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Is Xiaomi abandoning Second Space feature? (lemdro.id)

submitted 2 months ago by DarioR@lemdro.id to c/xiaomi@lemdro.id

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Second space feature is uniqoe to Xiaomi and truly makes you feel like you have two completely separate phones in one device. This Xiaomi implementation of Android multiple accounts feature is by far the most elegant and user-friendly.

The second space feature is the only reason I continue to buy Xiaomi phones. Otherwise nothing really differentiates Xiaomi significantly from competitors.

I am discovering more and more bugs and missing features in recent versions of second space. Examples:

Cannot adust display size (stuck at Small and can't change it). I am vision impaired so this is important to me.

Missing ability to set power saving options for apps installed in second space.

Missing ability to adjust notifications sound volume in second space.

Buggy handling of notification sounds when switching between spaces.

All this is causing me to wonder whether Xiaomi has ababdoned this feature and is no longer maintaining or updating it?

Would appreciate hearing from other second space users about this.

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[–] GamerBoy705@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (3 children)

How does Second Space work? Oppo/OnePlus/realme phones have a feature called "System Clone" which sounds similar.

It is essentially a secondary user in your phone but it's very low key and helpful to protect your privacy from other people who might access your phone. You can access the System Clone by inputting a different PIN or Password from your main user's password. You can even set up different fingerprints for your main user and the system clone.

So depending on the fingerprint or PIN/password you enter, you enter either the main user or the System Clone. It also seamlessly transfers you to the main user if someone else enters your main user PIN while you had the phone locked in the System Clone user.

[–] DarioR@lemdro.id 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I was not aware of Oppo/OnePlus/Realme "System Clone" feature. It sounds very similar to the functionality provided by Xiaomi "Second Space".

Does System Clone have settings to enable/disable notificatiosn to cross the main system / cloned system boundary?

Bare Android has a multiple accounts feature, but it is clunky in comparison. The most clunky aspect is that it is not possible to directly go from the lock screen to one or the other environments based on PIN ofr fingerprint. Instead, you have to sign in to the environment you were in when you locked the screen, then take appropriate actions to switch to the other environment. At least that was the case when i tried multiple accounts feature in Android 11.

The feeling I have is that the Second Space feature is very low priority for Xialomi, as evidenced by the examples I provided in my original post. All these features were avaialbe in older versions of Second Space that were part of older versions of the Xiaomi skin called MIUI. Xiaomi have since transitioned to a skin called HyperOS and it seems that a lot of Second Space features have fallen by the wayside as a result of this transition. The most exasperating deficiency to me is that Second Space no longer allows the user to change the display size under Accessibility. The setting is stuck on Small and cannot be changed. I have contacted Xiaomi repeatedly about this but it never gets fixed.

Another important feature that fell by the wayside and I failed to mention in my original post. Older versions of Second Space provided a tool to tranfer photos and files vetween between First Space and Second Space (in both directions). This feature is completely missing in the current version of Second Space.

In any case, thanks for making me aware that there is an alternative to Xiaomi Second Space. I will definitely look into "System Clone".

[–] GamerBoy705@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Does System Clone have settings to enable/disable notificatiosn to cross the main system / cloned system boundary?

Yes, there is an option to receive notifications from the other user while you're in one user. You can enable your clone user notifications to show up in your main user or enable your main user notifications to show up in your clone user or both.

The most clunky aspect is that it is not possible to directly go from the lock screen to one or the other environments based on PIN ofr fingerprint.

This is exactly what I like about System Clone. You can just simply enter a PIN or use a fingerprint on any lockscreen (on either user) and it'll take you to the appropriate user that you've set them for.

The most exasperating deficiency to me is that Second Space no longer allows the user to change the display size under Accessibility.

That is an odd thing to limit you from changing. With System Clone, you can have completely different fonts and font sizes in either user.

Older versions of Second Space provided a tool to tranfer photos and files vetween between First Space and Second Space (in both directions).

You can do it here both ways just fine, but it's a bit clunky since it doesn't bring up an actual file picker and instead you have to scroll through a very basic file lister which has no search or sort options.

It is likely that Xiaomi will get around to revamping the Second Space for Hyper OS and your problems could be solved. But who knows if or when it will happen. This likely isn't a priority for them, with all the other stuff they have to fix.

If you value this feature a lot, you could probably get any Oppo/OnePlus/realme phone. It is extremely helpful for me.

[–] DarioR@lemdro.id 2 points 1 month ago

Thanks for your feedback. Sounds like OnePlus System Clone is what Xiaomi Second Space used to be way back in MIUI 11, before they started dumbing it down. A high functioning version of this feature is important to me, so I will definitely look at OnePlus/Oppo/Realme for my next phone upgrade. Sure wish OnePlus made a more compact phone line.