Themed icons in Xiaomi HyperOS: Will it arrive in HyperOS 3?

That “Beta” label is no longer applied to the Themed Icons toggle within Wallpaper & Style with the arrival of Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2. It might be a very minor adjustment but an important milestone for a feature which has grown into functionalities little by little since first becoming available in Android 12. Which, of course, raises several questions for the future update regarding HyperOS for Xiaomi users-whether it will include a Themed Icons feature or even Xiaomi HyperOS 3. Now, let’s get into details.

The Journey of Themed Icons

The Themed Icons feature was initially part of Material You when it launched in Android 12. At that time, the feature was very rudimentary and its list of supported app icons was hardcoded. That made it much less flexible and functional than it would be if it actually supported a wide range of icons. It was even labeled as a “Beta” feature since it was more about being a proof of concept than an actual system feature.

But then, Android 13 came along and gave a proper API for Themed Icons that finally allowed developers to make their app icons compatible with system-wide themes. The thing is that it has remained in Beta for more than two years, which cast many doubts on its stability and wide adoption. That is no longer the case now, since Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2 finally removes the Beta label, which means Google thinks the feature is ready for wide and official use.

What does this mean for Xiaomi HyperOS?

Well, Xiaomi’s HyperOS, being the skin based on Android but optimized and with its own design language, started implementing Material You elements. While, in particular, the Xiaomi devices running on HyperOS have adopted features from that, such as dynamic themes and UI customizable components, the themed Icons feature has not fully occurred in Xiaomi’s ecosystem. Now that Google has stabilized this feature, its integration into HyperOS is highly likely. Xiaomi generally rolls out such features in phases:

1. Beta Testing: Features first of all show up in HyperOS beta builds for selected devices.
2. Stable Release: The feature goes into stable HyperOS releases once validated.

Now that Themed Icons is no longer a Beta feature in Android 15, the floodgates are now open for Xiaomi to implement this into HyperOS 2-which is expected to roll out globally soon-or maybe even with HyperOS 3, which could coincide with the release of the next flagship line, the Xiaomi 16 series.

Themed Icons Matter for HyperOS Users

1. Unified Aesthetic Experience: Themed Icons allow app icons to change color in line with system-wide color schemes for a harmonious and good-looking homescreen. This will help complete the look and feel of HyperOS for users on Xiaomi that value consistency in design.

1. More Customization: Xiaomi has long been pushing personalization, allowing users to customize themes, font types, wallpapers, and the look of lock screens; themed icons would add another layer of the same coin, fitting perfectly into Xiaomi’s approach.
2. Alignment with Android Standards: With Themed Icons, Xiaomi makes sure that HyperOS remains competitive and follows Android design standards to give users the best of both worlds: Google’s innovation and Xiaomi’s optimizations.

HyperOS 2 or HyperOS 3: When Can We Expect It?

Given the timeline for Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2, which no longer carries the Beta designation, Themed Icons are unlikely to make it into the first stable releases of HyperOS 2. Xiaomi can, however, publish it later with system updates, especially as more applications use the Themed Icon API.

On the other hand, HyperOS 3, coming in 2025, will probably include Themed Icons as a system feature by default, making the experience much smoother. The next-generation software update from Xiaomi is going to further refine its UI, and Google’s fully mature Themed Icons would be just what fits into this vision.

The way forward for Xiaomi and themed icons And with the removal of the Beta label in Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2, Themed Icons are now ready to head to mainstream usage. By that time this hits Xiaomi, their version, HyperOS, will boast an implementation of a feature that fits the bill by bringing forth a marriage of both design consistency and user customization. While we may not see the full implementation in the very first release of HyperOS 2, this feature could well make its way to subsequent updates or be one of the highlights of HyperOS 3. The future looks bright for Xiaomi users in relation to how HyperOS will keep evolving, matching up with Android and taking the best from Google’s features with Xiaomi optimization. More updates on Xiaomi HyperOS and its future features coming soon!

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