Xiaomi executive explains why MediaTek phones get updated slower than Qualcomm

Zohaib Ahmed — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 08:32:57 +0000

Android 12 had hit stable last month and OEMs are racing to run the update buglessly on their smartphone offerings. But there have been concerns raised about devices powered by MediaTek chips getting updated to the Android version slower than their Snapdragon counterparts. This has historically always been the case and will likely continue to do so.

While OEMs are yet to arrive at a solution for this shortcoming, Xiaomi‘s Li Ming has now provided an explanation for it.

Li Ming says that Google typically gives Qualcomm and MediaTek the necessary code in advance to give them a headstart in prep for upcoming Android updates. This does save a considerable amount of time as opposed to making the code available after an Android stable release.

However, this is where the differences between the two chip giants emerge. Qualcomm seemingly has a larger team which enables it to work in parallel and deliver all packages required for an update process at once. MediaTek, on the other hand, delivers them in batches which is slower and results in some MTK platform phones getting placed in the second or third batch of updates.

Li Ming added by saying that upgrades on a batch basis are “also an inevitable choice.” While the main reason for going for them is lack of manpower, batch upgrades also save trouble in case of any issues. This is because if any problem pops up in the code, it can be isolated to a certain batch and fixed accordingly without affecting a vast number of devices.

Xiaomi exec. believes Android 12-based MIUI still needs a lot of work

Zohaib Ahmed — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 11:42:50 +0000

Android 12 was officially uploaded to AOSP without being released for eligible Google Pixel devices, in an odd move yesterday. This defied Google’s tradition of uploading the source code after stable builds go live for their Pixels. Because of this, Xiaomi has almost beaten Google at their own game and has already released ‘stable’ Android 12 builds for the global variants of the Mi 11i and Mi 11, albeit for select pilot testers.

The company also announced (via: IT Home) that the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11, Redmi K40 Pro, and Redmi K40 Pro+ will be getting Android 12 as part of the first batch, and that the internal testing for the same has commenced.

However, Wang Hua, General Manager of Xiaomi Public Relations posted on Weibo today reminding users that Android 12 has only been freshly adapted and will hence be plagued by bugs. Both Google and Xiaomi “still have a lot to do” and it’s advisable for testers to back up their data prior to performing the upgrade process.

This is in conjunction with the official Android 12 update release notes from the Xiaomi Mi 11i and Mi 11 that warn users about overheating and other performance issues. The notes also emphasize that “it might take some time for your device to adapt to the new version.”

Lastly, some third-party apps may not be compatible with Android 12 just yet.

If you are a Global Xiaomi Mi 11i or Mi 11 owner and think you have what it takes, then feel free to download the builds via the links given below.

Do note that since the builds are aimed at those that are part of the pilot testing program, they may not be installable directly through the Updater.

Redmi Android 12 update Archives - Gizmochina

Xiaomi executive explains why MediaTek phones get updated slower than Qualcomm

Xiaomi exec. believes Android 12-based MIUI still needs a lot of work