Earlier this year, Infinix released XOS 15, a major update to its operating system that brings a surprising amount of polish to its budget smartphones. With a focus on improving the user experience rather than just adding clutter, this update offers several exciting new features that set it apart from previous iterations. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about XOS 15 and why you might want to upgrade.
Vogue Portraits: Transform Your Photos into Art
One of the standout features of XOS 15 is Vogue Portraits, a tool that allows you to turn your photos into stylized artworks. Whether you want to transform your images into comic book panels, magazine covers, or abstract art, Vogue Portraits lets you adjust patterns, colors, and artistic effects to create a completely personalized look.
It’s a feature that goes beyond typical photo filters and offers a more unique, artistic touch to your gallery photos. To access this feature, simply go to Settings > Wallpapers & Personalization > Wallpapers > Vogue Portraits.
AI Note: Turn Rough Drawings into Art
Infinix has also introduced AI Note, a tool that’s similar to Samsung’s sketch-to-image feature. Even if your drawings are rough, AI Note can turn them into polished images in various styles, such as sketches, comics, pixel art, digital art, and even cyberpunk. I tested it by drawing a crude sketch of an eagle, which was magically transformed into a stunningly detailed image.
To use AI Note, navigate to Settings > Infinix AI > AI Note.
Dynamic Bar: A Touch of Apple’s Dynamic Island
Another cool feature in XOS 15 is the Dynamic Bar, which mimics Apple’s Dynamic Island concept. Positioned around the front camera cutout, it displays notifications and updates for calls, media playback, charging, timers, and even navigation directions from Google Maps. This allows you to see directions without having to switch between apps.
You can enable Dynamic Bar by going to Settings > Special Function > Dynamic Bar.
Smooth Animations and Customization Features
Beyond these headline features, XOS 15 offers smooth animations throughout the interface, making tasks like opening apps, unlocking the phone, and swiping through menus feel fluid and premium. The customization options are extensive for a budget phone, allowing you to resize and recolor app icons, change folder shapes and colors to match your wallpaper, and even download icon packs directly from the Play Store without needing a third-party launcher.
The AI wallpaper generator is another fun feature that creates unique backgrounds based on text prompts, while Custom One-Take Wallpapers let you extend a single image across your always-on display, lock screen, and home screen for a cohesive look.
Practical Features: Multitasking and AI Tools
XOS 15 also includes several practical features. The Floating Window system enhances multitasking with split-screen and popup modes, while the Smart Panel slides in from the right edge for quick access to apps and files. The Game Mode has been upgraded with options for performance control, bypass charging, and anti-interference to ensure a smooth gaming experience.
Infinix has also added several AI-powered tools, including document and image summarization, writing assistance with tone adjustment, real-time call translation with auto-answer, and background removal for photos. Another interesting addition is the Circle to Search functionality, which allows you to search for information on images.
New Lock Screen and Control Center
XOS 15 brings a fresh look to the lock screen and control center, offering modern aesthetics and additional customization options to give your device a more polished appearance.
Folax Voice: A Work in Progress
While XOS 15 is packed with innovative features, there’s one area where it falls short: Folax Voice, Infinix’s AI assistant. While it handles basic tasks adequately, it struggles when dealing with more complex interactions, such as information analysis or image recognition. Folax can be slow, especially when compared to other AI assistants that process tasks almost instantaneously.
Despite this, these issues are minor and can be overlooked by most users. Overall, XOS 15 offers thoughtful features and visual polish that make it a standout update for a budget Android skin. The personalization options, smooth animations, and practical AI tools make XOS 15 one of the most competitive operating systems in its category. For users looking to upgrade their experience on a budget-friendly Infinix device, XOS 15 is definitely worth considering.
