Xiaomi announces MIUI 11, open beta starting September 27

To go with the powerful new Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G, Xiaomi announced today the official launch of MIUI 11.

The latest version of Xiaomi’s long-running custom Android implementation, MIUI 11 brings visual changes that won the company a Red Dot Design award. That’s a first for a software company, according to Xiaomi.

Xiaomi touted the addition of a new custom font, Milan Pro, which is optimized for both Chinese scripts and Latin-based characters. MIUI 11 also integrates dynamic font scaling, changing the thickness of characters to optimize legibility, the first such feature on a smartphone.

Xiaomi has also worked on the audible side of the user experience, adding brand new sound effects inspired by natural sounds like water, fire, and animal noises.

MIUI 11 features new and improved always-on display effects, including animations, custom text, and notifications from social services.

In terms of new functionality, MIUI 11 now integrates two new suites of office apps, Mi Work and Mi Go. The former includes features like file sharing, large document transfer, screen casting, and wireless printing features. Mi Go, meanwhile, is meant to help on the go, offering an extreme power saving mode that promises a stand-by time of up to 24 hours on just 5% battery life, one tap data purchases, assistance with exchange rates, and more.

As a kind of bonus to users, the MIUI themes function will be made free of charge starting today.

Xiaomi says the MIUI 11 will get the fastest rollout in the history of the operating system. A closed beta for Chinese users will open up from today via WeChat. The open beta for MIUI 11 will open September 27, starting with 17 Chinese devices. Stable updates are expected to roll out from the middle of October. These dates are valid for devices deployed in China – global users are likely to wait more.

We’ll update this post as more details about Xiaomi MIUI 11 becomes available. Stay tuned.