Paranoid Android comes to Redmi K20 & Mi 9

Tinkering with devices might not be as exciting as back in the day when Android vendors had some of the most abhorring custom skin overlays. Today, companies have matured software-wise and developed some amazing custom skins – good enough for Google to borrow some features for stock Android.

Some companies like Huawei even think their software has matured enough that users need not to unlock the bootloader of their devices and perhaps install a custom ROM they favor. Still, fans of rooting devices will know that not all other Android smartphone vendors are mod-friendly.

Over time, Xiaomi has become one of the most developer-friendly smartphone vendors. It’s easy to unlock the bootloader of any Xiaomi smartphone and install a custom ROM that you feel like. But of course, you must first request permission to unlock the device from the company.

If you own either Xiaomi Redmi K20/Mi 9T or Xiaomi Mi 9 and would like to do away with MIUI 10 and instead try something new and refreshing, there is some good news. As of this writing, folks at Paranoid Android have officially ported the ROM to the two (three?) handsets.

Paranoid Android Pie beta build for the Xiaomi Mi 9T and Redmi K20 is now available!
Source

As you can see from the tweet above, Paranoid Android for Redmi K20, otherwise known as Xiaomi Mi 9T in other markets, is still in beta. The download file is already available for grabs, but be sure you know what you are getting into before heading the custom ROM way.

In case you didn’t know, Xiaomi Mi 9T is the same as the Redmi K20. As a result, they share the same Paranoid Android ROM. It’s ironic that Xiaomi is the same company that once aimed a jibe at Huawei for releasing the same phone under different names in various markets, yet here we are.

Also on the receiving end of Paranoid Android ROM support is the standard Xiaomi Mi 9. Like the others, the current ROM is available in beta, so it’s not something that everyone would want to download and install now. Still, it’s in good shape, if you can deal with a few bugs here and there.

If your Redmi K20/Mi 9T or Xiaomi Mi 9 has a locked bootloader, you can apply to unlock it through this page. Also, there is a whole thread on unlocking bootloaders on Xiaomi devices that you can check out here.

While Paranoid Android confirmed the availability of the custom ROM for users of Redmi K20, there was no mention of the superior Redmi K20 Pro. Understandably, owners of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855-powered handset enquired about if and when the device will get support for the AOSP-based custom ROM.

This is definitely some good news for those who would like to try Paranoid Android ROM on their Redmi K20 Pro. But once again, you’ll have to unlock your device’s bootloader for this to work. Unfortunately, as seen in the shot above, the developer says it’ll take some time before the ROM arrives.

Yes, we are. But it will take a bit more.
Source

It’s worth noting that unlocking your bootloader might tamper with a few things on your phone. Besides breaking the warranty, you may also lose things like support for Widevine L1 needed for streaming HD videos from platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, so be sure you want this.

On the brighter side, Xiaomi Mi 9T users recently reported that unlocking the bootloader of the device doesn’t affect the support for Widevine L1, so it should be good news for Redmi K20 users who want to try the Paranoid Android ROM and keep streaming HD videos.

Download links

• Device: Redmi K20/Mi 9T
• Codename: davinci
• Channel: Global (India) Beta
• Version: BETA-20190807
• Android: 9
  • Type: Recovery
    • Download: Link

• Device: Xiaomi Mi 9
• Codename: cepheus
• Channel: Global (India) Beta
• Version: BETA-20190807
• Android: 9
  • Type: Recovery
    • Download: Link

NOTE: For more coverage related to Xiaomi, be it news, rumors, tips & tricks, and so on, click here.

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