Xiaomi Announces Mi A1 With Stock Android

It’s been a while since an Android One phone came out. Google has collaborated with Xiaomi to release the next Android One smartphone. Called the Mi A1, the phone is “created by Xiaomi, powered by Google”.

The Android One program is one of Google’s projects to make affordable smartphones for developing countries. These phones are usually running stock Android and come with mid/low end hardware.

No release date for Pakistan has been announced yet but the phone will cost Rs. 14,999 in India which is around PKR 24,600.

Expect the phone to cost upwards of Rs. 25,000 once it hits the Pakistani market.

Design and Display

The Mi A1 seems to be a re-branded Mi 5X. It comes with an all metal build coupled with a dual camera setup on the back with a fingerprint sensor underneath.

For the display, Mi A1 has a 5.5 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD panel. This puts it squarely in the mid-range category.

Internals and Storage

Xiaomi Mi A1 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. Storage is expandable via a hybrid microSD/SIM card slot.

With Android Oreo released recently it seems odd that Google has opted for Android Nougat for the latest Android One smartphone. An upgrade is planned by the end of the year though.

Camera and Battery

Just like the flagship Mi 6, Xiaomi Mi A1 uses a dual 12 MP camera setup, complete with phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom and a dual LED flash. The front camera uses a regular 5 MP sensor.

Xiaomi Mi A1 is powered by a 3,080 mAh battery which seems a little low as Xiaomi’s phones are usually accompanied with a 4,000 mAh battery. It does come with fast charging so that’s a plus.

Xiaomi Mi A1 (Android One) Specifications

• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 2.0 GHz octa-core
• Dimensions: 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm
• Weight: 165g
• Memory:
  • RAM: 4 GB
  • Internal Storage: 64GB
  • Card Slot: yes, expandable by upto 128GB (uses SIM 2 slot)
• OS: Android 7.1.2 Nougat, planned upgrade to Oreo
• Display: 5.5-inch LTPS IPS LCD, Full HD (1920 x 1080), 403ppi
• Camera:
  • Back: Dual 12 MP (26mm, f/2.2; 50mm, f/2.6), phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
  • Front: 5 MP
• Battery: 3,080mAh with fast charging
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth V4.0, GPS, Infrared sensor
• Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity, gyro and light sensor
• Price: ~Rs. 14,999 (India)