What you need to know
- Xiaomi will give users an option to disable ads from system apps within MIUI.
- The feature is being tested in China, and should make its way to the global version shortly thereafter.
- Xiaomi has also hit a new milestone in India, with the brand crossing 100 million sales.
The conversation around MIUI in the last 12 months has centered around ads. Xiaomi's decision to monetize the interface by introducing ads was met with severe user backlash, and it now looks like the Chinese manufacturer is reevaluating its strategy.
The brand has confirmed to our friends over at Android Authority that it is testing a toggle to disable ads from system apps in MIUI. The toggle will turn off all ads from the likes of Calendar, Download Manager, and Xiaomi's system installer. It is a welcome move, but there's no mention of when it will be rolled out to a stable MIUI build. Furthermore, the feature is being tested for the MIUI China build, so it may take longer to make its way to global builds.
In the meantime, Xiaomi is celebrating a key milestone in India. The brand has sold 100 million smartphones in the country following its debut back in Q3 2014, with the Redmi A and Redmi Note series contributing heavily to achieving the target. From Xiaomi India head Manu Jain:
It's indeed a joyous occasion for us at Xiaomi India. It's a testament to the love we have received from millions of Mi Fans since our inception. There have been brands who entered the market before us, yet are nowhere close to the astounding feat we have achieved.I am extremely thankful to our 100 million smartphone users and we promise to keep working hard on delivering impeccable user experience across product, after sales and retail verticals. We believe this is just the beginning of a brand new chapter, and we will continue to bring in more categories and products with best specs, highest quality at honest pricing for all our Mi Fans.
