MIUI 10 Global Beta ROM: Top features, list of compatible devices, update schedule

MIUI 10 is the latest iteration of Xiaomi's custom ROM for its smartphones. Released alongside Mi 8 last month, Xiaomi's MIUI 10 is now available for beta testers. This essentially means select users can try out the latest MIUI 10 ahead of the official release. Note that this still a beta version, therefore you may come across a few bugs.

Xiaomi has announced the availability of MIUI 10 Global Beta ROM for the following phones: Mi 6, Mi MIX 2, Redmi S2, Redmi Note 5 Pro/Redmi Note 5 and Mi MIX 2S. Other phones will be receiving the update pretty soon.

The final version of the custom ROM will be rolled out in September this year.

Xiaomi MIUI 10: Top features
The latest version of MIUI 10 comes with a variety of new features and improvements. The new custom ROM also marks Xiaomi's aggressive push to further deepen the Artificial Integration (AI) in its smartphones. Let's take a look at the top features.

Full-screen optimisation
With Xiaomi moving to 18:9 display phones, the latest MIUI 10 brings optimisations for full-screen phones. While the overall UI has been altered to match the 18:9 real estate, the company has also introduced a bunch of gestures for such devices.

For instance, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go to the home screen. Like in iOS on iPhone X, you can swipe from half the screen to the center to access recent applications. Swiping left from the center of the screen will take you to the previous app.

Moreover, the recent apps now appear vertically, giving a widget-like look and feel.

New notification panel
Xiaomi is making the notification panel more intuitive along with neater User Interface (UI). There's lesser clutter as the company has removed the unnecessary UI elements in order to give the content more prominence.

Apart from the visual improvements, notifications on MIUI 10 come with new sounds for alerts. Xiaomi has introduced a special nature-themed notification sound.

Lighter and faster
Xiaomi claims apps will load faster on its new custom MIUI 10. The company points out that the performance remains consistent across system applications and third-party applications.

"In MIUI 10, you'll probably spend zero seconds waiting for the app to load in most cases and go directly to the start page after tapping the icon without having to look at the loading progress bar. This works as fine with third party apps as it does with system apps," says the company on its website.

AI integration
As said earlier, MIUI 10 leverages on Xiaomi's recent efforts in Artificial Intelligence. The most critical improvement in this respect has been done to the camera.

For instance, phones running MIUI 10 will be able to deliver bokeh (portrait mode) photos, despite a single camera. Users with older Xiaomi Phones like Redmi Note 4 will be able to blur the background on their photos after they upgrade to MIUI 10. The same can be done through rear camera as well.

Phones that will be getting the AI camera after MIUI 10 update are: 
Front camera: Mi MIX 2/Mi 6/Mi 5s Plus/Mi 5s/Mi 5/Mi Note 2/Mi Max 2/Mi Max/Redmi Note 5(India)/Redmi Note 4(India)/Redmi Note 4X/Redmi Note 3/Redmi 5/Redmi 4/Redmi 4X

Rear camera: Mi MIX 2/Mi 5s/Mi 5s Plus/Mi 5/Mi Note 2/Mi Max 2/Mi Max/Redmi Note 4(India)/Redmi Note 4X/Redmi Note 3/Redmi 5/Redmi 4/Redmi 4X

MIUI 10 Beta Global ROM: List of compatible phones
Beta testers can enrol themselves by signing up at the official Xiaomi site. Note that before installing the beta version, back up your important data.

Phones that are eligible with MIUI 10 Beta Global ROM are Mi MIX 2, Mi 6, Mi 5s Plus, Mi 5s, Mi 5, Mi 4, Mi 3, Mi Note 2, Mi Max 2, Mi Max, Redmi Note 5 India, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Note 5A, Redmi Note 5A Prime, Redmi Note 4 MTK, Redmi Note 4X, Redmi Note 3 Qualcomm, Redmi 5, Redmi 5A, Redmi 4, Redmi 4A, Redmi 3S, Redmi Y2, Redmi Y1 Lite, Redmi Y1.