Xiaomi’s next flagship may borrow a powerful audio trick from an old rival

It looks like Xiaomi is digging into the mobile phone history books for its next flagship release. Ahead of the anticipated debut of the Xiaomi 16 series later this year, a new report claims the phones will launch with Nokia’s OZO Audio, a powerful software suite designed to seriously upgrade your video sound. If you’ve ever recorded a video at a concert or a windy beach and been disappointed by the garbled mess you captured, this is a feature you’ll want to pay attention to.For those unfamiliar, OZO Audio isn’t new. It was originally developed for Nokia’s high-end 360-degree cameras before making its way to smartphones from brands like Asus, Oppo, and OnePlus. The software is a bundle of clever tools: “Audio Zoom” lets you focus in on a specific sound source, “Audio Windscreen” digitally cuts out wind noise, and “3D Audio” captures a more immersive, spatial soundscape. It’s a robust package that has proven its worth in improving the quality of on-device audio recording.

Leaked code making reference to the new audio features. | Image credit — Xiaomitime

This move feels like Xiaomi is playing a bit of catch-up. Apple, for instance, has had a similar feature called “Audio Zoom” on its iPhones for years. It automatically enhances the sound of the subject you’re visually zooming in on, making it a seamless part of the video recording experience. Google Pixel has a similar feature as well called “Speech Enhancement.” While OZO’s collection of features might be more comprehensive on paper, other manufacturers’ implementation has set a high bar for this kind of smart audio capture.

That said, I think that adding OZO Audio is a smart and practical move for Xiaomi. It enhances the pro-level camera systems on its flagship phones, giving content creators a more complete toolkit. The best news is that this won’t be exclusive to the new Xiaomi 16 series. The report indicates that the feature will also roll out to older flagships like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Xiaomi 15 series via a HyperOS 3 update. It’s a welcome upgrade that adds tangible value, even if it’s built on a technology that’s been making the rounds for years.

“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!

Good news everyone! Over the past year we’ve been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we’re thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.

“Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips” is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below!

LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS HERE

Continue Reading