Xiaomi is riding a wave of excitement with the global launch of its latest mobile operating system, HyperOS 3. After a successful debut in China last month, the company is now inviting users worldwide to experience the next chapter of its software vision, complete with a beta program for eager early adopters. However, a shadow has been cast over the celebratory rollout, as new reports indicate that a flagship feature of HyperOS 3 is being deliberately prevented from working on several popular and recently released Redmi Note smartphones.
This move has sparked concern within the Xiaomi community, raising questions about software equality and feature parity across the device portfolio.
A Promising Global Launch, With a Clearer Roadmap Than Most
In a refreshingly transparent move, Xiaomi has already published detailed rollout schedules for both its Chinese and global markets. This stands in stark contrast to competitors like Samsung, who are often criticized for leaving customers in the dark about when their devices will receive major One UI updates.
The list of devices slated for the HyperOS 3 update is extensive, covering dozens of models from the flagship Xiaomi 14 series to the newly announced Xiaomi 15T and Xiaomi 15T Pro. For many users, the promise of a new OS is a breath of fresh air, offering smoother animations, better cross-device connectivity, and new functionalities. But it seems that not all HyperOS 3 experiences are created equal.
The Heart of the Matter: What is Hyper Island and Why is it Missing?
The specific feature at the center of the controversy is "Hyper Island." Touted as a dynamic and interactive element within the new OS, Hyper Island is designed to be a central hub for notifications, media controls, and device shortcuts, adapting contextually to what the user is doing. It's a marquee addition that Xiaomi has highlighted in its promotional material for HyperOS 3.
The problem? It appears to be software-locked on certain devices.
The discovery was first brought to light by keen-eyed developer and tipster PaperKing13 on X (formerly Twitter). According to their investigation, even a capable and relatively new device like the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus—a phone you can find on Amazon for around $416—does not officially support the Hyper Island functionality despite being eligible for the HyperOS 3 update.
This suggests that the limitation is not a matter of hardware capability, but a deliberate decision by Xiaomi to reserve this specific feature for its more premium models.
Digging Deeper: The Developer Community Weighs In
The plot thickened when the issue was explored further within the development community. A detailed discussion on the HyperCeiler GitHub page provides technical evidence of this feature lock.
You can see the full technical discussion and evidence on the HyperCeiler GitHub issue here. The findings there confirm that the code for Hyper Island is present in the HyperOS 3 builds for these Redmi Note devices, but a software flag is actively preventing it from being enabled or accessed by the user. This is a classic case of a manufacturer "gating" a feature behind an artificial software wall rather than a hardware limitation.
As pointed out by PaperKing13 in their original post, this creates a fragmented user experience where two people on the same version of HyperOS 3 could have access to a completely different set of features, based solely on the price tag of their phone.
What This Means for Redmi Note Users
The timing of this discovery is particularly frustrating for owners of affected devices. The global rollout for HyperOS 3 is imminent, with the Redmi Note 14 series expected to be in the first batch of devices to receive the update next month. Older models, like the Redmi Note 13 series, are scheduled for an early next year release.
For these users, the excitement of a major OS upgrade is now tempered with the disappointment of knowing it may be a watered-down version. The situation also sets a concerning precedent. If Xiaomi is willing to restrict a core software feature like Hyper Island on capable devices today, what’s to stop them from doing the same with other new HyperOS 3 features tomorrow?
The Bottom Line: A Question of Value and Consistency
Xiaomi has built a massive global following by offering incredible value, often packing high-end specifications into mid-range and budget-friendly devices. Part of that value proposition has historically included a strong and consistent software experience.
This reported block on the Hyper Island feature feels like a departure from that philosophy. While it's understandable that companies create tiers between budget and premium devices, doing so through software locks on universally advertised OS features risks alienating the loyal customer base that helped build the brand. For now, the community is left hoping that Xiaomi reconsiders this strategy and delivers the full, unfragmented HyperOS 3 experience to all eligible devices.
— PaperKing13 (@paperking13) September 27, 2025
After reading the issue on HyperCeiler's repo, I downgraded to the same level that Note 15 Pro+ uses and it's literally just the same as OS2. 😠pic.twitter.com/ZZ2hJpY18o
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