Xiaomi introduces MIUI 12.5 with new privacy features, improvements

Alongside Mi 11 smartphone series, Xiaomi on late Monday also announced the launch of MIUI 12.5. An update to the current MIUI 12 custom interface, it brings new improvements, especially in the privacy department. The MIUI 12.5 also offers better system management, app optimisations and more.

The stable version of MIUI 12.5 will start rolling out in April 2021. The first batch of the phones that will receive stable release are Mi 11, Mi 10 Ultra, Mi 10 Pro, and Mi 10. The closed beta ROM, however, will be available much earlier to a larger number of phones including Mi 10, Mi 9, Redmi Note 7, Redmi K30, Redmi Note 9, and more. The public beta ROM is slated to roll out in January.

What is new in MIUI 12.5?

The latest iteration of MIUI brings another set of dynamic wallpaper. The default Note application has received a new icon and new features. There is also a nature-inspired sound pack, which can be set for different kind of notifications. The update also brings faster gesture controls, rendering, and custom device model adjustment to ensure speedy performance after the upgrade.

MIUI+: The new feature allows users to mirror their phone to a Windows PC, akin to Microsoft’s Your Phone application. According to XDA Developers, the feature allows users to view phone notifications on the desktop, use select apps, and basic features such as copy text on the phone and paste it on the desktop. The feature will be available on select Xiaomi phones such as Mi 10 Ultra, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 10, Mi 9 Pro 5G, Mi 9, Redmi K30 Ultra, Redmi K20 Pro, and Redmi K30 Pro.

Privacy: As said earlier, the new version of MIUI focuses on privacy. The new iteration will show users a prompt when an application accesses clipboard, which features your copied text. Users will have the option to personalise this access, including always decline. The new feature is highly similar to Apple’s prompt for clipboard access.

Another new privacy feature is the ability to send a coarse location to an application instead of a fine location. As XDA Developers points out, not all application need your precise location data in order to serve content. A deliberate location altering will help retain some level of privacy.

The browser will also be able to block downloads from web pages it deems malicious. The company has also made changes to how sites track users through the browser.

Other privacy features are an all-new privacy protection page, privacy risk scanner, control which apps access and delete items from Gallery, manage sensitive permissions and related app behaviour independently, and comprehensive overview of all sensitive permissions.