1.

Google Camera’s HDR+ is the prime feature hailed by various Pixel users. It manages to bring a beautiful well-exposed picture even in the rough conditions. The addition of Zero Shutter Lag (ZSL) has made it even mightier than any other camera app. The smart-burst, Slow-Mo, Video Recording, Portrait Mode and some other advanced features are part of it. The color balancing, exposure settings, and saturation control are far better in the Google Camera app than the Stock Apps. The picture doesn’t get improved with more megapixels, and the ultimate magic happens on how it is processed.

The port craze was started by the Ukranian developer, B-S-G, and later he released GCam ports for several devices. Subsequently, several developers launched their respective versions of GCam ports for a variety of devices. Similarly, Poco F1 received the GCam port from B-S-G and few other developers too. However, the one from B-S-G is the most stable port based on Google Camera 6.2.

Related: How to enable Dark Mode on Poco F1 without rooting?

Let’s improve the Poco F1’s camera with the Google Camera Mod. We have listed some best custom GCam Mods for Poco F1:

Best GCam Mods for Poco F1

As we know, there’s support for Google Camera Mod on Poco F1. Various developers are working to offer a stable Google Camera Mod to the users.

GCam 6.2.024 Port by BSG

This GCam Mod is developed by the person who made GCam Mods popular. It is based on Google Camera version 6.2. Since it’s a modded app, not every feature will work but will be much better than the stock camera app in terms of some features. It is compatible and works well with devices running on MIUI Stable 10.2.2 or higher version.

Features working:

• Night Sight
• Super Res Zoom
• ZSL HDR+
• HDR+ Enhanced
• Portrait on front & back camera
• Video recording up to 4K 30FPS
• Photosphere
• Slow-motion 240 FPS (1080p)

Other features such as EIS (Electonic Image Stabilisation) and Panorama mode are not working as of now.

Download

Modded GCam by Sannn111ty

Another primary developer, Sannn111ty, has also developed the Google Camera Mod for Poco F1. He has developed GCam Mods for a variety of devices. The GCam mod for Poco F1 is also based on Google Camera 6.2. Several essential features, such as HDR+, RAW, ZSL, Flash, and others are working flawlessly on the device.

Features working:

• Camera (HDR+/RAW/ZSL/Flash and etc.)
• Portrait Mode (Front/Rear)
• Night Sight (Front/Rear)
• Super Res Zoom
• Slow Motion with some bugs
• Video Recording (1080p30/60, 4K UHD30/60)
• EIS (in 30FPS modes)

To use the AR stickers, users need to follow this special guide by S4turno.

Download

These are some best GCam Mods for your devices. We hope you are using the Google Camera mode without any issues on the Poco F1. If you do have any problems or bugs, do let us know via comments below.

There’s no denying that Xiaomi has improved the camera of the Poco F1 a lot with the recent updates. The Android Pie MIUI 10.3.4 update added essential features such as Widewine L1, game Turbo moded, Slow-MO 960fps video recording, support for 4k at 60fps recording.

Up Next: 30 Best custom boot animations for Poco F1 + Installation Guide

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Xiaomi Poco F1/Pocophone F1 is one of the most successful smartphones from Xiaomi. It offers a lot of features for a much less asking price. It can be collated with the original OnePlus One launched back in 2014. The phone is popular among custom ROM users as well as developers because of its affordability. A custom ROM is incomplete without a proper boot animation of a user’s choice. Hence, we have compiled some of the best boot animations for Poco F1 to help out those customization-loving users.

Poco F1/Pocophone F1 Specifications

The Poco F1/Pocophone F1 was the go-to recommendation smartphone under $350 in 2018. Even in 2019, it fares better than competitors because of the recent price cuts which brought the price down to $250. Nevertheless, not only the cheap price makes it attractive but the hardware you get which will not age anytime soon.

The phone comes equipped with a 6.18 inches FHD+(1080 x 2246 pixels) IPS LCD with ~403 ppi and 18:7:9 aspect ratio. The display is protected by an unspecified version of Gorilla Glass and features a wide notch as well. This notch also houses an infrared face recognition module along with a 20MP snapper with f/2.0 aperture. As for the design, the phone sports a plastic unibody with power and volume keys on the right side. The headphone jack is located at the top along with a secondary microphone, whereas the speaker, primary microphone, and USB Type-C port are located at the bottom.

The back of the Poco F1 includes a dual-camera setup consisting of a 12MP primary sensor with f/1.9 aperture and a secondary 5MP depth sensor with f/2.0 aperture for portrait shots. Below the camera module, the phone also features a traditional fingerprint sensor despite the infrared face recognition system located at the front. Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with either 6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB GB ROM. The storage can be further expanded up to 256Gb via microSD card.

The phone launched with MIUI 10 based on Android Oreo but was later updated to Android Pie. It is also expected to receive Android Q update sometime later after the official release. Last but not least, a 4,000 mAh battery runs the show with support for 18W fast charging.

Why boot animations?

If you are not aware of custom boot animations, you might be wondering why to install them in the first place. For starters, custom boot animations give a unique look to your Poco F1 or any smartphone for that matter while booting. The stock ROM of a phone includes the brand’s regular boot animation which might be same across all their products or differ by a series of products. Thus, if you want your phone to have something different to stand out in the crowd, then custom boot animations are the way to go.

Custom boot animations can be created by anyone with an appropriate tool. But if you are not interested in creating one of your own, you can download the ones already made by someone. Custom boot animations can be found on many forums like XDA Developers, however, it is time-consuming to look for. Hence, to help you out, we have compiled a list of best boot animations for your Poco F1.

The below-listed boot animations can be installed on other smartphones as well. But they shouldn’t have resolution more than FHD+ as these boot animations were created for devices with a resolution less than FHD+.

Related: How to enable Dark Mode on Poco F1 without rooting?

How to install boot animations?

Prerequisites

• The boot animations listed in this post can be installed on Poco F1 or any other smartphone with FHD+ or lesser resolution.
• You must have an AOSP-based custom ROM like Pixel Experience, Resurrection Remix, and others installed on your smartphone.
• The installed custom ROM must be rooted to have access to the system directory.
• Any file manager which can let you access root directories.

Steps

1. Rename the downloaded boot animation file to bootanimation.zip.
2. Navigate to the root directory of your phone using a file manager of your choice.
3. Go to system->media and back up your stock bootanimation.zip file by copying/moving it somewhere safe.
4. Now, copy/move the renamed downloaded boot animation file in this directory.
5. Once done, check your newly-installed custom boot animation by rebooting your phone.

Boot Animations for Poco F1/Pocophone F1

We have listed 30 of our favorite boot animations from a vast list of 160. Though we have listed only a few, you can download the whole list from the link provided at the end of this post. 

Note: The credit for these boot animations goes to mauam, an XDA Developers senior member.

Hexagon

It is simple yet beautiful white-colored animated hexagon design which will shine on your  Poco F1 boot screen. Download

Polaroid

It replicates the boot animation with a multiple circled and colorful Polaroid.

Download

Splash

As the name suggests, tiny dots accumulate like a mesh to bring a splash visual.

Download

Cuts

It resembles the famous game fruit ninja. The circle object gets knifed from multiple sides and forms a triangle. It appears to be complete.

Download

Darth Vader 

A beautiful animated Darth Vader – a fictional character from the Star Wars franchise.

Download

Stormtrooper

It is a fictional character in the Star Wars Franchise.

Download

BB-9E 

A beautiful animation out of the Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi toy line. It features a distinctive squarer domed head and red-colored sensor.

Download

Optimus 

The Transformers fans will love to place this boot animation on their Poco F1 devices. it is based on the fictional character of the Transformers Optimus.

Download

Deus Ex

It reflects the famous series of role-playing video games – Deus Ex. It was first released in the year 2000 and was developed by the Eidos Montreal.
Download

Zelda

It is based on another video game series – The Legend of Zelda. It will look quite classic with color hexagon elements.

Download

Sonic

A beautifully designed boot animation with different animated elements. It denotes Sonic the Hedgehog is the title character of the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series.

Download

LEGO

The LEGO boot animation represents the famous toy building brand. The game is based on the interlocking plastic bricks. The boot animation is a combination of four different colored LEGO blocks.

Download

Westworld

It is based on the famous American science fiction series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. As like most of the boot animations in the list, the Westworld also have some attachment to the past.

Download

Hexagon 2

An abstract design based on the hexagonal shape and forming a bigger hexagon. It also resembles the honeycomb upto some extent. It is simple and classy boot animation for the users.
Download

Connect

Connecting Dots would have been another name for this boot animation. Wire through the mesh makes it artistic and magnificent.

Download

Circle Flow

A colorful yet appealing boot animation based on a circle shape. It is an illusional type of animation which can make Poco F1 boot graceful.

Download

Colorful Loop 

As the name suggests, it is an engaging boot animation presenting a spunky look. It is our favorite among the lot.
Download

Cuts 2

Another Cut animation with slicing the circle into a pentagon shape. It constitutes of white color only.

Download

Hexa Explosion

It is a charismatic animation with neon blue elements. It can be a perfect combination for the Poco F1.

Download

Biker 

It is an excellent boot animation for bikers who loves to customize their Poco F1 as like their motorbikes. It is irresistible for the ones who love to wander on their bikes.
Download

Comet 

You might have seen similar animation on the web many times, but this time you can apply it as your boot animation.

Download

Infinite

It is never-ending animation with the emerging bubbles.

Download

Flowbow

It is a crafty boot animation based on the rainbow formation. The perfect blend of lines and circles makes it even more delightful.Download

Loading

It appears to be based on the stock Android 5.0 Lollipop boot animation. The only difference is the color and hollow circles.
Download

Bubbles

A simple bubbles animation using a simple white color.
Download

Line

A simple line-based animation. The fluidic animation of these lines showing the wave formation.

Download

Blink

Another simple yet touching boot animation. It is another form of connecting dots animation.

Download

Glitch Circle 

A glitch circle forming an interesting animation. It would look good on the Poco F1 display.

Download

Glitch Triangle

As like the Glitch Triangle, Glitch Circle also brings an interesting boot animation. It can be easily applied to the Poco F1.

Download

 Glitch Square

There can be nothing better formation animation out of a simple square. It is just an excellent way of utilizing a single shape to form a pleasing animation effect.

Download

There are more than 160+ boot animations available for Poco F1. If you like to flash those boot animations, make sure to download them from here. Moreover, If you get any error while installing the boot animation on Poco F1, then let us know via comments below.

Up Next: How to install TWRP and Root Poco F1 using Magisk ?

The post 30 Best custom boot animations for Poco F1 + Installation Guide appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi’s Poco F1 is quite in demand even after a year of its launch. The continuous support and some ongoing offers have made it even more affordable and popular among the users. The third-party developers are also quite active in the Poco F1 development, due to its immense popularity. The device recently received Widevine L1 and 960 fps slow-mo video recording capability. It also added Dark Mode but the settings to enable it is still missing. However, we have come across a way to enable Dark Mode in Poco F1.

Xiaomi Poco F1 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6/8 GB of RAM and 64/128/256 GB of internal storage. In optics, there’s a 12 MP primary sensor with a 5 MP depth sensor. On the front, the device has a 20 MP primary selfie camera to assist Face Unlock and many other functions. The device hosts a 4000 mAh Battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+.

The Poco F1 is soon going to get the Dark Mode, but those who can’t wait can follow our guide to enable dark mode before anyone else gets it. Moreover, the system-wide Dark Mode will be an integral part of MIUI 11.  To enable the Dark mode, users need to have some drivers and a laptop/PC.

Pre-Requisites:

• A PC/Laptop to execute the commands.
• A USB cable to connect the device with the Computer machine.
• Download ADB and Fastboot drivers.
• Latest MIUI 10 update installed on POCO F1.

Steps to enable Dark Mode on Poco F1

Follow every step carefully as any mistake might not turn-on the Poco F1.

1. 1. Enable Developer Options by heading into the Settings>About and then tapping the build number 7 times.
   2. Now, enable USB Debugging mode by heading to the Settings>Developer Option> toggle USB Debugging.
   3. Connect your device with PC/Laptop via a USB cable.
   4. Now execute the command to enable the system-wide dark mode on MIUI 10:

      adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 2

   5. If you want to disable the dark mode on MIUI 10, enter:

      db shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 1

   6. If you want to automatically switch the dark mode on during the night and off during the day, use:

      adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 0

   7. Restart the device and enjoy the dark mode without rooting Poco F1.

It is the easiest method to get the Dark Mode on Poco F1. If you get any issue, then let us know via comments below.

Up Next: How to install TWRP and Root Poco F1 using Magisk?

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Xiaomi recently pushed a firmware update to the Pocophone F1 which ushered some new features and bug fixes to the cheap flagship. Apparently, some of the PocoF1 models came up with touchscreen issues after the update. Xiaomi is now calling on such affected users to bring their device for testing. This is to ascertain why they have such issues.

The head of Xiaomi’s Pocophone brand Alvin Tse made this known in an announcement on Twitter. He disclosed that the company was looking for models that are currently plagued by issues such as screen freezing, phantom touches, and touch lag in general.

The message reads “Now that 10.3.5.0 stable has been released for POCO F1 and some improvements have been reflected in the build, we are looking to analyze devices that are facing 1) screen freezing 2) ghost touch 3) touch lags. We will need to collect some devices to further test.”

We believe a replacement unit will be issued to the affected owners while Xiaomi teardown their pones for analysis. However, not just everyone is qualified to send in a unit. You’ll first need to send your user ID, contact information, videos and other details. Once the company is convinced that your phone meets the categorization, contact will be made to arrange for retrieval of the phone.

(1/2) Now that 10.3.5.0 stable has been released for POCO F1 and some improvements have been reflected in the build, we are looking to analyze devices that are facing 1) screen freezing 2) ghost touch 3) touch lags. We will need to collect some devices to further test.

— Alvin Tse (@atytse) July 12, 2019

Xiaomi launched the Poco F1 powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset last year to take on budget flagships like the Realme models. The Poco F2 is expected to be launched this year. Thus, it is a good thing that the company is tackling this issue head-on. This will help build fans confidence in the brand.

UP NEXT: EXCLUSIVE: Xiaomi Mi A3 will Launch Real Soon as a rebranded Mi CC9e

(source)

The post Xiaomi is calling Poco F1 users with touch issues to return their models, perhaps for a swap appeared first on Gizmochina.

Earlier this month, Xiaomi announced that it would end MIUI Global beta program by July. As we step into the month of July, steps are already in place to still push Global ROM to MIUI users but this time, it will be Stable ROM directly. However, the company has announced that it is recruiting closed beta testers of the MIUI Global stable ROM for some specific models. The models include the flagship Pocophone F1 and Mi 6 as well as the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A.

EDITOR’S PICK: Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit the Sony Ericsson P990i ‘Keypad + QWERTY’ Phone

Xiaomi may have decided to thread this path due to the fact that too many users were consciously or through actions of third-party resellers using beta builds on a daily basis. Thus, only the MIUI Stable ROM will be available to the generality of MIUI users. However, to ensure that only a more fluent and bug-free ROM is available to users, the company has decided to subject the Stable ROM to scrutiny by a mass of committed beta testers to iron-out issues. Hence, this closed beta recruitment.   In fact, there are even more rules to follow in this closed beta circle than the public one, since you are actually expected to contribute with feedback.

Interested MIUI users can apply via the source link regardless of your region. he recruitment will close on July 7. Some of the rules and requirements include a good command of English, an unlocked bootloader, the latest version of MIUI Stable on the phone and familiarity with the QQ messenger.

UP NEXT: Trump says US companies can do business with Huawei

(source)

The post Xiaomi recruiting MIUI closed beta testers for Poco F1, Mi 6 & Redmi 6/6A appeared first on Gizmochina.

Poco F1 is one of the best budget flagships Xiaomi has ever made. It comes with all the features that you want in a high-end smartphone sans some negligible shortcomings. If you own a Poco F1 and to unlock the full potential of the phone, you might want to root it. Thus, here in this article, we will guide you step by step on how to root Poco F1.

Last year, out of the blue, Xiaomi formed a sub-brand named Poco focussing on budget flagship smartphones. The first phone which is Poco F1 or Pocophone F1 became popular in a short period and for a good reason. The phone features the top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with Adreno 630 GPU coupled with either 6 or 8 GB of RAM. It comes in three storage variants – 6GB RAM / 64GB ROM, 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM, and 8GB RAM / 256GB ROM. Additionally, it also supports storage expansion up to 256GB via microSD card.

Though the body of Poco F1 is made of polycarbonate (plastic), it is strong enough to withhold accidental drops, and therefore it is much better than the fragile glass back we seen on premium smartphones these days. As far as cameras are concerned, the phone features a dual camera array at the back which consists of a 12MP primary sensor with f/1.9 aperture and a 5MP depth sensor. The camera specification might seem outdated as all OEMs including Xiaomi have moved to triple or more cameras now. But the pictures taken on Poco F1 are still better than the phones available in the same price segment.

The only downside which we could think of Poco F1 would be its 6.18 inches FHD+ (1080 x 2246 pixels) IPS LCD with a wide notch. However, it makes up that by including an infrared face recognition system in that notch along with a 20MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture. The phone also comes with all the necessary sensors such as fingerprint, proximity, accelerometer, gyro, and compass. The connectivity features of the phone include LTE, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB type-C, and headphone jack.

On the software front, the Poco F1 launched with MIUI 10 based on Android Oreo and was later updated to Android Pie. The phone is also expected to get Android Q as confirmed by the company itself. Last but not least, it consumes power from a non-removable 4,000 mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

Related: Xiaomi Poco F1 MIUI 10.3.4 update brings Widevine L1, 4K 60fps video recording, Game Turbo and more

Since we are done with the introduction of Poco F1, let us go through our step by step guide on how to root it. Make sure to follow each step carefully to avoid any error. Before proceeding, we would recommend you to take a backup of your important files stored on your phone to avoid data loss if anything goes wrong.

Prerequisites for rooting the Poco F1

• Poco F1 with bootloader unlocked
• Windows PC / Laptop
• ADB and Fastboot drivers
• Xiaomi USB Drivers
• USB cable
• Download Custom Recovery (TWRP 3.2.3 preferable)
• Download Magisk – Systemless Root
• Forced Encryption Disabler: Disable-Force-Encryption-Treble.zip

If you haven’t unlocked the bootloader of your Poco F1 yet, then consider doing it first as the phone cannot be rooted with a locked bootloader.

Steps to Install TWRP Recovery on Poco F1: 

• Enable USB Debugging on your Poco F1, found under ‘Developer options.’
• Download the official TWRP img file for Poco F1 and Magisk zip file.
• Copy the TWRP img file to the ADB and Fastboot directory on your Windows PC / Laptop. Whereas, copy the Magisk zip file to your phone.
• Connect your phone to your Windows machine via USB cable.
• Open command prompt in the ADB and Fastboot directory by typing cmd in the address bar located at the top.
  
  
• Execute the following commands to flash the official TWRP on your Poco F1:

  adb reboot bootloader

• Flash TWRP recovery by running the command below:

  fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.2.3.0-beryllium-20180831.img

• Then, execute the following command:

  fastboot boot twrp-3.2.3.0-beryllium-20180831.img

You have successfully installed the TWRP custom recovery on Xiaomi Poco F1.

Steps to Root Poco F1

To gain root access, follow the steps below to flash Magisk Module to learn the root access.

• After executing the above command, you will automatically boot into TWRP recovery.
• Tap on ‘Install‘ and select the ‘Disable-Force-Encryption-Treble.zip‘ file. Then swipe to confirm the installation.
• In the recovery, go to ‘Install’ and select the Magisk zip file to install on your phone.
• After the installation of Magisk, reboot your phone by navigating to  Reboot -> System.
• That is it, and you have successfully rooted your Poco F1. If you are facing any error or difficulty, then do mention them in the comment section below. We will try our best to help you as soon as possible.

Up Next: Poco F1 6GB + 64GB model gets price cut in India, now costs Rs. 17,999 ($260)

The post How to install TWRP and Root Poco F1 using Magisk ? appeared first on Gizmochina.

POCO F1 is still Apple of the eyes for many due to its outstanding hardware at a lucrative price. The remarkable software support that Xiaomi has been giving to the Snapdragon 845 powered device elevates its value even further. Nonetheless, there are folks who might want to go extreme with the device by rooting or installing custom ROMs. So, for any Android devices, unlocking the bootloader is the first hurdle to unlock all other possibilities. Here, let’s discuss how to unlock the bootloader of POCO F1.

It’s pertinent to mention here that, the bootloader unlock method for the POCO F1 is the same for both the Android Oreo and the Android Pie. That is you have to first apply for the bootloader unlock request, enabling OEM to unlock from the developer option and then finally unlocking using Mi Flashtool. Didn’t get it? Don’t worry, go through the step by step procedure given below.

Pre-Requisites:

• Backup all important data on another device.
• Charge its battery upto 70%.
• Always recommended to follow every step precisely.

Downloads

You may require following files for the smooth unlocking process. Download and save/install them on your PC before proceeding with the steps given above.

• Minimal ADB Fastboot
• Xiaomi USB Drivers

Steps to unlock Bootloader of the Poco F1 Bootloader

Warning: Bootloader unlock wipes the data/internal storage. So, backup your personal and important files before proceeding.

1. First and foremost, visit the MIUI Unlock website, and fill out the official bootloader unlock request form (requires an MI account). It’d take 2 to 4 days for the Mi team to accept the request and a code will be sent.
2. When you receive your code, go to Settings > About Phone > tap “MIUI Version” 7 times to unlock Developer Mode.
3. Go to Additional Settings > Developer Options > enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking.
4. Now download the Mi Flashtool and run it as Administrator on your computer.
5. Sign into your Mi account in the Mi Flashtool, and make sure you are also signed in on your Poco F1 with the same account (check in Settings > Mi Unlock Status > Add Account & Device).
6. Power-off the Poco F1, and reboot into Fastboot Mode (hold Volume Down + Power).
7. Connect your Poco F1 to the PC via USB, and click the ‘Unlock’ button in Mi Flashtool.
8. Your Poco F1 will be unlocked and factory reset. When the process is finished, you can launch an ADB terminal and check if it was successful by typing:

   fastboot oem device-info

9. If your bootloader was successfully unlocked, the ADB terminal should display “Unlocked”. If not, repeat the procedure once again. It should work unless a serious issue with the device or software itself.

In case of any further assistance, don’t forget to drop in the comments section.

Up Next: Poco F1 6GB + 64GB model gets price cut in India, now costs Rs. 17,999 ($260)

The post How to Unlock Bootloader of Poco F1? appeared first on Gizmochina.

A couple of months ago, in April, Xiaomi released the MIUI 10.3.4.0 update for the Pocophone F1 (aka Poco F1) which added the Widevine L1 support as well as Game Turbo mode on the device.

Now, the company has started releasing yet another update for the smartphone — MIUI 10.3.5.0, which brings the May 2019 security patch to the device along with a few other features. This new update weighs around 390MB in size and is being rolled out in phases.

It also comes with support for a customizable lock screen clock which can be accessed by heading over to the Settings > Lock screen & password > Advanced settings menu. However, it’s noteworthy that this clock won’t work with third-party themes.

The changelog for the update also mentions a few fixes, including optimizing sorting principles for Wi-Fi networks and fix for the issue of dual apps disappearing after reboot. The new MIUI 10.3.5.0 update for the Poco F1 is based on Android 9 Pie.

Alvin Tse, who is the Global Head of Pocophone, has confirmed that the Pocophone F1 will be getting the new Android Q update as well. However, he has not revealed any more details or any timeline for the update rollout.

Meanwhile, fans are eagerly waiting for the Pocophone F2 or Poco F2 but the company has not confirmed anytime related to the successor of the Poco F1. The launch of Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro has created confusion about the positioning of the Poco smartphones as well as the brand’s future.

(Sources – 1, 2)

Up Next: Huawei P30 Pro gets an update with DC dimming, camera improvements, and several other fixes

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Xiaomi-backed Poco had launched the brand’s first ‘affordable flagship’ smartphone — Poco F1 (Full Specs) last year. While the phone was launched for a starting price of Rs. 20,999, it got a price cut in December 2018, bringing the starting price down to Rs. 19,999.

Now, the company has announced another price cut for the Poco F1 base model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. With this price cut, it is now available for Rs. 17,999 (approx. $260) but the discounted pricing is only till 9th June. Interestingly, the company has not announced a price cut for any other variant.

The Poco F1 with this new pricing is now available for purchase through Mi.com as well as Flipkart. The timing of the price cut is also interesting given that the company is now gearing up to launch the Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro smartphones in India.

Since the Redmi K20 series flagship smartphones are launching in India next week with the same moniker, it seems that the launch of Poco’s next-generation smartphone, Poco F2, could be launched in the Q3 or Q4 this year.

Coming to the specifications, the Poco F1 features a 6.18-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD display which is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass. The phone is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor and comes with LiquidCool technology.

It has a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 primary sensor, coupled with a 5-megapixel secondary sensor on the back panel. On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel selfie camera powered with AI for capturing enhanced selfie shots.

Read More: Xiaomi’s upcoming smartphone Mi 9T is already up for grabs in the Philippines ahead of the official launch

The phone comes with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB of internal storage, depending on the variant. It runs on MIUI based on Android 8.1 Oreo and is powered by a 4,000mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging.

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Poco India has introduced a new price cut of Rs. 2,000 for the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition of the Poco F1 smartphone. The company has not confirmed whether it is a limited period offer. Hence, it appears that it could be a permanent discount for the 6 GB + 128 GB version of Poco F1. With the new price cut, the Poco F1 is now available for Rs. 20,999 (~$302).

The 6 GB + 128 GB Poco F1 can be bought for Rs. 20,999 (~$302) through Flipkart, Mi.com and Mi Home Stores. The Poco F1 is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 powered phone in the market and now is the best time to purchase it at a reduced price.

POCO fans, good news! #POCOF1 6GB + 128GB storage variant will be now available at flat ₹20,999. Grab yours now from https://t.co/DREiXVqBDe, @Flipkart and Mi home. pic.twitter.com/zXzDr8X8HR

— POCO India (@IndiaPOCO) May 1, 2019

The 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage base model of the Poco F1 carries a price tag of Rs. 19,999. The 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant of the phone is priced at Rs. 27,999. The Poco F1 can be bought in colors like Rosso Red, Steel Blue and Graphite Black. Its Armoured Edition that comes with Kevlar rear carries a price tag of Rs. 28,999 for 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant.

Poco F1 Specifications

The Poco F1 has a 6.18-inch IPS LCD panel. The wider notch of the phone features a 20-megapixel selfie shooter and an IR sensor for face unlock. The Snapdragon 845 SoC fuels the phone with up to 8 GB of RAM. It has an inbuilt storage of 256 GB. There is a hybrid SIM slot for adding a microSD card.

The smartphone features a 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. The handset is packed with a 4,000mAh battery that supports 18W Quick Charge 4 fast charging. The MIUI 10 flavored Android 9 Pie OS. The company has already rolled out some additional features for Poco F1 users through software updates such as Widevine L1 support, Game Turbo mode, super night scene mode, 4K video shooting at 60 fps, 960 fps slow-motion video recording and more.

• Read More: Poco Launcher update brings dark mode and some other changes

Could the new price cut be an hint that the Poco F2 is arriving soon? Rumors have it that Redmi Snapdragon 855 powered phone may debut outside of China as Poco F2. There is no official word on the existence of Poco F2 yet. It may debut in August since the company had launched the Poco F1 in the same month in the previous year.

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Through a tweet, Poco India General Manger C Manmohan has confirmed the arrival of the stable MIUI 10.3.4 update for Xiaomi Poco F1 users. Apart from bug fixes and performance improvements, the latest software update brings much awaited Widevine L1 support, 4K video recording at 60fps. Game Turbo and more.

Good News! We have started rolling out a new stable update for all our #POCOF1 fans. Key highlights of this update:
– 4k recording at 60FPS
-Game Turbo Mode
-Widevine L1 support
-Latest security patch
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/czEFiIA6JO

— C Manmohan (@cmanmohan) April 4, 2019

The MIUI 10.3.4 update for Poco F1 users carries support for Widevine L1 that will enable users to stream HD videos over Netflix. One should be aware of the fact that it can stream videos of only up to 480 pixels resolution.

The second new feature that’s arrive for Poco F1 is Game Turbo that boosts the performance of the device while gaming. It includes an overlay pop-up that gives quick access to Wi-Fi on/off toggle, screenshot, screen recording and more without leaving the gaming screen. Also, another new related to gaming is the arrival of floating windows for incoming calls during games.

The camera of the Poco F1 now supports 4K video shooting at 60fps. Also, it tags along new modes for AI camera. The face unlock app can be now used to lock/unlock specific apps. The update is also packed with April month’s Android security patch. Some of the optimizations included in the MIUI 10.3.4 update include face unlock efficiency and redesigned starting page for Mi Cloud. The update is being rolled out in phases because of which it may take some time for all the Poco F1 users to receive it.

Xiaomi Poco F1 Specifications and Price

The Xiaomi Poco F1 has a full HD+ resolution IPS LCD display of 6.18 inches. The notch of the phone has an IR sensor for face recognition in dark and a 20-megapixel selfie camera. The 12-megapixel + 5-megpixel dual camera setup and a fingerprint reader are placed on the backside of the phone. The Snapdragon 845 mobile platform and 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 powers the smartphone. It has already received the latest Android 9 Pie OS update.

• Read More: Xiaomi discontinues Developer ROM update for old 2016 Redmi models

The 6 BG RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage editions of the Poco F1 are respectively priced at Rs. 19,999 (~$289), Rs. 20,999 (~$303) and Rs. 27,999 (~$405). The 128 GB and 256 GB Armoured Edition of the Poco F1 are respectively priced at Rs. 21,999 (~$318) and Rs. 28,999 (~$419).

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On Wednesday, Xiaomi India Managing Director and Global Vice President, Manu Kumar Jain took to Twitter to proclaim that a recent Q4 2018 IDC survey has revealed that Poco F1 is India’s no. 1 smartphone in online smartphone market of Rs. 15,000 (~$216) and above. The Poco F1 has overtaken OnePlus 6 phone to grab the numero uno position.

Now it's settled! As per @IDC, #POCOF1 is India's #1 Smartphone in online smartphone market of ₹15k & above.

The Champion of Speed doesn't settle for 2nd place. Nor should you!

RT my tweet + Tweet with #POCOF1, tell me why you love this beast (tag me). 1 fan to win a POCO F1! pic.twitter.com/fDjDM8hfpk

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) March 27, 2019

The tweet includes an image which shows that the OnePlus 6 has a market share of 17.9 percent whereas the Poco F1 has a market share of 22.5 percent. Currently, the Poco F1 is available as the most affordable Snapdragon 845 chipset powered in India. The SD845 SoC all the Android flagship phones that were released last year.

The Galaxy Note 9 that is powered by the same SoC is selling for Rs. 67,900 (~$981) in India. The OnePlus 6 that is powered by the same has Rs. 34,999 (~$506) price tag for its base model. However, the 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage base model of the Poco F1 is selling for Rs. 19,999 (~$289). The 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage editions of the Poco F1 are respectively priced at Rs. 22,999 (~$332) and Rs. 27,999 (~$405). It comes in colors like Graphite Black, Rosso Red and Steel Blue color options. The Kevlar-bodied Poco F1 Armoured Edition with 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage is priced at Rs. 28,999 (~$419).

The Xiaomi Poco F1 features a polycarbonate body and it houses a 6.18-inch notched IPS LCD display that offers full HD+ resolution. The notch is the home for its 20-megapixel selfie camera and IR sensor for face recognition in darker conditions. The 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup along with a fingerprint reader resides on its rear. Its packed with a 4,000mAh battery that is equipped with support for Quick Charge 3.0. The Android 9 Pie based MIUI 10 OS comes preinstalled on the Poco F1.

Buy Link: Get Xiaomi Poco F1 on Flipkart, Giztop, Gearbest, Banggood, Geekbuying

Buy OnePlus 6 on Banggood, Geekbuying, Giztop

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The Poco F1 smartphone by Xiaomi that was unveiled in August last year has received overwhelming response. Poco India has announced a new price cut of Rs. 2,000 (~$29) for the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition of the smartphone. It is a limited period offer that runs between March 25 and March 28. The announcement of the new price cut after the company rolled out the Game Turbo Mode for the Poco F1.

With the flat discount of Rs, 2000, the Poco F1 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage will be available for Rs. 20,999 (~$304). It can be purchased through Mi.com and Flipkart. Also, the 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage editions of the Poco will be available with respective price tags of Rs. 19,999 (~$289) and Rs. 27,999 (~$405). These two models will be available with respective cashbacks of Rs. 2,000 (~$29) and Rs. 3,000 (~$44).

The Poco F1 has been treated with some important software updates in the recent months. In the past week, Poco India General Manager Manmohan Chandolu had confirmed on the arrival of Game Turbo mode for the Poco F1 smartphone. The feature was introduced after many Poco F1 users had asked for it. The Game Turbo mode ensures topnotch gaming experience by optimizing the performance of CPU and GPU.

The Poco F1 has also received Widevine L1 certification through an OTA software update. It brings support for HD video streaming services like Netflix, Hotstar, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO and so on. The smartphone has been also treated with three vital camera features such as handheld night photography and 960fps slow-motion video shooting.

• Read More: New Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air launching on March 26; Weighs 1.07kg

The Poco F1 comes with a 6.18-inch IPS LCD display. The wider notch features a 20-megapixel selfie camera and infrared face recognition sensor. The handset is equipped with 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera module. The MIUI 10 Android 9 Pie OS comes preinstalled on the device. It is packed with a 4,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging.

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India online retailer Flipkart is running a discount offer dubbed as Poco Days for customers who are interested in purchasing the Poco F1. The sale that began on March 12 will come to an end on March 18. Through the sale that includes an exchange offer and Rs. 1,500 price cut, the Xiaomi Poco F1 can be availed for as low as Rs. 16,499 (~$237).

Through the new offer, the Poco F1 variants such as 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage can be respectively availed for Rs. 16,499 (~$237), Rs. 19,499 (~$280) and Rs. 23,499 (~$337) Customers will be able to avail the Poco F1 at such low pric/es only if they an ICICI bank card for making the purchase which bring an instant discount of Rs. 1,500 and an older phone to avail an exchange offer price cut of up to Rs. 3,000.

The Poco F1 is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 powered smartphone in the market. It is equipped with a 6.18-inch notched IPS LCD screen with an IR sensor for facial recognition in the dark. For photography, it is equipped with 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup and a 20-megapixel selfie shooter. The 4,000mAh battery of the Poco F1 carries support for 18W fast charging.

• Read More: Poco F1 MIUI 10.2.3.0 stable update starts rolling out with February 2019 security patch

The MIUI 10 + Poco launcher enabled Android 9 Pie OS runs on the device. The phone has been recently treated with night mode photography, 960 fps slow-motion video shooting support and 4K video recording at 60 fps. It will be soon blessed with Widevine L1 update.

The Poco F1 was officially announced in August 2018. Probably, the Snapdragon 855 driven Poco F2 may go official around the same time this year.

Check Out Xiaomi Poco F1 6GB+128GB on Flipkart

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