Every year, Xiaomi finds a new way to remind the world that Android customization has no speed limit. Themes that behave like carnival toys, widgets that wiggle for no reason, lock screens that look like magazine covers, and charging effects that make your phone feel like you hijacked a spaceship. Xiaomi doesn’t follow a usual script; we all know that. MIUI had multiple changes in the past, and basically every update had a big design overhaul. Things matured over time, and Xiaomi found stability in the visuals, keeping a unique identity over the years. Now, things are changing slightly with HyperOS 3.
The company’s third big step after ditching MIUI for a cleaner badge. The update arrives with noise, polish, personality, and yes, a few moments where you pause and think, wait a second, didn’t I see this somewhere else? Now that global users are finally getting the update, we can finally have an idea of its behavior.
The Floating Pill Everyone Pretends Not to Recognize
One of those moments shows up at the very top of the screen. Xiaomi does not call it Dynamic Island, of course. That would be too direct. But if it sits like a Dynamic Island, behaves like a Dynamic Island, expands like a Dynamic Island, and occasionally throws dramatic animations in your face, people will notice. HyperOS 3’s version feels more flexible and sometimes even more chaotic, which lines up perfectly with Xiaomi’s habit of going a little over the top for fun. It’s called Xiaomi Super Island, or Hyper Island for some.Still, HyperOS 3 is not just about a familiar floating pill. It tries to fix what HyperOS 1 and 2 left behind. The new animation engine is the first big change. Transitions feel smoother and less abrupt. Apps open with intention, not as they teleport by accident. It still keeps that signature HyperOS pop, but with less visual exhaustion attached. That may not sound like a big deal for those who don’t care for those things. But for some users, the animations make a real difference in the experience.
The Ecosystem Dream That Gets Closer
Xiaomi is also pushing its ecosystem plan harder. Apple users love bragging about Handoff and AirDrop and that magical moment when everything syncs without effort. HyperOS 3 moves Xiaomi toward that dream. Better device handoff, faster file sharing, multi-device sessions, and the idea that your phone screen can follow you from one gadget to another. If you own enough Xiaomi gear to fill a backpack, the company wants all of it to behave like a coordinated squad.
Performance is another area Xiaomi is polishing. HyperOS 3 uses less RAM, wakes apps faster, and avoids killing background tasks as aggressively. Every Android skin makes these promises during big updates, but to Xiaomi’s credit, they have actually improved this over time. HyperOS 1 trimmed down the chaos MIUI left behind. HyperOS 2 smoothed the multitasking. HyperOS 3 continues that trend with less battery drain and cleaner resource use.
Security, Cleanup, and a Hint of Maturity
In the end, we can say that HyperOS 3 isn’t simply trying to copy iOS 26. It’s not a mere visual update; the company is running to improve the OS in multiple areas and streamline the experience. HyperOS 3 feels like a move in the right direction, with more stability and being a more reliable OS for all users.
You now see which apps poke sensors, permissions feel more precise, and some AI features work on the device without sending data away. Xiaomi is clearly trying to move HyperOS far from the old idea that MIUI was bloated and suspicious.
Now back to that floating pill. Some people call it an iOS copy. Others argue Apple did not invent contextual pop-ups. The truth sits right in the middle. HyperOS 3’s version looks inspired, but it does things Apple never bothered with. It has more hooks, shapes, animations, and silly touches that lean into Xiaomi’s playful style. It is designed to be useful, not just aesthetic. At its current state, it is rather limited, with just a few system apps offering support and usefulness. But we believe this can be improved over the years, to become more usable and reliable.
HyperOS 3 Highlights:
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>Hyper Island was introduced as a dynamic notification and live activity hub
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>Faster app launches and smoother system responsiveness
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>AI describes objects and images
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>AI noise reduction for clearer recorded audio
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>Gallery AI searches for photos by content
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>Expanded cross-device integration
- a]:text-primary dark:[&>a]:text-white [&>a]:underline md:text-lg text-base”>Call and SMS forwarding across devices
- HyperOS 3 – It does not reinvents Xiaomi’s OS but is A Step in the Right Direction
HyperOS 3 is not a reinvention for Xiaomi smartphones. It is a cleaner take on Xiaomi’s ecosystem and a sign that the company is experimenting again instead of avoiding risks. The pill at the top may look familiar, but Xiaomi at least gives it flair.
If HyperOS 1 was the stage where Xiaomi yelled, “We are not MIUI anymore”, and HyperOS 2 was the cleanup phase, then HyperOS 3 feels like the personality phase. More confidence. More polish. More willingness to borrow ideas, remix them, and ship something bold, loud, and sometimes… questionable.
