Xiaomi's first Android One handset, the Xiaomi Mi A1, has started picking up the latest Android 9 Pie software update across the globe. Being an Android One smartphone, the Mi A1 boots clean version of Android which allowed Xiaomi to rollout the update this early. The update brings various new features which Google introduced with Android P, but Xiaomi has enabled Dual 4G and VoLTE functionality on the Mi A1 now. The Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched in September 2017 with Snapdragon 625 SoC underneath and it arrived with 4G support on SIM 1 slot. However, after the Android 9 Pie update, every Mi A1 user can use two Jio 4G SIM cards in India with ease because it now supports 4G on both SIM slots. It's good to see Xiaomi enabling the support as Dual 4G has become an essential feature in India this year.
How to Enable Dual 4G on Xiaomi Mi A1?
First of all, Xiaomi rolling out Android 9 Pie update this early to the Mi A1 is surprising news. But that's not all, the Mi A1 now supports Dual 4G, which is one of the quintessential features on a mobile phone in 2018. Even the entry-level Redmi 6A priced at Rs 5,999 supports Dual 4G. During the launch event of Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 in India, Xiaomi stated that it went with MediaTek chipsets only because of the fact that they support Dual 4G. That said, there are no chipsets from Qualcomm back then which offered Dual 4G. Now, we have the Snapdragon 439, but still, there's nothing in the Snapdragon 420 series with Dual 4G functionality. The MediaTek Helio P22 and A22 both support Dual 4G feature.
Coming back to the Xiaomi Mi A1, it runs on Snapdragon 625 which is a chipset built on 14nm process and has Snapdragon X9 LTE modem. If you're on a Mi A1 and received the latest Android 9 Pie update, head over to Settings>Network & Internet>Mobile Network>change the second SIM 'Preferred Network Type' to 4G. Follow this procedure and you can start using Dual 4G on your Mi A1. Do make a note that the update has been pushed by Xiaomi to every Mi A1 user across the globe, so if the update notification didn't pop up on your smartphone, head over to the System Updates section and check for it manually.
Xiaomi Mi A1 is the Only Snapdragon 625 Smartphone With Dual 4G
In the last couple of years, we have seen an array of smartphones launching with the Snapdragon 625 SoC. In fact, Xiaomi itself launched the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Y2 this year with the popular chipset and both of them did not feature Dual 4G functionality. Maybe, Xiaomi might enable the same for them in the future, but nothing is confirmed for now. The Mi A1 is the only Snapdragon 625 smartphone to offer Dual 4G support. As of now, we don't have information on how Xiaomi managed to implement this without the chipset and modem having support.
Realme C1 and Realme 2 Also Support Dual 4G
Realme was the first smartphone brand to provide Dual 4G support on a Snapdragon 450 SoC-powered Realme 2. Later on, it was added to Realme C1 as well, which also runs on the same Snapdragon 450 Mobile Platform. For the unaware, the Snapdragon 625 and Snapdragon 450, both are similar chipsets, except for the fact that the latter is clocked at 1.8GHz, while the form runs at 2.0GHz. They both are manufactured on 14nm process, features Snapdragon X9 LTE modem and Adreno 506 GPU.
