Understanding What is Better, HiOS or XOS?

October 6, 2025 •

4 min read

A single parent company, Transsion Holdings, owns both Tecno and Infinix, the brands behind HiOS and XOS respectively. This shared lineage often leads to confusion, yet recent software updates are creating notable differences, making it worthwhile to ask: what is better, HiOS or XOS?

Quick Summary

A detailed comparison of HiOS (Tecno) and XOS (Infinix), both developed by Transsion Holdings. Examination of user interfaces, performance, AI features, and security sheds light on their distinct user experiences.

Key Points

Shared Development: HiOS (Tecno) and XOS (Infinix) both originate from Transsion Holdings, leading to many overlapping core features.
Performance Focus: HiOS boasts a TÜV SÜD Smoothness Certification and uses advanced memory optimizations like MemFusion for a consistently smooth experience.
Customization King: XOS emphasizes deep personalization with its extensive XTheme store, live wallpapers, and unique launcher features for aesthetic-driven users.
AI Differentiators: HiOS integrates AI for productivity tasks like call summaries and AI-powered visuals, while XOS uses AI to enhance photos and overall system productivity.
Privacy Tools: HiOS offers a secure Dual System for work and life separation, whereas XOS provides the XHide feature for concealing personal data.
Evolving Experience: While similar, ongoing updates are causing the operating systems to diverge, with HiOS trending towards a polished, performance-centric experience and XOS maintaining its feature-rich, customizable appeal.

Shared Roots, Divergent Paths

At a glance, TECNO’s HiOS and Infinix’s XOS, both Android-based operating systems, can appear remarkably similar due to their shared development heritage under Transsion Holdings. For years, reviewers and users noted that the core software was nearly identical, with only minor visual and branding differences. However, recent advancements have seen both software skins begin to specialize, targeting slightly different user preferences with new features and optimizations. The answer to what is better, HiOS or XOS, depends heavily on what a user values most in their smartphone experience.

Core Philosophy and User Interface

While historically siblings, the user interfaces of HiOS and XOS are starting to show individual character. HiOS, especially in recent versions like HiOS 15, is described by some as a bit more polished and streamlined. It has focused on refining its UI elements and enhancing visual smoothness, a claim backed by a TÜV SÜD A-level Smoothness Certification for HiOS 15. XOS, on the other hand, maintains a reputation for being highly customizable and packed with features, catering to users who enjoy tweaking every aspect of their device.

Visual Design and Customization

Customization is a cornerstone for both operating systems, offering deep personalization that goes beyond stock Android. Both platforms offer extensive themes, font styles, and transition effects.

HiOS Customization Features:

Customization Engine: Offers various themes and fonts.
TransSans Font: Adjustable font weights are available for improved readability.
Personalized Wallpapers: AI extracts figures from photos to create unique, stylish wallpapers.

XOS Customization Features:

XTheme: Provides a wide variety of colorful themes and dynamic live wallpapers.
Zero Screen: A personalized feed for news and weather, keeping users updated.
Smart Scene: A dedicated section for discovering new music and other media.

Performance and Optimization

Performance is a critical differentiator. Both OS versions have integrated optimization tools, but their approaches differ slightly.

HiOS has placed significant emphasis on core performance optimization, evidenced by its Smoothness Certification. It uses technologies like:

Flash App Launch: Reduces app loading time.
Sensory Scheduling 2.0: Uses AI to prioritize related background tasks for smoother continuous launching.
MemFusion 3.0: Intelligently manages storage space and allows more background apps to stay active.
Memory Defragmentation: Maintains long-term system performance.

XOS also includes performance tools to ensure a smooth user experience, particularly catering to resource-intensive tasks.

Freezer: A handy tool to freeze unused apps, freeing up RAM and preventing phone freezes.
Multi Window: Allows for seamless multitasking by managing multiple applications simultaneously.

AI Integration and Advanced Features

In the latest versions, both operating systems have pushed heavily into AI-driven features, expanding capabilities beyond standard Android.

HiOS AI Features:

Clear Calling: AI Noise Cancellation for clearer calls in noisy environments.
AI Call Summary and Translation: Automatically summarizes and translates calls.
AI Auto Answer: Handles telemarketing calls automatically.
AI Writing and Recorder Summary: Assists with emails and meeting summaries.
AI Visual Enhancer: Improves video quality while reducing data usage.

XOS AI Features:

AI Productivity: Enables one-tap task completion for increased efficiency.
AI for Creativity: AI features designed to enhance creative workflows.
Optimized Camera: Uses AI to deliver enhanced photos and videos, preventing blurring.

Security and Privacy

Privacy and security are important considerations, and both Transsion brands have implemented their own safeguards.

HiOS Security: Offers a Dual System feature, allowing users to create two separate systems for work and personal life to prevent privacy leaks.
XOS Security: Includes XHide, which allows users to completely hide private information like photos, videos, and contacts. It also leverages fingerprint authentication for secure access.

HiOS vs XOS: A Comparison Table


Feature	HiOS (Tecno)	XOS (Infinix)
Focus	Performance, AI-enhanced productivity, polished UI.	Customization, unique features, AI-powered creativity.
Performance	TÜV SÜD Smoothness Certification, advanced memory optimization (MemFusion).	Fast app launch, app freezing utility (Freezer).
AI Features	AI-driven call management, writing, and visual enhancement.	AI for productivity, creativity, and camera optimization.
Customization	Strong personalization with themes and fonts, AI wallpapers.	Extensive XTheme support, live wallpapers, Zero Screen.
Privacy	Dual System feature for separate work and personal spaces.	XHide to conceal private apps and media, Fingerprint security.
Key Features	Clear Calling, AI Call Translation, Instant Transfer, Dual System.	XShare for fast file transfers, Multi Window, Magazine Lockscreen.
User Experience	A more refined and potentially smoother experience, particularly in recent versions.	Feature-rich and highly customizable, with a focus on vibrant aesthetics.

Conclusion: Which is Right for You?

Both HiOS and XOS have come a long way from their nearly identical origins, carving out distinct niches within the Transsion brand portfolio. The best choice ultimately depends on user preference.

Choose HiOS if: You prioritize a refined, certified-smooth user experience with a suite of AI-powered features for productivity and communication. Its dual system offers a robust solution for separating your digital life.

Choose XOS if: You are a customization enthusiast who loves to deeply personalize your device's look and feel with themes, fonts, and unique launchers. The inclusion of features like XHide and XShare adds useful, privacy-focused and convenient functionality.

For the average user, the difference may come down to which brand's aesthetic they prefer, or which specific AI-powered features they find more useful in their daily routine. Both offer a rich feature set well beyond stock Android.

The evolving landscape of HiOS and XOS

Since both operating systems are developed by the same parent company, updates often introduce similar features to both platforms, though they may be branded and implemented slightly differently. The competition between Tecno and Infinix drives innovation, benefiting end-users with more features and better performance over time. Keeping an eye on the latest features introduced with each new OS version is the best way to make a decision when purchasing a new device.

Visit the official Tecno HiOS website for the latest updates and features.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference lies in their focus and execution. HiOS tends to prioritize a polished, smooth performance and AI-driven productivity features, while XOS offers deeper visual customization and a wide array of unique, value-added features like XShare and XHide.

Both offer gaming enhancements. HiOS has advanced memory management like MemFusion and performance certifications for smooth gameplay, while XOS has features like Freezer to free up RAM. The real-world difference may be negligible and often depends more on the phone's hardware.

Yes, like many custom Android skins, both HiOS and XOS typically come with a selection of pre-installed apps. Many of these can be uninstalled or disabled to improve performance.

Both offer specific security features. HiOS has a 'Dual System' to separate work and personal data, while XOS provides 'XHide' to completely conceal sensitive apps and files. The superior security depends on the user's specific needs.

There is no consistent winner for faster updates, and the update schedule can vary by device model and region. Historically, users have sometimes voiced frustrations regarding timely updates on both platforms.

No, these operating systems are specifically designed for their respective brands and are deeply integrated with the hardware. You cannot cross-install them without significant modifications that would void your warranty and potentially damage your device.

Both operating systems incorporate battery management features, but neither has a definitively superior reputation. Battery life is influenced more by hardware, usage patterns, and the efficiency of the software version itself. HiOS's MemFusion can contribute to better background app management, potentially aiding battery life.