Apple’s groundbreaking decision to ditch iOS 19 in favor of iOS 26 has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, with many wondering if other manufacturers, including Xiaomi, will follow suit.
To be more precise, Apple is introducing a year-based naming scheme in which software versions reflect the calendar year in which they will be primarily used, making iOS 26 the next major update, despite the fact that iOS 18 is currently in use.
This bold move raises an intriguing question – could Xiaomi adopt a similar strategy and upgrade from HyperOS 2 immediately to HyperOS 26?
While HyperOS 3 is currently under development with an expected release in October 2025, the Chinese tech giant may well consider complying with the new iOS version numbering policy.
HyperOS 3 is expected to be released in October, following Xiaomi’s usual release calendar, which coincides with the launches of flagship smartphones. The new version of HyperOS will be built on Android 16 (details) and promises significant improvements for the entire Xiaomi device ecosystem.
However, all this is the speculation of numerous insiders, and it is highly doubtful that Xiaomi will radically change the version numbering of its proprietary software.
P.S. We collect all the most interesting information about the new version of the HyperOS 3 software platform here, and all the most interesting news about HyperOS can be found in this section.