Second space feature is uniqoe to Xiaomi and truly makes you feel like you have two completely separate phones in one device. This Xiaomi implementation of Android multiple accounts feature is by far the most elegant and user-friendly.
The second space feature is the only reason I continue to buy Xiaomi phones. Otherwise nothing really differentiates Xiaomi significantly from competitors.
I am discovering more and more bugs and missing features in recent versions of second space. Examples:
Cannot adust display size (stuck at Small and can’t change it). I am vision impaired so this is important to me.
Missing ability to set power saving options for apps installed in second space.
Missing ability to adjust notifications sound volume in second space.
Buggy handling of notification sounds when switching between spaces.
All this is causing me to wonder whether Xiaomi has ababdoned this feature and is no longer maintaining or updating it?
Would appreciate hearing from other second space users about this.
I was not aware of Oppo/OnePlus/Realme “System Clone” feature. It sounds very similar to the functionality provided by Xiaomi “Second Space”.
Does System Clone have settings to enable/disable notificatiosn to cross the main system / cloned system boundary?
Bare Android has a multiple accounts feature, but it is clunky in comparison. The most clunky aspect is that it is not possible to directly go from the lock screen to one or the other environments based on PIN ofr fingerprint. Instead, you have to sign in to the environment you were in when you locked the screen, then take appropriate actions to switch to the other environment. At least that was the case when i tried multiple accounts feature in Android 11.
The feeling I have is that the Second Space feature is very low priority for Xialomi, as evidenced by the examples I provided in my original post. All these features were avaialbe in older versions of Second Space that were part of older versions of the Xiaomi skin called MIUI. Xiaomi have since transitioned to a skin called HyperOS and it seems that a lot of Second Space features have fallen by the wayside as a result of this transition. The most exasperating deficiency to me is that Second Space no longer allows the user to change the display size under Accessibility. The setting is stuck on Small and cannot be changed. I have contacted Xiaomi repeatedly about this but it never gets fixed.
Another important feature that fell by the wayside and I failed to mention in my original post. Older versions of Second Space provided a tool to tranfer photos and files vetween between First Space and Second Space (in both directions). This feature is completely missing in the current version of Second Space.
In any case, thanks for making me aware that there is an alternative to Xiaomi Second Space. I will definitely look into “System Clone”.