While Xiaomi is known to frequently rollout software updates for its devices, the company takes its own sweet time in updating its devices to the latest version of Android. There are multiple reasons behind this, including the fact that Xiaomi’s MIUI framework and skin are extremely complex, and require a lot of effort to be rebased for a new version of Android.
With the latest version of Android — Lollipop — offering so many new features, it is all but given that owners of Xiaomi’s MI 3 are also waiting impatiently to try it out on their device.
The lack of the kernel source code for Xiaomi’s devices, including the Mi 3, means that there is no way for other developers to create a Lollipop ROM for the devices. Thankfully, a developer over at Xiaomi himself, Ivan, has released a stock Android 5.0 ROM for the Xiaomi Mi 3W and the Xiaomi Mi 2.
The ROM for the Mi 3W only has a few issues including NFC not working, the inability to save videos, and random auto reboots. The auto reboot issue has been plaguing only a few selected users with other users not reporting any similar issue. Comparatively, the Mi 2 Lollipop ROM is in a much better state with no such deal breaking bug.
You can download the stock Android 5.0 Lollipop ROM for the Xiaomi Mi 3W from here, and for the Mi 2/2S from here. Make sure to create a backup of all your data on the device, since installing the ROM requires you to format the phone.
