MIUI 8 release date in India revealed: Here's a list of new features and eligible devices

Xiaomi is hosting an event on June 30 to unveil its next premium budget device, Mi Max, in India and the company has some great news for existing Mi phone users. The Chinese smartphone maker said it will launch the MIUI 8, the latest version of its custom ROM based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, at the upcoming event.

There has been a lot of excitement around the launch of Mi Max in India, but the phablet alongside MIUI 8 ROM was originally released in China in May. Xiaomi also started rolling out the first MIUI Developer ROM in China earlier this week as it had promised during the software's launch. The official changelog for the China Developer ROM has been released along with the list of supported devices, but the global ROM is likely to differ slightly.

In India, most devices that have been launched so far will support the latest custom ROM, including all those in Mi series, Redmi series and finally the Redmi Note series, including the Redmi Note 3. As for the changes, despite some variations, key upgrades such as a redesigned Gallery app with built-in editing tools, improved calculator app, new Notes app, all-new battery saver, anti-fraud SMS security, task manager, multi tasking features and more will be included in the OTA update.

Xiaomi has recently been focusing a lot on its Indian operations. 2016 has been an eventful year for the company, with major and successful launches such as Xiaomi Mi 5 and Redmi Note 3, introduction of India-specific Mi Community and a new 22,550 square feet office in Bengaluru.

The upcoming launch event will reveal details about Mi Max's price in India, MIUI 8 changelog for global users and compatibility with existing devices. The Mi Max is going to be not just a huge device, but also its heaviest weighing 203 grams. In terms of specs, Mi Max is no less than any other budget premium smartphone in under Rs. 15,000 price range.

Xiaomi Mi Max features a 6.44-inch Full HD display, a 16MP primary camera with dual LED flash, PDAF and a 5MP front snapper. It is powered by a Snapdragon 650 chipset with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB/128GB storage options. It also packs a huge 4850mAh battery and has metal construction with support for dual SIM, 4G LTE and VoLTE.