Xiaomi releases MIUI 8 as global users reach over 200 million

During the just concluded Beijing event, Xiaomi got a chance to unveil a new version of their custom ROM, the MIUI 8. The latest iteration brings refreshed UI elements featuring much bolder colors. Aside from this, Xiaomi announced that the MIUI software has gained over 200 million users, which is a significant increase compared to the usage figures for the month of February, which stood at 170 million.Looking at what the MIUI 8 carries along, for the stock apps, new editing tools have been topped to the Gallery app, improved utilization of space, as well as additional features. Filters can now also be changed with a single tap and video editing tools have also been included. Real-time exchange rates are also now displayed in the Calculator app, as well as unit conversions, mortgage and tax calculations, among others.Other great features include the ability to capture scrolling screenshots, thanks to a new screenshot tool, which means that a single image can contain an entire web page. Xiaomi has added an all-new battery saving mode and made improvements to the Notes app, which now shows off a better visual layout.Xiaomi has also introduced a new font for its Chinese users, referred to as Mi Lansang, which greatly enhances the experience of reading on handsets. The font contains centered characters, with Xiaomi stating that 27,533 characters were manually tweaked.The Xiaomi devices that will be eligible for the MIUI 8 upgrade include: Xiaomi Mi 2, Xiaomi Mi 2s, Xiaomi Mi 3, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi Mi Note Pro, Xiaomi Mi 4, Xiaomi Mi 4c, Xiaomi Mi 4s, Xiaomi Mi 5, Xiaomi Redmi Note, and Xiaomi Mi Note.For those interested in registering for the Chinese custom ROM, May 16th is the date set for it, with beta tests scheduled to start on June 1st. June 17th was mentioned to be when a developer preview will be made available. As for the availability of the global ROM, nothing is known as of yet, but stay tuned for any updates on the same.