We have seen significant shifts in recent time in the media industry where no longer is the online world dominated by just a select few publications each with tens of millions of subscribers. Now the internet is a lot more niche, and many publications are being added to the distinguished lists each that go by us. That is a great thing for people like you guys—the readers—because it means you can become a subscriber to more stuff that is being covered by writers that do nothing but write about that stuff every day which makes them experts on the topic more than another writer would be who was just writing about something new every day. A significant publication often struggles knowing niche areas and issues well enough to fulfill enthusiasts indeed in a particular field. For example, it would be a shame if the only Android news an Android fan got to read was what CNN wrote about today. Instead, you can subscrib to sites like Android Forums, Android Authority, Android Police and have a magnificent time reading what they do.
The world of running ROMs on smartphones and mobile devices, in general, is having a similar breakthrough. No longer do people have to run the same ROM that is rolled out to everyone around the world and used by millions. Now more developers are creating unique and more niche ROMs to help give people something better designed to suit what features they want to get out of a ROM. These ROMs are called custom ROMs, and they are called that because the developers of them are always third-party and nothing to do with Android developers. That doesn’t mean these developers are not talented, though. Android developers often steal features that are found in custom ROMs, and some custom ROMs perform better than the ROM Android developers have produced.
Nowadays the business of custom ROMs is huge, and there are real companies developing custom ROMs to be run on the device. The CyanogenMod team now have the Cyanogen Inc. and there is plenty more competition following them.
Note: Make sure you check what model number the custom ROM is made for from the download links. Whenever we create a post such as this one, it means the model numbers are all thrown into the same article. Don’t assume that all custom ROMs will work for all model numbers. Each download link will mention what model number the ROM is for somewhere on the page, either in the custom ROM thread title or the original post closer to the download link. If you still don’t see it there then have a read of some comments or leave a comment yourself if you aren’t sure, and the custom ROM poster or other people subscribed to the thread will help you out.
MIUI v7.5 Global Stable
The MIUI v7.5 Global Stable version custom ROM is now out for the Yu Yureka smartphone and with it, people can run their favorite versions of MIUI on the Yu smartphone. Although Xiaomi is not China’s leading smartphone manufacturer anymore, the MIUI software is still sought after by many people. The custom ROM in this post comes with all of the MIUI 7 features. Not only that but as the name suggests, this is the global stable version which is as stable as a ROM gets—something that many people worry about when installing a custom ROM on a smartphone or tablet.
Features: based on the Android 5.0 Lollipop software updates, MIUI v7.5 Global Stable, Notification Light settings, Camera features like image filters, face detection, gender and age and so forth.
Download: MIUI v7.5 Global Stable ROM
Turbo ROM (Layers)
The Turbo ROM custom ROM is an excellent choice for anyone wanting more features. The name suggests that the custom ROM is likely more geared toward being incredibly light weight and having superior speed, but in truth it has many features built into the ROM and on top of the original Android Open Source Project work. For those who aren’t aware, the Android Open Source Project is often referred to as the AOSP for short, and it is like having a ROM running on a smartphone that is pure Android and before any phone carrier network or manufacturers alters it with their stock apps and skins.
Features: based on AOSP, Turbo tweaks (Battery bar, LCD density changer, Double tap to sleep on lock screen, Double tap to sleep on status bar, Lock screen alpha Changer, Middle lock screen shortcut changer, The ability to change the font of the lock clock, Lock screen weather, Lock screen torch toggle, Multi-window moved out of developer options into Turbo tweaks, Memory bar in Recents, Recents clear all button toggle and placement adjustments, SlimRecents, Slim’s navigation bar customization, Show weather in QS header, Quick pulldown in QS, Advanced location tile toggle, The ability to set the number of QS columns, Status bar battery configuration, Full status bar clock and date customization, Breathing SMS, missed call, and voicemail, Turbo ROM logo in the status bar toggle, AOKP custom system animation customization, List view animation customization, Full volume rocker customization, Slim’s global menu customization, Increasing ring in phone and alarm, Status bar header QS edit button, Lock screen blur, Quick unlock, Expanded desktop, Double tap power button vibration toggle, Double tap to sleep on navigation bar, Three finger swipe for screenshot, Bottom left and right lock screen shortcut changer, The ability to change the color of the lock screen alarm, clock, and date, The ability to hide the lock screen alarm, clock, and date, Lock screen wallpaper changer, Enable lock screen media art toggle, Memory bar in Recents, Recents clear all button toggle and placement adjustments, SlimRecents, Slim’s navigation bar customization, Show weather in QS header, Quick pulldown in QS, Advanced location tile toggle, The ability to set the number of QS columns, Status bar battery configuration, Full status bar clock and date customization, Breathing SMS, missed call, and voicemail, Turbo ROM logo in the status bar toggle, AOKP custom system animation customization, List view animation customization, Full volume rocker customization, Slim’s global menu customization, Increasing ring in phone and alarm, Status bar header QS edit button, Lock screen blur, Quick unlock),Outside of Turbo tweaks.
Download: Turbo ROM
IzerHD V1 5.1.1 YUREKA
The IzerHD custom ROM is completely independent and developed out of India. The developer’s intentions were to give people a purer version of Android, and then on top of that, give people the best multimedia apps possible. It’s an interesting ROM that borrows many of its features from the Sony Xperia Z3 smartphone. Although the developer states that he wanted to give people a ROM based on Google’s work, this ROM is not based on the Android Open Source Project that people know simply as AOSP. Instead, it based off of the work from CyanogenMod 12.1, Mokee Android 5.1.1 and the stock Android 5.1.1 ROM by Android.
Features: Based on Mokee 5.1.1, CyanogenMod 12.1, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, Camera Next, Dolby Mobile, Oppo Camera, SRS Premium Sound with TruBass, SMART Control, Xperia Z3 Live Wallpaper, Xperia Z3 X-Reality, Xperia Z3 SmartConnect, Xperia Z3 Whats’New, Xperia Motiongraph, Xperia Z3 Xperia Facebook & Twitter Integration, Xperia Z3 Sketch & Notes, Xperia Z3 Honami Transparent Launcher with Widgets, Xperia Z3 Alarm, Notification and Ringtone Sounds, Xperia Z3 Bootanimation, Screen Recorder, Bravia Engine 3, Build.prop Tweaks, Zipaligned, De-odexed, Optimized TCP Stack, loads more.
Download: IzerHD V1 5.1.1 ROM
XOSP-5.4-UNOFFICIAL-Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
The XOSP custom ROM is kind of like the AOSP custom ROM (Android Open Source Project), but instead of it being Android it is the Xperia Open Source Project. The name itself is somewhat confusing given that Android’s Open Source Project is pure Android without any work from phone carriers and manufacturers. I’m not sure where that leaves us with Xperia other than perhaps without the Sony system apps. The XOSP custom ROM here is based on CyanogeMod 13 and not AOSP builds at all.
Features: Based on CM 13.0, Viper4Android, some bloatware is removed, Stock Kernel, Xperia based Bootanimation, XOSPSetupWizard, Status bar logo, NavBar dimensions, SlimDim, Status Bar Network Traffic indicator, RAM Bar in recents options, Ability to hide the Super SU status bar icon, Double Tap to sleep anywhere on the lock screen, Xperia Keyboard, Weather App, Weather Widget, TrackID, Audio Recorder, Smart Connect, Calendar, PhotoEditor, Album, Walkman, Omni inbuilt SystemUI Screen recording, SystemApp Remover.
Download: XOSP-5.4 Marshmallow
EMUI V4.0 Marshmallow
EMUI marks another Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow-based custom ROM for you to try out on the Yu Yureka smartphone. If there is one downside to this EMUI ROM, it is that it is in its testing stages still and not the kind of ROM you want to be installed on your work smartphone.
Features: based on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow updates, based on the EMUI.
Download: EMUI ROM
ColorOS
The ColorOS custom ROM for the Yu Yureka smartphone is now out and based on the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update. It offers new features that you do not get anywhere else and lots of color like the name suggests. Although it is a colorful ROM, it’s not aimed at kids. The ColorOS also comes pre-rooted with SuperSU being installed and enabled. The SuperSU being enabled correctly is the most popular way to root Android, and it means you can get access to loads of more apps mainly available from the Google Play Store.
Features: All the latest ColorOS 3.0 features (New Customizations, Free Screenshot, Dirac HD Sound, Outstanding Camera), FM Radio, Screencast, SuperSU for root access, Oppo Browser global edition and Oppo Swype, sound boost, Flashlight and Build.prop editor apps, Translated OppoMusic, Theme Store, Fixed lower calibrated auto brightness, Eximious Kernel v8.0, loads more.
Download: ColorOS 3.0 ROM
PAC-ROM LP Beta-1
PAC-Man ROMs are one of our personal favorite custom ROMs. The version here is an unofficial version which means the real developers of the PAC-Man ROMs didn’t create it for this device. Instead, it has been ported from another device which the team did make it for. No ROM has ported across without testing that it works, but it still isn’t as nice as the real deal. Moreover, the PAC-Man version here is in its beta stages (and early Beta stages at that). Knowing this about the ROMs, it is hard to recommend people to install this ROM unless they just want to check it out on a rainy day. Traditionally speaking, PAC-Man ROMs are a mixture of the work from Paranoid Android, AOKP and CyanogenMod hence the name PAC. The result is many of the best parts of each of those names joined into the one ROM making it pretty unique. However, when you have a ROM that has as many features as the PAM-Man ROMs usually do, they can run heavier than average. That is why the PAC-Man ROM is best installed on the device that has good hardware.
Features: advanced keyboard, an app bar, AOKP weather widget, a battery bar, unlock ring and battery indicator, CyanogenMod themes, floating window, gesture anywhere, Halo, Wake clock blockers, RAM bar, Privacy Guard, Quick settings options, new low battery warning, customize toast animation and list view, Omniswitch, PAC performance, loads more.
Download: PAC-Man LP Beta ROM