User leaves Xiaomi after eight years due to software

User leaves Xiaomi after eight years due to software

Is it worth staying loyal to a brand whose operating system treats you like an advertising billboard? After four and a half years with a Redmi 9T and a cracked screen from a fall, a consumer decided not to buy Xiaomi again. He switched to a €99 Motorola G05 with "super clean" Android and claims he is "happier than ever." The trigger was not the hardware: it was the customization layer.

The complaint is not new, but the volume of testimonials accumulating around it is. The problem is not that the phone breaks, but what comes inside: ads even in the file browser and dozens of pre-installed apps that cannot be removed via normal means. "Xiaomi's Android customization already gave me chills, unbearable," summarizes the author of the message starting the discussion.

What can be uninstalled on Xiaomi and what cannot

A technical answer exists, though it is not the one offered by the manufacturer. Some point out that Xiaomi also allows removing pre-installed apps, but the process is "somewhat more tedious" and requires external tools. Utilities like Universal Debloater or specific platforms for cleaning the system are mentioned, with a clear warning: "you have to be careful because you can brick the phone if you remove something wrong."

That nuance is important. It is not the same to disable a gaming app as to touch a system service. The boundary between "slimming down" the phone and making it unusable is blurred, and anyone trying without experience assumes real risk. The original poster admits he never had "the desire or energy to dive deep into those topics," adding: "let's see if Xiaomi gets the hint."

Motorola, the growing alternative among disillusioned users

The pattern repeats with an insistence that no longer seems coincidental. Several participants say they made the same move: leaving Xiaomi and buying Motorola. One summarizes: "I did the same thing a year ago. I was fed up with Xiaomi after three phones. The first was very good, the second less so, and the third trash." Another adds that the Moto G85 5G was on sale for €165 and states: "I won't buy Chinese phones anymore."

It is worth clearing up a recurring misunderstanding. Motorola is not an independent US company: it has belonged to Lenovo, a Chinese group, for over a decade. Those choosing it to avoid products of Chinese origin are completely mistaken. What Motorola does offer, and this is the key, is much cleaner Android, with fewer layers and fewer imposed applications.

Price as an argument and the low-end trap

The Motorola G05 costs €99. The original poster calls it "crappy" without hesitation, but defends his decision: "it doesn't install games or anything, it's clean as a baby's bottom." He acknowledges he might have stretched the budget, but the result compensates him. The phone has 8+4 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, according to details.

Not everyone shares the enthusiasm. Another participant had the same model and describes it as "pretty crappy." The price range marks real performance differences, and someone coming from a mid-range device may notice the step back. The discussion then shifts to software as the decisive factor: some argue that clean Android on modest hardware feels better than an ad-laden system on superior hardware.

Battery life and long-term support

Longevity is another open front. A participant recounts that his old Xiaomi lasted seven years with the battery holding two days, yet admits that "their customization keeps getting out of hand." Against this, there are testimonials of OPPO lasting six years without issues and Samsung that "flies" after switching. The comparison is not just about brands, but specific models and luck with the unit you get.

Update support comes into play. According to comments in the thread, Motorola announces three years of Android versions and five years of security patches for its recent models. This is a weighty argument for those who don't want to change phones every two years, although it does not match the seven years offered by some high-end ranges.

The market leader paradox

According to a message in the thread, Xiaomi maintains a market share above 30% in Spain, with the Redmi Note series being one of the best-selling. The data is undeniable and explains why the brand remains the majority option in mid-range and budget segments. But it also explains something else: the larger the installed base, the more visible the discontent when the software falls short.

The discussion does not point to a collapse. It points to silent erosion. Those who leave do so because of the operating system, not price or specifications. And those who stay often do so because they cannot find a convincing alternative in the same price range. The day they find it, they will leave. Like the person who started this conversation.