What is the difference between the global version of Xiaomi
What are the differences between the global version of the Xiaomi smartphone and the Chinese one
The approach of Xiaomi to the creation of smartphones can be loved or hated, but the fact remains that it has become a phenomenon, its products are known in different parts of the world and you can learn about many new products from the news about Chinese smartphones on Andro-news. The company has made it a rule to produce a variety of versions of mobile devices and often the question arises: what is the difference between the global version of Xiaomi and the Chinese one??
We tell you the difference between China ROM and Global ROM, the versions for the international market and for China, how significant they are and why it is important to pay attention to when buying smartphones Xiaomi.
In recent years the company follows the rule when it creates a lot of models with minor differences and under different brands, which allows it to be constantly on the ears, create an impression of an abundance of new products and break sales records.
For most people it is important that Xiaomi follows the approach of “the best quality for the least money”. There are many who want to catch luck in the form of a bargain smartphone on AliExpress in the face of another fall of the domestic currency. But cell phone dealers often deceive about the variation of devices and you need to clearly understand the differences between the global version and the Chinese Xiaomi. The main differences lie primarily in the software, but there are other nuances.
Types of firmware on Xiaomi
The manufacturer originally created only 2 kinds of shells for smartphones:
The other versions of the platforms are subspecies of the main firmware. Mobile gadget for domestic market with China ROM is made in Chinese and English.
Depending on the build of the operating system, the global version Version and ROM will be different.
Global Version and its kinds
The international version of the firmware is for sale outside of the Chinese market. Therefore, you can find Xiaomi gadgets in Russian with a global shell in special stores. The sticker with the words “Global Version” on it is on the box on the top right corner.
The multilingual operating system has subspecies:
Chinese version
China ROM edition is designed exclusively for the Asian market. The manufacturer includes services and applications in the official OS that will not work in other countries. When checking the version of the shell on the gadget, the About phone tab will say MIUI%firmware version%|Stable %index% (MADCNDL).
Miui Developer ROM
The developer shell of Xiaomi smartphones is also called weekly, and users of the gadgets receive updates immediately. This platform is used to test new features, and the developers expect that it will be used by advanced owners of mobile devices Xiaomi. The developer system is a beta version of the new edition of the shell, where users identify bugs and flaws.
Xiaomi Global ROM vs Global Version. в чём разница? Разбираемся!
Unlike other firmware, Developer ROM is updated every Friday. The name indicates the release date (MIUI 10 8.12.3 released on December 3, 2018).
Miui Stable ROM
Update stable version of the shell, which has been tested and works without bugs and errors. Stable ROM edition refers to the global firmware, which is installed on Xiaomi gadgets for sale. These devices have a form of Global Version or China ROM. New editions of the platform are released without graphics. So you can wait for an update for a long time.
Miui Ported ROM
Custom updates are made by third party developers. Not official native platform versions. They are created for smartphones that do not support international edition of the operating system. To update this platform, the user must constantly check the website of these developers. These shells are different in that when you boot up the OS on your smartphone you see the logo of the development team.
With Ported ROM in Russia there is hope for Russian localization of the firmware, which was originally aimed at the Chinese market.
Indian version
Miui OS smartphones shipped to India in an English box. The version of the platform for that market comes with the Global ROM system. On the box will be a red sticker that says “Made in India”. In CIS countries there can be problems with Redmi Note smartphones due to the difference in ranges.
PCT version
Edition of the OS with the PCT value does not differ from the international version. Before entering the Russian market, Xiaomi smartphones are Eurotest certified. This check takes place in all countries except Russia. The Eurotest certificate is applied to the Eurotest. There is no difference between these tests. All devices are assembled in one factory.
What gives the PCT
Owners overpay 20% of the price of the smartphone to get additional warranty. PCT provides the user with the right to have the device repaired within the warranty period in official service points anywhere in the country. Gadgets with a Eurotest certificate do not receive an additional repair coupon.
Store provides 365 days warranty for multilingual version with EU or China ROM prefix. The owner of the phone can bring the device to the store where the gadget was purchased and have it repaired free of charge according to his own ticket of the device.
The smartphones are assembled at one factory, and there is no piece-by-piece verification of each phone. The PCT certificate is issued for the entire batch of gadgets. Often, versions of Rostest devices come with reduced RAM. This is how manufacturers cover their costs.
Global version of a smartphone
Now it is not uncommon to hear the term global firmware, for example, in the conversation of users of smartphones Xiaomi or Meizu. What does global firmware mean?
Firmware is an installation file that contains all the necessary files for installing the operating system, or the operating system as it is installed on the smartphone or tablet.
Global firmware. this is the firmware, which uses translations into different languages, including Russian (from the word global).
If we consider this topic on the example of Xiaomi, the company divides its devices by market and introduces some hardware and software differences in smartphones of the same model. Thus it evenly distributes sales to different countries, because in China and India, where production is based and lives the lion’s share of buyers, presentations of new products are held earlier than in the rest of the world. In this case, resellers can not buy up all the smartphones for the local market. Markets are divided by firmware and other features, not allowing a deficit in one of them.
Do not lose sight of the fact that special modifications for China are due to the PRC legislation, in which many Western services are prohibited. This can create problems for Russian, Ukrainian and other European buyers when buying the Chinese version of Xiaomi instead of the global.
What is the difference between the Chinese version of the smartphone
This is a number of inconveniences for European and Russian customer while using. In such models, the firmware contains a minimum of languages, only English and hieroglyphs. It is possible to add Russian using Locale, but it does not work 100%.
Google services are banned in China, and smartphones for the Chinese market have no pre-installed applications. The App Store, maps, mail, YouTube, the keyboard and other necessary programs have to be found on the Internet and installed manually.
In addition to the software, there are hardware differences. No operator in China does not use the 800 MHz LTE band, most Chinese smartphones do not have Band 20 support. Nothing will change, if you flash the international MIUI shell, high-speed 4G Internet in the LTE 800 coverage area will not work (only 2G or 3G).
Flashing such devices is also not easy. Previously it was possible to put a global version of any Chinese smartphone in a few clicks. Now to do this you have to unlock the bootloader and this is not difficult. Time-consuming and there are risks. You have to wait from 360 hours to get approval. And if you carelessly reflash the Chinese version of Xiaomi to the global version, the device may fail.
The difference between Global ROM and Global Version
In stores like AliExpress you can often find smartphones labeled “Global ROM. It is specified that there are languages, google services, support for official updates. This is not an authentic international model because.к. There is a difference between Global ROM and Global Version.
Global ROM. this is a Chinese version of the smartphone Xiaomi, where the seller himself unlocked the bootloader and installed the international firmware. In terms of software such a device is almost no different from the global version, but the hardware differences (like the lack of LTE b20) remain. Also there may be some problems with bank apps operation, caused by the presence of unlock.
Global Version is a real international version of Xiaomi. It has the official firmware, it supports all European frequencies, everything works as it should for Europe and Russia in particular.
How to distinguish between the Chinese and global versions in the Xiaomi smartphone
The box of international model has a red “Global Version” sticker on the side and no hieroglyphic inscriptions. All names and specifications are in English. The Chinese version has no sticker and all the inscriptions are in Chinese. On the smartphone shipping film also with inscriptions in Chinese. Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 7) have differences in box design.
The rear panel of the global version of Xiaomi contains the logo, model number, “Made in China” (or India) inscription, “CE” icons. the smartphone was certified for compliance with EU norms, and the crossed urn. The inadmissibility of normal disposal due to the presence of the battery. The Chinese version has only the rear panel with the manufacturer’s name. The model number may be missing, and there are usually no icons.
In China they use outlets with flat pins of the plug, so you need an adapter for such a charger. The global version comes with a European-type power supply that does not require an adapter.
CDMA networks are widespread in China, so the CN-version, unlike the global version, has MEID. This is a special identifier, analog of IMEI, used in 3G networks that use CDMA technology. The international version does not have one. The presence or absence of MEID can be seen in the settings. Open the item “About the phone”, find there “General information”, and look if there is no MEID next to the IMEI. If there is no MEID it means that it is a real international model and if there is it means that it is a Chinese version.
It is quite easy to conclude from this article, that it is better to buy a global version of the smartphone Xiaomi for Russia!
How the global version of Xiaomi differs from the Chinese version
A fully-fledged version of the Global Version for Redmi and other Xiaomi mobile gadgets is adapted for foreign (relatively Asian) users. The version supports more languages and communication standards, so it costs more. The difference between the global and Chinese firmware Xiaomi is that the first is updated a little less frequently. And there are western services there by default.
When you intend to buy Xiaomi Redmi Global Version phones, check the version carefully (you can even spell it out), because some stores sell smartphones with Global ROM. This is the standard Chinese version in which a local enterprising vendor illegally unlocked the Xiaomi bootloader and then changed the firmware (in order to resell the device at a higher price).
In this case the phone will functionally correspond to the standard European version, but its hardware characteristics will be like its Asian counterpart. That’s why we recommend you to buy only the devices with “Global Version” prefix, as the difference between versions in some situations can be crucial. Including when connecting and using high-speed mobile Internet.
How to distinguish the global version of Xiaomi from the Chinese
In Xiaomi smartphones, which are produced for the domestic market, it is installed a special firmware, which does not support the Russian language. This is not a problem because you can always update the phone to the necessary firmware. But, using a Chinese phone in the CIS countries most likely will not work because of the lack of support for the necessary communication standards. And this is not all the difference between the global and the Chinese version. So let’s figure out how to distinguish the global version of the Xiaomi phone from the Chinese.
Differences of Global (international) version
Global Version, EU, international version. What does it all mean?
There is no secret here. Xiaomi produces devices both for the domestic and global markets. Devices for the global market, i.e. countries other than China, have the prefix EU or Global Version. The latter inscription, by the way, you can see on the packaging of the device. Of course, if the smartphone is designed, for example, for the European market.
How else are the devices different?? Obviously not just the inscription Indeed, the differences are, but still not so much.
The packaging of the domestic market version has hieroglyphics, while the global market version has Latin inscriptions.
The same applies to the instructions that are inside the package.
The charger for the EU. with euro-plug, or UK.English.
There are some differences in the frequency range.
Some smartphones Chinese modification may not work in LTE Band 20 and Band 4, which are common in some areas of the Russian Federation and Europe. For everyone else, in the presence of the global firmware, there will be absolutely no difference between the “European” and “Chinese” version of the smartphone.In most cases it is irrelevant for the user. At present in Belarus these frequencies are not used.
There is no difference in the software, the firmware is the same, provided that the Global stable is installed, and that is what is preinstalled in the smartphones we sell
First of all let’s divide MIUI firmware by regions. Here everything is very simple.
These are two basic versions of MIUI, which are used as the basis for custom firmware. Here is more details about each of the two.
MIUI Global ROM (global firmware)
This firmware is designed for smartphones and tablets that are produced outside of China. International version of MIUI has preinstalled applications and services from Google. There is a choice of languages, including Russian.
This version is produced exclusively for smartphones sold on the domestic market. This firmware has 2 pre-installed languages. Chinese and English, there is no Google services and the software works only in China.
How do MIUI firmware types differ??
So far, everything seems very simple, but MIUI is also divided by its type:
- MIUI Developer ROM. for developers, beta versions of MIUI;
- MIUI Stable ROM. The stable version of the firmware;
- MIUI Ported ROM. these are unofficial versions of MIUI firmware, supported by developers in local markets;
- MIUI self-made firmware. the same as custom firmware, but often their “creators” are unknown;
- Regional MIUI firmware. usually released for models that support a specific type of mobile.
- MIUI Developer ROM
These firmwares are officially released by Xiaomi developers. Initially, these builds are designed for more experienced users who want to be the first to get access to new features of the operating system. Developer ROM is intended for testing new features and it often has various bugs.
That’s why updates appear weekly on Fridays (except holidays). Once bugs are found they are quickly fixed and the next version of MIUI is usually free of the previously found flaws.
Figuring out the developer firmware is easy. even by the name. For example, if you see that the build is called MIUI 8 7.21.4, then it was released on April 21, 2017.
With these versions of the firmware is much easier. They also release a team of developers Xiaomi, but these builds are official, stable, tested, with full functionality and without obvious bugs that are fixed in the developer builds.
You can safely install such firmware on your phone, but you will not be among the first who will have access to the innovations. Here the choice is made in favor of stability. Stable ROM firmware updates without a specific schedule, so you might see an update every couple of weeks, or you might not get anything new for months.
This type of MIUI firmware includes most custom builds, of course, all of them are unofficial. You can often come across such firmware for one main reason. outside of China on Xiaomi smartphones usually install localized versions of MIUI, built by third-party developers.
This firmware type also includes quality builds of enthusiasts who port MIUI to devices from other manufacturers than Xiaomi.
Basically, Ported ROM MIUI is built based on the stable firmware version, or based on the development version with bugs fixed. Often such custom builds are updated according to a certain schedule, but the installation will be done manually.
Custom low-quality MIUI builds
Still, from the whole picture of custom firmware MIUI we can single out a separate subtype. self-made builds, appearing on “grey” Xiaomi smartphones. Very often this firmware has a terrible translation, terrible optimization, and some bugs are present.
If this is the first time you encounter this type of firmware MIUI, then the impression of the operating system and the phone in general will be for a long time spoiled. Never use such builds.
Regional MIUI ROM / Other versions
These are not the most common types of MIUI firmware. Above we mentioned that these are mainly regional assemblies, designed for a certain type of cell phone or for a certain operator. The most well-known firmware WCDMA ROM MIUI and TD ROM. the first will work only on models that support 3G WCDMA (more or less widespread), and the second. only in the domestic market of China.
We can also divide MIUI firmware by the simplest criterion. size.
Full ROM. this is a full version of the firmware, which you can safely install from scratch on your smartphone. Often installing such builds fixes all the bugs and other problems which could not be solved by other means. This MIUI package offers all the necessary services, so the firmware file will weigh not so little. up to 2 GB.
Incremental ROM. this is just an addition to the firmware, updating it with necessary fixes. Often you can get them via OTA (via WI-FI download) if you have the official MIUI firmware, either stable or for developers. These updates are minor, from 20MB to 200MB.
And finally we’d like to mention the implicit division of MIUI firmware by the way of OTA or manual update.
Any official MIUI firmware has the ability to get an update over the air at any time, but only if you have not manually changed anything in the system files. Because of this there might be a problem with the OTA update. You will have to fix the problem manually. installing the build, which can always be downloaded from the official forum Xiaomi MIUI.
MIUI custom builds rarely have over-the-air updates, so they need to be installed manually. For this you will have to unlock the bootloader which has been officially blocked for some time.
In order to find out the firmware version installed on your smartphone, you need to enter the system settings and choose the bottom line. “About phone.
In the opened window the technical information about the system including the firmware version will be displayed.
Phones with this firmware are intended for use only in China. Provides for the installation of various internal services and programs that can be used by locals. The possibility of changing the firmware version on Xiaomi Global is not provided, but it is possible to change the international version to the Chinese one.
Users can select from a limited list of languages, among which is English. Main language is Chinese. It is possible to install the russian version only if you use the custom firmware.
Classification of MIUI versions
Most users are aware of several versions of the above mentioned shell, and sometimes wonder about their differences. Especially often people wonder what the difference between the Chinese and global versions of Xiaomi firmware.
The variety of firmware is much more extensive than most smartphone owners imagine. Today, experts distinguish several types of MIUI, classifying them according to certain criteria:
- Official and custom. The first type of firmware is improved by Xiaomi programmers and is always available for download to update MIUI to the latest version. The second type is being developed by people who are not regulated by Xiaomi. You can download this type of firmware MIUI from specialized sites of technical direction.
- Chinese and international. The first type of MIUI firmware is designed for the Chinese market. Usually the shell includes the most popular local software and is supplemented with intrusive advertising from partners who operate on the territory of China. This firmware variant supports only Chinese and English. International (global) versions contain the most necessary localized software from Xiaomi, have a smaller amount of advertising, and support a large number of languages.
- Stable and developer versions. The first type of MIUI includes only repeatedly tested functionality. The second one additionally contains experimental functions or settings that need to be tested. After functionality validation new features are moved to stable versions of MIUI.
Important: Recently Xiaomi actively prevents the sale of the Chinese versions of the phones in European markets. This is expressed in the form of problems with the installation of international firmware on Chinese smartphones. So if you want to avoid possible malfunctions you better buy international versions of the smartphones with the global firmware initially installed.
The history of MIUI versions and updates is given below.
What is the global version of Xiaomi, differences from other firmware
The manufacturer Xiaomi is unique in that it segments its products by market, making some differences. This is mainly due to the need to evenly distribute sales across countries. For example, most of the company’s products are manufactured in China and India, so the presentation of new models here are earlier than in other countries.
From the article you will learn what is the global version of the phone Xiaomi, what other firmware is and how they differ from each other.
