Huawei EMUI 11: new features, release date, compatible phones, all the information about the new interface

A “customized” environment, sometimes called a fork, layer or simply an interface, is present on all Android smartphones, with a few rare exceptions. On the Samsung side, we see, for example, One UI. On OnePlus, it is OxygenOS that excites all the brand’s smartphones, while on Xiaomi we benefit from an interface called MIUI. Each one offers many features not found in stock Android: it allows you to personalize the environment, use components specific to the smartphone model, etc.

Designed for Huawei smartphones and tablets. EMUI interface specific to the Chinese brand, which is currently experiencing many glitches. Despite the ban on all business with Google and the resulting restrictions on Android and Google Mobile Services, Huawei does not forget its users. The brand continues to improve its skin and now offers it in version 11 for its devices. This is why EMUI 11 is coming ! We have already had the opportunity to test it, so we are evaluating all its new features, its release date and the models that can benefit from it.

When will EMUI 11 be released?

The new interface is already available to beta testers. If we refer to the schedule usually observed by Huawei, the final version should be distributed to all compatible smartphones by the end of the year / beginning of next year.

Which smartphones are compatible with EMUI 11?

Currently, only a few devices are compatible with EMUI 11 beta. Here is the list:

• Huawei Mate 30
• Huawei Mate 30 Pro
• Huawei P40
• Huawei P40 Pro
• Huawei P40 Pro+

Huawei has made it clear to us that for now only these devices will be able to receive the EMUI 11 beta, while others will not. On the other hand, we can hope that once the interface is fully finalized, other smartphone models will also benefit from EMUI 11. Let’s hope that the P30 series (for example) will benefit from the new interface very soon.

An interface based on Android 10

Although Google has announced that the final version of Android 11 is available, the question arises: is EMUI 11 based on the latest version of Google’s operating system or has Huawei been forced to revert to the old version? The answer may not satisfy those who hope to benefit from the many innovations that Android 11 brings to Huawei smartphones: whether it is a beta version or a final version, EMUI 11 is based on Android 10. Why such a choice when there is Android 11? Has it been available in beta for several months and the final version has just been released?

A few days before the final release of Android 11, we asked Huawei the following question and got the following answer: “Android 11 is currently in beta. It is not finalized yet and therefore we have developed the new version of EMUI completely on Android 10. The final version of EMUI 11 will also be based on Android 10, we do not intend to redevelop everything. Therefore, we will have to wait for the next version of EMUI to benefit from Android 11.”

This choice remains surprising because Huawei had already started releasing a beta test version of EMUI 10 under Android 10 around the same time last year. Surely there was a timing issue?

List of new features in EMUI 11

Always On Display becomes customizable

The AOD mode (called Screen Theme Off on Huawei phones) has been enriched with a small feature that allows you to better personalize the screen display. You can now integrate a picture, video or animated GIF on this screen. It is possible to add your own photos or videos if Huawei offers certain images by default.

To access this new feature, simply go to Settings > Home screen & wallpaper > Turn off screen theme.

Gallery app has been enriched with a small new feature

The Gallery app has been improved: albums now benefit from the new 4:3 viewing mode. Huawei also explains that the Photos tab now benefits from a monthly or daily viewing mode (to zoom in or out on a photo, pinch the screen with two fingers). For us, this functionality was already available in older versions of EMUI and the Photos app.

Transitions are improving

Huawei has optimized its system for animations this time by taking the “human factor” into account. This makes transition animations smoother and more discreet so as not to distract the user when an element moves on the screen.

More animated icons

With EMUI 11, at least 17 icons benefit from the new look and new animations. These include the 5G icon, microphone, phone number dialing icon, night mode, etc.

Vibration mode synchronizes with ringtone

You must have noticed that when the vibration mode is activated and the phone starts ringing, the vibrations emitted by the smartphone are always the same. Huawei decided to change all this and synchronize the vibrator with the ringtone. Therefore, the vibrations match the ringtone selected by the user, which is a very good idea. Luckily, this is the only new feature that is not currently available on our test model. In any case, we will update this article when a new beta or final version of EMUI 11 becomes available.

A more well-thought-out multi-window mode

As Huawei describes it, multi-window makes it easier to “multitask with floating windows, screen partitioning, or a combination of the two.”
With EMUI 11, developers have redesigned how apps can be displayed side by side or on top of each other. Until now, in EMUI 10, it was possible to place an app in a window instead of displaying it in full screen. It is enough to offer the user a multi-window mode and allow them to perform various tasks on the screen. On the other hand, it was not possible to display one app overlaid on top of another without blocking the use of the app below.

Huawei has finally found a solution to this tricky problem: it is now possible to display an application, such as the SMS-specific application, in a small, hidden and semi-transparent bubble. So if you are playing a game, you can look at all your messages without interrupting your games. You even have the possibility to reply to the message you just received, the operation itself requires a good eye and some manual dexterity.

Second new feature: It is now possible to adjust the screen size of an app in windowed mode. To do this, simply click on one of the left or right corners at the bottom of the app window.

It is possible to display multiple smartphone windows on the PC screen

Here again with EMUI 11 Huawei improves the features already present in the previous version of its interface. Thus, the Multi-Screen Collaboration mode is now in version 3.0 and now allows several windows from the smartphone to be displayed on a single computer screen.

For example, you can start a video on your Huawei phone, open your browser, and have two apps appear in two separate windows on your computer.

Note that this feature is exclusive to Huawei PCs, in this case MateBooks.