(Yicai) Oct. 18 -- Xiaomi unveiled its new HyperOS operating system yesterday, with founder Lei Jun saying it would be used in the Xiaomi 14 series smartphones, which is expected to be launched next month.

The aim is for HyperOS to be used in devices and applications across the company’s whole product ecology, said Lei, who is also chief executive.

Xiaomi now makes products in over 200 product categories, including autos and smart home devices, he said, adding that the operating systems for all of these are complex and HyperOS was created to make things simpler for users.

The new OS is based partly on Android and also Xiaomi’s Vela Internet of Things software platform. The company did not disclose the share of its self-developed parts. It is not known whether HyperOS will completely remove Android codes in the same way as Huawei’s homegrown HarmonyOS. 

As well as Xiaomi and Huawei, other Chinese handset makers such as Oppo and Vivo Communication Technology have also been developing their own ecology systems. 

On Oct. 8, Xiaomi revealed its latest organizational changes, with its television division merged with handsets. Xiaomi insiders told Yicai that this was probably because its phones will further link up with its TVs in terms of ecological content.  

As of June this year, the number of global monthly active users of Xiaomi’s previous operating system MIUI was 606 million, an annual rise of 10.8 percent. The number of users in the Chinese mainland reached 149 million, up 6.5 percent.

Editors: Shi Yi, Tom Litting