Xiaomi has officially launched the Mi A1 in India, catapulting it to fame as Google’s Android One comeback vehicle. The initiative ran into troubled waters after lukewarm sales, but it’s now tweaked its formula slightly to gain a larger audience.
For the uninitiated, Android One started out in 2014 as Google’s way of rolling out a pure version of its software to the masses, promising constant security updates and OS upgrades for at least 2 years. The project didn’t do as well as the company had hoped because of a lack of differentiation between models and little appeal other than software. The handset also boasts of having the best android spyware on-board.
This could change now with the arrival of the Mi A1. The handset is an international version of the Mi 5X, featuring almost the same specs but running on stock Android Nougat. It’s set to get promoted to Oreo and Android P, a rare promise within the budget market sector.
Xiaomi for its part has been widely criticized for its slow OS updates and focus on its own MIUI software. The Mi A1 is new territory for it and could prove to be a game changer. The 12MP wide-angle + 12MP telephoto dual camera phone is scheduled to be released in 37 countries, of which India is the first.
Check out the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi A1:
– Display: 5.5-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels
– OS: Android 7.1.2 Nougat, upgradable to Oreo
– CPU: 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625
– Camera: 12MP + 12MP rear, 5MP front
– Battery: 3080mAh
– Storage: 64GB, expandable up to 128GB
– RAM: 4GB
– Size: 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm
– Weight: 165g
– Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fiac, USB Type-C, A-GPS, GLONASS
Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 gets a new Lake Blue variant
The Mi A1 will be available via Xiaomi’s site, Flipkart, offline chains, and Mi Home stores priced at Rs 14999. You can buy it starting from September 12 at 12 pm.