Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Mi Mix 3, Mi 8 Pro, and Mi 8 Explorer Edition owners can now try out Android 11 via Paranoid Android Ruby ROM

Although these phones were only released in 2018, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Mi Mix 3, Mi 8 Pro, and Mi 8 Explorer Edition are already starting to be somewhat overlooked as the Chinese OEM plows ahead with its Mega Launch event, extensive Mi 11 smartphone range, and the continued rollout of MIUI 12.5. Fortunately, ignorance by an OEM does not necessarily mean the final nail in the coffin for a smartphone in software terms.

Thanks to custom ROM builders like Paranoid Android, these slightly older devices can enjoy a new lease of life and bring additional pleasure to their owners by being upgraded to the latest version of Google’s Android OS. Paranoid Android Ruby is based on Android 11, but the devs behind the ROM utilize the Code Aurora Forum Android base as it is claimed it offers better performance than the Android Open Source Project platform.

Owners of the Mi Mix 2S or Mi Mix 3 can install custom versions of Paranoid Android Ruby for their phones while Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Explorer Edition users can utilize the same build download. The software is listed as beta (“Ruby 11 Beta 5”) and as initial dev releases, so there might be some bugs encountered during use. It’s essential to back up all important data before testing out one of these useful Android-based ROMs, and a handy GApps package is included in the software download.

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