Xiaomi finally rolls out MIUI 9 update for Redmi Note 3 but there's a catch

Xiaomi had announced earlier that it will roll out its latest custom user interface MIUI 9 to more than 40 smartphones including smartphones that were launched way back in 2012. And while the newer models like the Redmi Note 4, Redmi 4, Redmi 5A and the Mi Max 2 have already started receiving the update, it hadn't yet reached the older devices like the Redmi Note 3, the Redmi 3s and the Redmi 4A.

Now, the wait seems to be finally over for the thousands of Redmi Note 3 users who have been eagerly awaiting the MIUI 9 update. The Chinese smartphone company has kept its promise, albeit a bit late, by finally announcing the rollout of MIUI 9.2 Global Stable ROM for Redmi Note 3.

The much-awaited announcement was made by Xiaomi's Product Manager, Rohit Ghalsasi on his official Twitter account on January 29. As per his tweet, Xiaomi has released the MIUI 9 update for Redmi Note 3 on January 29 itself, but it will take another day or two to reach most users.

The tweet reads: "Redmi Note 3 users will start receiving MIUI 9 stable update starting from today, but not everyone will get the update (at the) same time. It may take 48-72 hours for you to get the update."

The rollout has also been confirmed on the official MIUI community forum.

Meanwhile, Redmi Note 3 users will be getting the MIUI 9.2 Global Stable ROM, which indicates that Xiaomi has skipped MIUI 9 and jumped straight to the latest version of its custom UI.

The new update will be available as MIUI 9.2.4.0 (MHOMIEK) and will be 290 MB in size.

However, the catch here is that the MIUI 9.2 update for Redmi Note 3 will be based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, meaning that although the device will get MIUI 9, it won't be getting Android 7.0 Nougat.

It was already speculated by a lot of members on MIUI forums that Redmi Note 3 will get Android Marshmallow based MIUI 9, and not the Nougat based version that is already released for newer devices like the Redmi Note 4 and the Redmi 4.

The update will bring along the January security patch to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. According to MIUI Forum, the update is not a nightly build (basically a beta version) as speculated by some users, but is a stable release currently being pushed to select users in order to get feedback ahead of general release.

Asb mentioned earlier, the general release of MIUI 9.2 for all Redmi Note 3 users is expected to follow in the next 2-3 days.

What MIUI 9 will bring on the table for Redmi Note 3?

In terms of the features, the MIUI 9.2 update will bring interactive and fresh UI changes in the gallery app, calendar cards and the app vault, along with animated icons. The update brings Mi proprietary Video Player app, updated Mi Explorer and Mi Drop to the Redmi Note 3.

Additional features include a simplified UI, a reading mode that can automatically turn on/off at sunset and sunrise and a redesigned homepage. The update also brings in the ability to select multiple apps and move them into a folder and add widgets into an empty space with just a single tap.

The updated gallery app will now let users erase lines and objects while editing photos and then there's performance mode called game speed booster that optimizes the gaming performance of the phone.  

However, being based on Android Marshmallow the update will not bring split-screen multitasking as seen on the Redmi Note 4 and other newer devices which run Android Nougat based MIUI 9. Having said that Xiaomi might bring the feature in the Marshmallow based MIUI9 with a future update.

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, launched in March 2016,  has played an important role in establishing Xiaomi as a reliable smartphone brand in India, and the latest MIUI 9 update will only help boost up Xiaomi's image and keep its large existing user base in the country happy.