Xiaomi has launched its second Android One smartphone in India- the Mi A2. The smartphone went official at the end of July in Spain with powerful hardware and capable cameras. The Xiaomi Mi A2 could possibly become the best camera smartphone under Rs 20,000. In addition, the phone is a major step-up from the Xiaomi Mi A1, which sported dual rear cameras, Snapdragon 625 SoC and stock Android on board. Xiaomi took its time after unveiling the Mi 6X (because Mi A2 is basically a rebranded version of it) to tune the software on the smartphone, especially the camera app. The Mi A2 is an Amazon exclusive smartphone in the country, which came as a surprise as Xiaomi launched the Mi A1 as a Flipkart exclusive.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Pricing and Indian Availability
Xiaomi has launched the device in India in four different colours- Gold, Lake Blue, Rose Gold and Black. The 4GB+64GB variant of the Mi A2 is priced at Rs 16,999. Users can purchase the device exclusively on Amazon India on August 16, 2018, while the pre-orders will kickstart tomorrow on the portal. Xiaomi stated that the 6GB+128GB variant of the Mi A2 will be coming to India very soon.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Specifications and Features
The Xiaomi Mi A2 features a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display on the front with an aspect ratio of 18:9 and 403 PPI. Internally, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, coupled with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage. Sadly, the device lacks a microSD card slot for storage expansion, which is one of the major drawbacks.
The USP of the Mi A2 is its cameras. On the rear side, the phone features a 12MP primary camera with Sony IMX486 sensor, f/1.75 aperture, 1.25?m pixel size and a 20MP secondary camera with Sony IMX376 sensor, f/1.75 aperture and 2?m Super Pixel technology. Thanks to the superior hardware, the Mi A2 offers excellent camera performance along with the Artificial Intelligence. On the front as well, there's a 20MP Sony IMX376 sensor which is capable of delivering some exceptional shots. The Mi A2 also ships with Electronic Image Stabilisation.
Another bummer is the device lacks 3.5mm headphone jack, but on the brighter side, Xiaomi is shipping a USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio jack converter inside the retail box. Being part of the Android One program, the Mi A2 boots stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo with a promise of Android P update by the end of this year. The Mi A2 is fuelled by a 3000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ support. However, do make a note that Xiaomi will not provide any fast charger inside the retail box.
As for the connectivity options, the phone offers Dual 4G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and a USB Type-C port.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Competitors in India
The Mi A2's primary competitor in India was launched just a couple of days ago by Honor, which is the Honor Play. The Honor Play is an affordable flagship smartphone from the Chinese company with the Kirin 970 chipset on board. That said, the Honor Play doesn't feature superior cameras as the Mi A2, but it kicks the Mi A2 when it comes to performance and it even has a 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card and a bigger 3750mAh battery.
Is it a Good Upgrade for Mi A1 Users?
Yes, the Mi A2 is a major upgrade over the Mi A1 as it comes with the trendy 18:9 display on the front, upgraded and powerful Snapdragon 660 chipset, better cameras on the front and rear and the Android P upgrade promise by the end of 2018. However, there are some tradeoffs such as the lack of 3.5mm headphone jack and the lack of microSD card slot, but the pros are more than the cons, at least on paper. If you're looking for a perfect stock Android successor to the Mi A1, then the Mi A2 should be your de-facto option.
How's the Mi A2 Different When Compared to Redmi Note 5 Pro?
Xiaomi's Redmi Note 5 Pro proved to be one of the best smartphones launched this year. The Note 5 Pro and Mi A2 sports similar design, but the A2 offers better cameras than the Note 5 Pro. That said, the Note 5 Pro will surely offer better battery life than the Mi A2, owing to its 4000mAh unit. Cameras will also be better on the Mi A2 and more importantly, the A2 boots stock Android as opposed to MIUI 9.5 on the Note 5 Pro.
