Xiaomi Is Slyly Pushing Ads All over MIUI and There’s No Way out

[Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 17:03
Last edited 26/09/2018 - 17:22

Well it's been a while since my last thread on this issue, but it looks like it's happening now after the trial period where random users were selected to receive ads on their phone.

Old Thread

Android Authority Article - There's No Way Out

Unlike Amazon, Xiaomi doesn’t sell an ad-free option or charge to turn them off. As it stands, there’s no straightforward way of getting rid of them.

The pushback the company might see after this move might make it alter its approach, but as a public company, Xiaomi is far more beholden to its revenues and profit margins.

Hopefully, Xiaomi will share more details about the move and offer a more transparent insight into its business model. The company also has to allay the doubts of users wondering if the advertising push impacts performance or data usage.

Nobody likes seeing a random ad selling life insurance slyly embedded across their smartphone. Xiaomi can do better.

I should probably chime in that the recurring revenue from people continuing to watch ads rather than doing an in-app purchase or buying the pro version; is higher and provides revenue in perpetuity. The option is only there because most developers don't want to annoy their customers.

Most importantly I see this paragraph

Xiaomi doesn’t make five percent net profit on hardware yet anyway — it may never. According to Counterpoint Research, Xiaomi makes an approximate $2 of profit per device, which is a little over one percent considering the average selling price of a Xiaomi smartphone is less than $150.

Is the strategy to use advertising to generate that 5%? Phones which are exported will generate much higher revenue than those in the local market due to the money the advertisers are willing to pay. Phones with the global version should be cheaper, but I doubt that will happen.

Found a video that explains the ads don't appear immediately but upon more use of the phone, which suggests some selection algorithm.

Geekyranjit - Youtube Video

Mobile Mobile Phone Xiaomi

Related Stores

mi.com
mi.com

Comments

  • Salmando on 26/09/2018 - 17:14
    +1

    Seems to be region based for now, not getting anything on mine.

    Won't be a huge problem for me, if it gets intrusive then bye bye miui

    • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 17:24

      Yeah, I couldn't actually work out what was causing it over a year ago.

      I still subscribe to the belief there is something that selects users who are unlucky enough to get ads, myself being one of them… I was actually one of the first to receive those ads, which I think is strange, maybe because I was highly profitable to advertisers.

      I wonder what data they have on me, including whether I am a business owner… (which I am)

      • supersabroso on 26/09/2018 - 21:54

        The first phone had malware which kept popping up ads (probably because I didn't buy from a good supplier). Turned this off but it wouldn't let me uninstall it so I rooted the phone and uninstalled it.

        The next phones have an "enable ads that suit me" option when you first go through the Mi account settings. Just turn that off and all good. Runs like the flagship phones at 1/5 of the price.

        • Salmando on 27/09/2018 - 10:31

          I think I remember distinctly allowing the "enable ads that suit me" option, because to me it was a "we'll collect your data and try to give you relevant ads" vs "we'll display random ads". Didn't cross my mind that less ads would appear.

          I might be getting ads where I wasn't before on the 'app scanner' that appears after installing an app. I'm pretty convinced it doesn't do anything anyway, so I'll disable it if I can remember.

          @VPNwasteofcash
          Out of curiosity, which region have/had you selected for your phone?

          • [Deactivated] on 29/09/2018 - 18:02

            @Salmando: Singapore. o_O

  • HighAndDry on 26/09/2018 - 17:14

    The pushback the company might see after this move might make it alter its approach, but as a public company, Xiaomi is far more beholden to its revenues and profit margins.

    Yeah but revenues and profit margins are themselves beholden to PR and customer loyalty and feedback. Xiaomi isn't stupid. If enough people care enough, they'll adapt. It'll continue only if people don't really mind… which is almost always the case. A very vocal minority cares, and splashes it across the internet, but the great majority of people generally don't mind (or care) and just don't speak up.

  • SydStrand on 26/09/2018 - 17:55

    Picked up a Mi A2 with Android One. Xiaomi makes great quality devices, but this gave me another reason to avoid MIUI

    • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 20:15
      +2

      Yup, same here. Used to have an A1, and a Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, etc. before that.

      They have before the Nexus equivalent for me now.

  • Clear on 26/09/2018 - 18:42

    Given enough pressure they should crack. The whole reason they introduced locked bootloaders (and the service to unlock them) was because 3rd parties were flashing custom ROMs onto their phones that contained malware including ads before selling to the consumer. However in saying that the difference now is the ads are giving Xiaomi revenue instead of these 3rd parties.

  • usmanyousaf on 26/09/2018 - 18:43
    +1

    I have been using Xiaomi Mi5s from last 2 years & recently started using Xiaomi Mi 8 (3 months). Initially I had ads showing up…but once I disabled them. Never had one.

  • nocure on 26/09/2018 - 20:35
    +1

    Mines all clear MIUI 9.6

  • kahn on 26/09/2018 - 20:35

    You could try using the Blokada app.

    • Polde on 26/09/2018 - 22:40

      I tried that for a bit, but found it drained my battery fairly quickly.

  • Diji1 on 26/09/2018 - 22:12
    +2

    Personally I won't be buying another Xiaomi phone, there are better devices for the same price that don't include advertising.

    • LeoZ on 27/09/2018 - 00:42

      what phone is that?

      • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2018 - 06:47

        Take two tin cans, and several thousand lengths of string?

  • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2018 - 23:54
    +1

    Never had an issue with MIUI international Rom.
    Do some homework and flash a official international rom.
    Btw, my personal exp. with google stock rom on Nexus 5 was the horrible.
    I will never touch google phone or stock rom again.

    • Salmando on 27/09/2018 - 10:34

      Becoming less of an option for some, as some of the newer phone's can't be locked again after flash.

      • Davo1111 on 27/09/2018 - 13:59

        why is this an issue though?

        I've never sold a second hand phone, thats the only reason i can think of.

        • Salmando on 27/09/2018 - 15:31

          Some apps don't work easily. Netflix can be a hassle, and Google pay won't work. Any app that requires a 'secured' phone won't work.

          • Davo1111 on 27/09/2018 - 15:33

            @Salmando: ahh ok, those things dont effect me (i dont use them rather than i have a workaround).

            I think there is a root cloak app that might help. but they can be annoying

            • Salmando on 27/09/2018 - 15:35

              @Davo1111: Yeah there is, but I think they're still having issues with Google pay at least. Though the phones I want don't have nfc anyway.

              I'll be looking more into it when the mi mix 3 gets released

  • Davo1111 on 27/09/2018 - 06:42

    xiaomi.eu

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