Xiaomi is kicking off one of the most significant overhauls of its custom OS. HyperOS 4 has already begun rolling out in China with a stable beta version arriving in stages, and the company has the first global update of this system on its roadmap for the coming months.
The new iteration inherits the success of HyperOS, but has been treated as an almost complete reboot. The company has decided that the next major version of its operating system will be tied to Android 17 , a strategy that could exclude a large portion of the mid-range market and will change the future of many models.
Timeline and initial phases of deployment
Xiaomi has maintained its usual schedule for the beta release. It was officially announced on August 13th, and the first phase of installation for the flagship 17 series and the Pad 8 family tablets arrived on the 14th. From there, the plan has been rolled out gradually and in stages.
The second phase began on August 28, including models such as the Xiaomi Mi 15 Ultra, Xiaomi Mi 15S Pro, and Redmi K90 Max. The third phase, scheduled for September 17, adds devices like the Redmi K100 Pro Max, Xiaomi Mix Flip 2, and tablets such as the iPad 7 Ultra. For now, this beta is exclusive to China.
The stable version of HyperOS 4 is expected to arrive at the end of September , and according to the company's usual timeline, the global launch will take place between October 2026 and the first months of 2027. In Europe and Spain, it will be a few months longer, as the regional rollout is always somewhat slower.
Design and performance: the commitment to Soft Light Glass
The new system adopts a visual language called Soft Light Glass . This interface adapts to the colors and lighting of each screen, with transparency effects that create a very organic feel. The lock screen is enhanced with customizable clock modes and stacked widgets, while notifications are grouped at the bottom without taking up too much space.
Under the hood, Xiaomi has begun cleaning up its own code. The company has opted for a migration of its native applications to the Rust language , which allows the system to be much more memory-efficient. Furthermore, the new HyperCore layer and AI work together to improve fluidity and reduce battery consumption in the long run.
According to official data, app launch times are 17,5% faster than in HyperOS 3, and frame rate drops are reduced by 28,9% during extended use sessions. This is all complemented by memory preloading, which anticipates upcoming tasks and frees up resources before you need them.
Android 17: the twist that could leave some mid-range phones behind
One of the most discussed topics is Xiaomi's decision to focus HyperOS 4 development on Android 17, disregarding the fact that the base version is not Android 16. Internal inspections of the beta versions have not found any Android 16 builds, which represents a change in strategy compared to previous versions that did support it.
This measure affects some phones that still had support remaining, such as the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G, POCO X6, and Redmi A5 4G. However, not receiving the HyperOS 4 update doesn't mean these phones will be left unprotected: security patches will continue to be released for years, according to the brand's policy.
Xiaomi aims to centralize its development efforts and offer a much more optimized experience. With the new system, only devices with the most powerful processors, such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite or the Dimensity 9500, will be able to fully utilize the Soft Light Glass effect and all AI features.
AI is another key feature, with the Super XiaoAi 2.0 assistant and new capabilities for generating summaries, creating content, and performing complex tasks. The company urges users to use these tools with caution and has already incorporated sensitive confirmations to prevent issues with personal data.
HyperOS 4 has already begun its journey. The first beta versions are on Xiaomi's flagship devices, and the company has confirmed that the stable version will be rolled out gradually to compatible devices. After that, it will only be a matter of time before the new interface arrives in Spain.
