[Update: Rollout resumes] Xiaomi offers solution to Mi A3 Android 11 update-triggered device bricking problem

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on January 05, 2021) follows:

Xiaomi is not new to post-Android OS software update issues. In fact, no single smartphone vendor is immune to this, but for those rocking Xiaomi Android One devices, it has been a nightmare to forget.

Any one person who has owned one or two of Xiaomi Mi A devices will attest to this. To date, no single Android OS update has been pushed to Mi A devices without rollback episodes due to major bugs.

In the recent past, it was all about the buggy Android 10 update for not just the aging Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite, but also the newer Mi A3, which is now receiving the latest and greatest from Google — Android 11.

And as if having not picked up any lessons from the previous episodes, the Mi A3 Android 11 update is once again going through a similar period.

Following the official rollout on the last day of 2020, reports quickly followed that the update was bricking Mi A3 devices.

As a result, Xiaomi opted to halt the rollout in order to look into the issue. And while at it, the company has also provided a solution that affected Mi A3 owners can turn to.

We are aware of the issue on some Mi A3 devices following a recent Android 11 update. We have since halted the rollout.

We kindly request users who experience this issue to visit any of the 2,000 plus service centers across the country nearer to you wherein a solution will be provided for free unconditionally (within or beyond warranty).

As it stands, affected users are required to visit any official service center for the issue to be addressed. Apparently, a patched-up build V12.0.3.0.RFQMIXM has been availed to service centers to address the issue.

We are aware of the issue on some Mi A3 devices following a recent Android 11 update. We have since halted the rollout. We kindly request users who experience this issue to visit (or mail your device to) any of our service centers where a solution will be provided for free unconditionally(within or beyond warranty) as repaired build V12.0.3.0 RFQMIXM has been provided to them.
Source

There is also another avenue (unofficial) you could use, especially if the turnaround time is too long. For instance, a random developer in Nepal seems to be fixing the issue, details of which can be found in this video.

It is worth mentioning that the solution provided at the service center is free of charge, whether your device is out of warranty or not.

This should be in line with what petitioners at Change.org want in light of the Mi A3 Android 11 update problem.

Despite the swift response, it is still disappointing that Xiaomi went ahead and rolled out a major update to the Mi A3 with an issue of such magnitude.

Hopefully, not so many were affected and that a bug-free version will be released soon.

05:24 pm (IST): It looks like Xiaomi has resumed rolling out the update to Android 11 for Mi A3 units. See more details here.

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