Xiaomi’s HyperOS 3 Beta Copies Apple's Face ID Design

Xiaomi is testing new ideas in the HyperOS 3 beta, and one of the standout tweaks is to Face ID. It’s not a brand-new feature, but it feels different now—more responsive, more polished, and simply easier to live with. Just pick up a phone running the beta and the change is clear. The unlock is quicker, the animation moves more naturally, and the little stutter from earlier builds is gone. It doesn’t reinvent how you use the phone, but it makes the everyday act of unlocking feel less like a chore. Yes we all see that the animations are almost identical to those Apple has implemented on iOS but... who really cares?

Xiaomi says the feature is now about 30% faster. In practice, the phone does unlock almost instantly, with no awkward pause. That alone makes the experience smoother.

The design is cleaner too. Battery and signal icons are sharper, and clutter has been reduced. You can see key information at a glance without distraction.

Animations have also been reworked. Transitions blur and flow more fluidly, giving the system a more premium look. The interface even responds more directly to taps, swipes, or just your gaze. Each change may be small, but together they make Face ID feel more dependable.

HyperOS 3 isn’t only about security. The beta also adds call and SMS integration with iPhones. For people who use both platforms, this could be a real help. It won’t replace iMessage, but it narrows the gap a little.

Other touches—like modernized icons and more consistent UI feedback—round out the package. None of these updates are dramatic on their own, but they show Xiaomi is focusing on polish, not just headline features.

Right now, the improved Face ID is limited to HyperOS 3 beta testers running Android 15 and 16. Xiaomi has said the changes will roll out in stable builds later, though timing will depend on model and market. If you don’t mind the risks of unfinished software, you can join the beta through Xiaomi’s official channels.

The update is a reminder that progress isn’t always about giant leaps. Sometimes the most meaningful change is simply making a feature faster, smoother, and more reliable.