[Update: April 19] Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S call audio issue likely fixed in latest Android 11 (MIUI 12) update

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

Original story (published on April 14, 2021) follows:

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is nearly a perfect device that offers everything even an enthusiast could ask for and more at a ridiculously low price. The device may have now been superseded by the Redmi Note 10 Pro but continues to be the champ it always was.

With its Snapdragon 720G processor, 48 MP camera, and an HDR10 supporting display, the Redmi Note 9S is still no slouch even in 2021. However, there is one issue with the device that tarnishes its image.

Users have been reporting that the Redmi Note 9S’s earpiece audio output is terribly low, so much so that the other party is barely audible.

This issue goes both ways as several users also observed that the microphone on the Redmi Note 9S is highly insensitive due to which they were barely audible to the other party on calls.

But what is extremely disheartening is the fact that the issue is a long withstanding one with hundreds of complaints spanning a period of almost a year.

Complainants on the forums were always assured by various mods that the matter has already been escalated and hence a bug-fixing update would roll out soon.

However, the promised update never really materialized due to which all hope was set on the upcoming MIUI 12.5 update that is touted to bring a bunch of device-specific optimizations.

Still, one can’t deny that Xiaomi indeed messed up in this case. Being one of the most popular smartphone brands on the planet means that they have huge resources at their disposal. Yet the time the OEM is taking to fix a bug like this is laughable.

Nonetheless, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel as the latest MIUI 12.0.1.7 update based on Android 11 is now testing a fix for the call audio issue on the Redmi Note 9S.

Funnily, the build was mistakenly pushed out for Mi Pilot Testers due to ‘server issues’ when it was actually meant to be an internal test build.

If you are one of the testers that actually updated to the build, then worry not for you will still receive OTAs over it.

And if you are not a part of the Pilot Testing program, then flashing the build isn’t recommended as the build is prone to bugs and is not intended for normal users. You might also run into errors when attempting an installation.

Still, it is great to see that the low in-call volume issue through earpiece on the Redmi Note 9S has finally been addressed. Or is at least being worked upon.

If all goes well, one should see another build with similar fixes/optimizations roll out widely. Of course, we will continue tracking this matter so stay tuned to PiunikaWeb.

02:49 pm (IST): According to a forum mod, a patch has been made to fix the Redmi Note 9s call issue. This may be merged with a future Mi Pilot build.

PiunikaWeb started purely as an investigative tech journalism website with a main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Fox News, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, MacRumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.