Tag: Xiaomi

Xiaomi has broadened its End-of-Life (EoL) list, indicating that several smartphones and tablets from its Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco brands will no longer receive software support. The updated list, which can be found on the official website, includes devices from all three brands. Notably, the Xiaomi Pad 5 appears multiple times for various regions, such as Taiwan (TW), Turkey (TR), Russia (RU), Europe (EU), and the global model (MI).

Overlapping Models

Interestingly, the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro+ are listed under Xiaomi, which might be a mistake, yet the consequences are the same – these devices will stop getting software updates. Besides the Note 11 Pro models, other unsupported devices include the Redmi 10 2022 (MX, TW, MX) and the Redmi Note 10 JE (JP). The Poco brand is not left out; support for the Poco X3 GT (ID) in Indonesia has also come to an end.

Implications of Discontinued Support

With the discontinuation of support for the X3 GT, along with the previously mentioned Xiaomi and Redmi devices, users will no longer receive updates for MIUI or HyperOS, which are Xiaomi’s custom Android systems. Furthermore, these devices will stop getting important Android security patches that are key in defending against new vulnerabilities.

The absence of ongoing software support puts these devices at risk for security issues. Unpatched weaknesses can be taken advantage of by malicious individuals to access a user’s personal information, steal passwords, or even inject harmful software.

Options for Users

Although Xiaomi usually offers software updates for a limited time, the specific length of support can change based on the model and when it was released. Users can verify their device’s support status on Xiaomi’s official site. For those whose devices are on the EoL list, choices are few. The safest route is to upgrade to a newer Xiaomi device, although this might be a budget concern for some. Alternatively, tech-savvy users might consider installing custom ROMs based on the latest Android version to keep their older devices functional.

Xiaomi has been talk of developing its own smartphone processor for some time now. Recent reports indicate that the company has hit a significant milestone in this journey.

Major Milestone Achieved

According to a report from Chinese outlet MyDrivers, Xiaomi has successfully completed the “tape-out” of the first 3nm smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) in the country. This announcement was made by the Chief Economist of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology during a segment on BRTV, which is a state-run television station in China. A video of the announcement was shared on X, showcasing the news in Chinese.

What We Know About the Chip

The report lacks specifics regarding the CPU and GPU, simply stating that it is a 3nm chip. There is no information on whether Xiaomi is partnering with TSMC, Samsung, or another foundry for the chip’s production. The term “tape-out” in silicon design indicates that the chip has reached its final design stage, which means it’s now ready to move onto the manufacturing phase.

Nevertheless, this does not imply that the SoC is fully prepared for mass production or for use in smartphones. Xiaomi will need to conduct testing on the chip once it is produced by a manufacturer like TSMC or Samsung. If the initial yield—essentially the number of functional chips produced—is low, adjustments may be required in the manufacturing process or the chip’s design to enhance performance.

Previous Experience in Chip Development

It’s worth noting that Xiaomi has previously released a smartphone featuring its own SoC. The Mi 5C, released in 2017, was equipped with the Pengpai (or Pinecone) S1 chip, which is a 28nm, 8-core processor boasting a big-little architecture and a maximum clock speed of 2.2GHz.

Since then, while Xiaomi has not launched another smartphone SoC, it has been actively developing chips for various functions such as charging, battery management, and image signal processing in its Surge G, P, and C series. For example, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra integrates the Surge P2 and G1 chips to enhance charging performance and prolong battery life.

In conclusion, Xiaomi is not new to chip production. It will be interesting to observe if the company can successfully create and launch its own smartphone SoC once again, and how it will perform compared to its competitors.