Just a few months after releasing MIUI 11 to a slew of its mobile phones and tablets, Xiaomi is apparently getting ready to debut the next version of its Android custom skin, MIUI 12.
According to a developer who claims that they were able to install an older version of a MIUI 12 ROM on their device, the software will come with several changes over its predecessor, some more notable than others.
New navigation bar in MIUI 12, renewed notification panel and more
One of the most noticeable changes is the new navigation bar that resembles the original look of Android 10. A swipe on the bar takes you to the home screen, while a swipe and hold opens the recent apps page.
Users will also be able to quickly switch between apps by sliding the bar left and right. All in all, the new gestures will make multitasking more intuitive and fluid than it is in MIUI 11.
Notification system in MIUI 12
Apparently another big change in MIUI 12 will be the notification system. The company is preparing a completely new way of dealing with push notifications. The new system will be a major departure from what we're used to on Android devices, regardless of whether they're running stock software, OEM skins, or custom ROMs.
The new notification panel looks a lot like the "recent apps" page in MIUI 11, thanks to the grid layout, as seen below. It's likely to be a controversial design choice if Xiaomi decides to go with it on the launch candidate, so it'll be interesting to see how the company approaches it.
Other changes include revamped camera UI and a streamlined dark mode experience, but it's not immediately clear what that would entail.
Either way, a recent leak suggested that Xiaomi could start rolling out MIUI 12 beta as early as September before releasing the first stable version in December.
However, we suggest you take these leaks with a bit of a grain of salt, as the company has yet to officially announce anything on the subject.