Dvij Kotadia | 7 May 2025 11:43 AM
Tecno is gearing up to give its smartphones a fresh lick of paint and a brain boost with the upcoming rollout of HiOS 15, its latest Android-based operating system. Designed with a keen eye on the needs of users in India, this update isn't just about flashy visuals; Tecno says it aims to make its phones more intuitive, personalised, and culturally relevant, packing in practical AI features and performance enhancements. The company is emphasizing its 'Made in India, Made for India' commitment, even collaborating with Indian AI outfits like Sarvam AI to ensure features resonate locally.
So what goodies does HiOS 15 bring? On the performance front, expect a cleaner experience with 40% fewer pre-installed apps, snappier navigation thanks to an improved Animation Engine, and smoother multitasking via MemFusion 3.0 (claiming over 25 apps can run simultaneously without slowdown). Under-the-hood tweaks like Memory Defragmentation and Sensory Scheduling 2.0 promise continued optimisation. Privacy gets a boost too, with a 'Blank Data' feature designed to shield your real info from prying apps. Oh, and there’s a quirky 'Wireless Mic Mode' letting you use your phone as a mic connected to a speaker – instant PA system!
The star of the show seems to be 'Ella AI', Tecno's enhanced digital assistant. Ella speaks Hindi out of the box (with Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Marathi planned via OTA updates this year) and boasts features like real-time call translation/summaries (even for WhatsApp calls), auto-answering calls with smart summaries when you're busy, and AI noise suppression to make your voice crystal clear. Ella can also summarise or rewrite documents and even convert handwritten notes to editable files. Add AI Screen Awareness for contextual help, and Ella sounds quite capable.
Creative types get some AI love too, with AI Eraser 2.0 and Image Extender for voice-controlled photo editing, an AI Wallpaper Generator, Vogue Portraits, and AI Sharpness Plus for fixing blurry pics offline. Even sharing screenshots gets smarter with AI Blurring automatically obscuring private details. Alongside these AI tricks, HiOS 15 brings a refreshed UI with new animations, Picture-in-Picture support, and a redesigned control panel, all while reducing bloatware on upcoming devices. Keep an eye out for the rollout soon!