Xiaomi might be one of the big names in the smartphone industry, but the Chinese OEM is far from perfect.

Sure, you do get some great pieces of hardware at crazy prices, but there is a price to pay at the end of the tunnel. Usually, this comes in the form of software update support, specifically Android OS updates.

While there is no doubt Xiaomi looks after its own MIUI skin with regular updates, the same cannot be said when it comes to Android OS updates.

redmi note 9
Redmi Note devices receive one Android OS update

Unlike MIUI updates that can span across three or more years, few Xiaomi devices receive two major Android OS updates – and these are the devices in the premium Mi series, you know, like the Mi MIX 3.

However, the road has been quite murky for the Mi MIX 3 despite its obvious flagship status. It gets even worse when it comes to one of the first ever 5G phones – the Mi MIX 3 5G.

But unlike the Mi MIX 3 5G that is possibly never getting past Android Pie, the regular Mi MIX 3 seems to be in slightly better hands. Apparently, OS updates for this device will not end with Android 10.

According to information shared to us by a Mi MIX 3 owner who was in contact with Xiaomi support, there are plans to bring Android 11 update to the handset. However, it could take some time for this to materialize.

Xiaomi-Mi-MIX-3-Android-11-update-confirmed-2
Click/tap to view

The fact that there are doubts about the availability of Android 11 update for the Mi MIX 3 tells part of the story.

In fact, it’s not just Xiaomi, but most Android vendors have no clearly defined software update policies that device owners can refer to instead of having to seek for clarifications from support.

As I have noted before, it is about time smartphone vendors start publishing their software update policies so that we can do away with these kinds of confusion. But until then, we may have to keep relying on support.

Unfortunately, the support team is not always made aware of everything the software development team is working on. Granted, we can never rest assured that whatever comes from them is accurate.

mi-mix-3-5g
The Mi Mix 3 5G might never get past Android Pie

That said, we urge our readers to take this Mi MIX 3 Android 11 update development with a pinch of salt. Still, if past trends are anything, the Mi MIX 3 is eligible for the update and so it should get it at some point.

Since this would be the second major OS update for the device, it explains why the alleged Xiaomi support rep doesn’t dwell so much into the release date details.

As usual, we will keep following the story and let you know when there is a new development. Meanwhile, keep an eye on our Xiaomi Android 11 update tracker to know when your device bags the new OS.

Thanks for the tip, Madalin Cosma!

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

Hillary Keverenge
2007 Posts

Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.

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