Xiaomi has officially published the list of models that will be the first to receive the new Soft Light Glass visual effect as part of the upcoming HyperOS 4 update. The list was released for the Chinese market; however, according to the editorial team's assessment, since device selection is based on chipset capabilities rather than market preferences, equivalent global versions of the smartphones and gadgets should also gain access to the new feature. The effect is largely inspired by Apple's Liquid Glass interface and involves complex graphical rendering with interactive light transitions, making it demanding on the hardware.
Technical Limitations and Selection Criteria
The company explicitly states that the Soft Light Glass effect will not be available on all devices even at the beta-testing stage. According to Xiaomi, the interface element requires further optimization, so it will initially be unlocked only on models with Snapdragon 8 Elite and above, Dimensity 9500 and above, as well as Xring O1 and above. It is precisely this chipset threshold that determines the composition of the first wave of the beta program, not the sales geography or price segment.
Beta Geography and Global Release Prospects
At present, the effect is already being rolled out on devices included in the first batch of the HyperOS 4 beta testing, but the program is currently limited to the Chinese market. Global availability is expected to appear in the near future after the firmware is stabilized. In the future, Xiaomi plans to extend Soft Light Glass to many other devices, including older models that did not pass the chipset filter of the first phase.
Contradictory Data
There are discrepancies in emphasis across publications on the topic. On the one hand, a number of outlets (in particular, ixbt.com) highlight in their headlines that the 'glass' effect will ultimately reach even older smartphones. On the other hand, Xiaomi's main text and other sources (3dnews.ru, mobile-review.com, gizmochina.com) emphasize that at the beta stage the feature is limited exclusively to top-tier chipsets — Snapdragon 8 Elite+, Dimensity 9500+ and Xring O1+. Both versions are not mutually exclusive: they refer to different time frames — a limited beta now and a broader rollout, including outdated models, in the future. It is important for readers not to confuse the current beta list with the final list of all supported devices.
What This Means for Users
For owners of current Xiaomi flagships, the Soft Light Glass effect will be a noticeable visual interface update within HyperOS 4, bringing the brand's design closer to the 'glassy' surface trend set by Apple. For owners of older or mid-range models, the update will arrive later and is not guaranteed to the same extent. Thus, Soft Light Glass becomes not just a cosmetic refinement, but a marker of a device's hardware class within the Xiaomi ecosystem.
