Xiaomi Explains Why It No Longer Allows Mi A1, Mi A2, and Mi A2 Lite Users to Roll Back from Android Pie

Xiaomi Mi A1, Mi A2, and Mi A2 Lite are no longer be able to downgrade from Android 9.0 Pie to Android Oreo, the company has announced through an MIUI forum post. The company says that the reason behind blocking the Android One devices from rolling back to previous versions is the arrival of "many irreversible updates to the system" through Android Pie. These updates are claimed to be capable of bringing issues to the devices. The move comes just after the Beijing-headquartered company released an Android 9.0 Pie update for the Mi A1 and the Mi A2 earlier this month.

"Since Android P brings many irreversible updates to the system, rolling back to previous versions may cause errors and defects, which can have an adverse effect on the normal functioning of your device," Xiaomi wrote in an MIUI forum post.

Xiaomi didn't elaborate what irreversible updates are available through Android Pie that might cause issues to the Android One devices. However, it appears that the company is pointing towards the Rollback Protection feature that Google announced at its I/O developer conference earlier this year.

Notably, Xiaomi had brought updates to its MIUI-based Redmi 5 Note and Redmi Note 5 Pro with anti-rollback protection switched on back in July. It also in September brought an Android Pie beta with anti-rollback protection for the Mi 8.

Earlier this month, Xiaomi released an Android 9.0 Pie update for the Mi A1. The company also brought Android Pie to the Mi A2 last month just days after kickstarting its beta testing with a small batch of users.

The Xiaomi Mi A1, Mi A2, and Mi A2 Lite all are a part of Google's Android One programme that is meant to deliver speedier updates and pure Android experience. However, the Chinese giant hasn't so far managed to majorly deliver a bug-free software update experience. The company initially rolled out Android 8.0 Oreo update to the Mi A1 in late December last year, but it suspended that update in a short while due to stability issues.