Xiaomi: More Poco and Redmi phones vulnerable as updates end

Xiaomi does support its smartphones with updates, which generally can be divided into two types: Android and HyperOS updates can add new features, whereas security updates help ensure phones are better protected. The lack of security updates should be considered significantly more serious than the absence of OS upgrades. Users who aren’t too demanding probably can live without new features, but they should definitely avoid increasing their vulnerability to malware.

Xiaomi has just added several Redmi and two Poco smartphones to its end-of-life list. Specifically, the following phones are affected by this end of support: the Redmi Note 11 SE, Redmi Note 11S 5G, Redmi Note 11S, Redmi Note 11, Redmi Note 11 5G, Redmi 10C, Redmsi 10 2022, Poco M4 Pro and Poco X5 Pro 5G. Both software and security updates will no longer be rolled out for these devices in future. In any case, they have already stopped receiving new OS versions. As an example, the Redmi Note 11 SE was launched with Android 12 in January 2023 and was subsequently upgraded to Android 13 and 14.

Of course, consumers can continue using the affected phones, though they'll have to deal with security limitations. A possible solution is to flash a custom ROM, provided a compatible one exists for the smartphone in question and the user isn’t intimidated by the slightly involved installation process. Whilst also the most expensive, the easiest and safest option is just to purchase a new phone.