Tag: Xiaomi Mi A1

Xiaomi Mi A2 Running On Snapdragon 660 Spotted On Geekbench

Xiaomi has recently launched the Redmi Y2 in India at a starting price of Rs 9999. While the company’s Redmi lineup in 2018 has been confusing, Xiaomi has not launched a Mi-branded smartphone in India yet. Many expect the Xiaomi Mi A2 to be the first Mi-branded device to launch in India. A new Geekbench listing reveals a few details about the Mi A2, which will essentially be a rebranded Mi 6X which was launched in China on April 25th.

According to the listing, the Xiaomi Mi A2 will run on the Snapdragon 660 chipset. This the same chipset that powers the Mi 6X as well. The variant in the listing has 4GB of RAM but, Xiaomi is expected to launch the 6GB RAM model in India as well. There are also chances that the company will only launch one variant of the Mi A2 in India. The Mi A2 scores 1,630 in single-core test and 4,657 in multi-core test.

Since the Mi A2 will be an Android One version of the Mi 6X, it will run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. The Mi A1 was fairly quick to receive the Android 8 Oreo update. The company rolled out an update on December 31st, 2017. However, it was riddled with many bugs and the company had to pull the plug on the software update. The Mi A1 now runs on Android 8 Oreo which is stable and should receive an update to Android P as well.

The Mi A2 could also miss out on a headphone jack. The Mi 6X launched in China does not have a headphone jack which means the Mi A2 would also skip it, considering they’re both the same smartphones. This could be a deal-breaker for many consumers in India as there aren’t many affordable Bluetooth headphones available here. iGyaan did, however, cover top five Bluetooth headphones in India which should help out the people who want to the Mi A2.

Mi 6X

The launch of the Xiaomi Mi A2 is inevitable. The company would want to build on the success of the Mi A1 instead of abandoning the lineup after just one generation. The moniker it’ll go with is something only time will tell.

June 8, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A2 Running On Snapdragon 660 To Launch In India Soon

Xiaomi has launched a few interesting smartphones in 2018 so far. The Redmi Note 5 Pro continues to be one of the most sought-after budget devices in India as the Redmi Note 5 has also found its audience. On June 7th, the company will launch another Redmi smartphone in India, a week after unveiling the flagship device, Mi 8 in China. One smartphone that everyone is looking forward to, is the Xiaomi Mi A2, the successor to the very popular Mi A1. After months of speculations, it appears that the Mi A2 does exist and should launch in India soon.

Xiaomi Mi A1

A new report claims to have “confirmation from an inside source regarding the existence of the Xiaomi Mi A2.” The report claims that the Mi A2 will be a rebranded Mi 6X which launched in April in China. The Mi A2 will first launch in Taiwan along with the Mi 8 and then make its way to the Indian market. This means that Xiaomi might be planning to stick to the September timeframe since the Mi A1 was also launched in the month of September in 2017.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 Officially Launched With 3D Face Unlock

The Xiaomi Mi A1 was also just a rebranded Mi 5X so, this information is not surprising. This information does solidify the argument that the Mi A1 will see a successor in India. With the Mi A1 being so popular, a follow-up was anticipated but, nothing can be said for sure. The Xiaomi Mi 6X has impressive specifications and should be a worthy successor to the Mi A1, provided it has better camera performance.

Mi 6X

The Xiaomi Mi 6X has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This is the same display found on the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India and the size of the bezels is also identical.

Under the hood, the Xiaomi Mi 6X runs on the Snapdragon 660 chipset, coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which won’t be expandable. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the smartphone which has been the case with almost every Xiaomi smartphone.

Must Read: Top Tech: 10 Products By Xiaomi Not Easily Available In India

Powering the smartphone 3010 mAh battery. Interestingly, the smartphone supports QuickCharge 3.0 which means it also has a USB type C port, something that a lot of Xiaomi fans wanted on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Out of the box, the Mi 6X will run on Android 8 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 on top.

Out of the two cameras on the back, the main sensor is a 20MP Sony IMX486 with an f/1.75 aperture and 2-micron pixel size. The secondary sensor is 12MP Sony IMX486 telephoto lens with an f/1.75 aperture and 1.25-micron pixel size. The AI is used to identify over 206 scenes in the camera app which includes food mode, text, greenery, sky, beach, snow, cats, dogs and many more. Once a scene is detected, the camera automatically tweaks its settings for, in theory, a better image. On the front of the Mi 6X is a 20MP Sony IMX376 sensor with soft light LED flash.

As we said before, the Mi 6Xor the Xiaomi Mi A2 appears to be a worthy successor to the Mi A1. Whether these specifications will translate into real-world performance is yet to be seen.

June 6, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A1 To Mi 6X Here Is What Has Changed

Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi Mi 6X in China as a successor to the Mi 5X, which was a highly popular smartphone in both China and in India launched as the Mi A1. The pricing will start at CNY 1599 (Rs 16800 approx.) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant. The 6GB RAM/64GB storage variant will be priced at CNY 1799 (Rs 19,000 approx.), while the 128GB storage model will retail for CNY 1999 (Rs 21,200 approx.). As was evident from previous teasers of the smartphone, the Mi 6X will be available in Cherry Pink, Flame Red, Sand Gold, Glacier Blue, and Black colour variants.

In India, if it happens, the Xiaomi Mi 6X will be launched as the Mi A2 or the Mi A1 (2018) with stock Android OS instead of MIUI. The Mi A1 was launched at a price of Rs 14999 in 2017 and considering the pricing of Mi 6X, the Mi A2 could be a bit pricier this year. However, by the looks of it, the Mi 6X looks like a sizeable upgrade over the Mi A1.

So, what has changed from the Mi A1 of 2017 to the Mi 6X or possibly, the Mi A2 in 2018? Let’s find out!

Specifications	Xiaomi Mi A1	Xiaomi Mi 6X
Price	Rs 13999	Starts at CNY 1599 (Rs 16800 approx.)
Display	5.5 inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	1920 x 1080 px 16:9 403 ppi	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 403 ppi
Battery	3080 mAh	3010 mAh QuickCharge 3.0
Chipset	Snapdragon 625	Snapdragon 660
RAM	4GB	4GB/6GB
Storage	64GB Expandable up to 256GB	64GB/128GB Expandable up to 256GB
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.2 12MP f/2.6 Telephoto	20MP Sony IMX486 f/1.75 12MP Sony IMX486 Telephoto f/1.75
Primary Camera Video	4K @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	5MP	20MP Sony IMX376 Soft light LED flash
Add-Ons	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

As the specs sheet tell us, the Mik 6X is a very substantial upgrade over the Mi A1. The Mi A1 turned out to be a smash hit for Xiaomi and the company would want to build on the Mi A1’s popularity in India. This should convince Xiaomi to launch a successor to the Mi A1 and the Mi 6X, at least on paper, looks like an ideal candidate for that.

April 25, 2018

Top Five Budget Dual Camera Smartphones In India
Dual cameras are one of the features, that the majority of consumers will consider when buying a smartphone. The trend of two cameras started with the Apple iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. Similarly, flagship Android smartphones adopted the feature, which later started trickling down to budget smartphones as well. In fact, a dual-camera setup has become staple for most budget smartphones today.

So, if you have a budget of around Rs. 15000 and need a smartphone with a dual-camera setup, what do you pick? Let’s have a read!

Xiaomi Mi A1
- 5.5 inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1080 px display
- Snapdragon 625
- 4GB/64GB
- 12MP wide-angle + 12MP telephoto
- 4K video recording
Xiaomi Mi A1 is an allrounder smartphone, which retails for Rs 13,999. The smartphone has a premium metal unibody design with a USB type C port. The device has a dual camera setup, which is similar to the iPhone X with a 12 MP wide angle lens and a 12 MP telephoto lens with lossless zoom. However, the camera misses out on any kind of image stabilisation. The smartphone also has an added advantage of the Android One programme, which guarantees regular software updates.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
- 5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display
- Snapdragon 636
- 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB storage
- 12MP+5MP depth sensor
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is the latest smartphone to join the dual camera clan. The smartphone has an 18:9 aspect ratio with a 5.99 inch FHD+ display. This is also the first smartphone to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset. The dual camera setup on the device consists of a 12 MP primary sensor and a 5 MP depth sensor, which helps take the depth of field/bokeh effect. The smartphone is priced at Rs 13,999 for the 4GB RAM variant and the 6GB variant will cost Rs 16,999. However, the only caveat this great device has is its Flash Sales.

Moto G5s Plus
- 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display
- Snapdragon 625
- 4GB/64GB
- 13MP RGB + 13MP Monochrome
The Moto G5s Plus is one more smartphone, that offers a great value for money. The device runs on stock Android OS and retails for Rs 14,750 on Amazon. The device has a full metal unibody design with a matte finish. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset, that also powers the Mi A1. The smartphone has a 13MP RGB and a 13MP monochrome sensor, which helps to produce selective black and white photos.

Honor 7x
- 5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD
- Kirin 659
- 4GB, 32GB/64GB
- 16MP +2MP depth sensor
The Honor 7x is available on Amazon for Rs 12,999 for the 4GB RAM and 32GB storage variant. The device has a 6 inch 18:9 display, powered by the Kirin 659 Octa-core chipset. The dual cameras on the smartphone consist of a 16MP RGB sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The device has an 8MP front-facing camera and expected to support Face Unlock via future software updates.

Honor 9 Lite
- 5.65 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD
- Kirin 659
- 3GB/32GB, 4GB/64GB
- 13MP + 2MP depth sensor
The last but definitely not the least is the Honor 9 Lite. In fact, this is the only smartphone that has a premium glass design with a quad camera setup. The pricing starts at Rs 10,999 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The device has a 5.65 inch FHD+ 18:9 display, powered by Kirin 659 chipset. The phone has a 13MP primary shooter and a 2MP depth shooter both on the front as well as on the back.
March 9, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Vs Honor 7X Vs Xiaomi Mi A1: Camera Shootout!

Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India at a starting price of Rs. 13999. Keeping up with the industry trends, the Redmi Note 5 Pro has an 18:9 aspect ratio and a dual-camera on the back. Unlike a lot of other smartphones with a dual camera setup, the Redmi Note 5 Pro has two RGB sensors.

At this price tag, the Note 5 Pro directly competes with the likes of the Honor 7X and Xiaomi’s own Mi A1. The Honor 7X and Mi A1 also have the best cameras in this price segment. Despite the 18:9 aspect ratio, the Redmi Note 5 Pro has thicker bezels than the Honor 7X which are even more prominent in the Gold colour variant. The Mi A1 has a 16:9 aspect ratio and definitely looks archaic when put next to the Note 5 Pro and Honor 7X.

Where the Mi A1 one-ups the other two devices is the software. It runs stock Android OS and is part of the Android One program. Hence, it will get the latest software update for the next two years at least. However, the same cannot be said about the Honor 7X and Redmi Note 5 Pro since they run custom UI on top of Android. In fact, the Honor 7X and Note 5 Pro still run Android 7 Nougat, while the Mi A1 has been updated to Android 8 Oreo.

With the three devices priced similarly, we decided to put them through their paces. Let’s see which one came out on top:

Camera Samples

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Honor 7X

Xiaomi Mi A1

Specifications	Redmi Note 5 Pro	Honor 7X	Xiaomi Mi A1
Price	Starting Rs. 13999	Starting Rs. 12999	Rs. 13999
Display	5.99 inch 18:9 Aspect Ratio IPS LCD	5.93-inch 18:9 Aspect Ratio LTPS IPS LCD	5.5 inch 16:9 Aspect Ratio LTPS IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 x 1080 px 403ppi	2160 x 1080 px 407 ppi	1920 x 1080 px 403 ppi
Battery	4000 mAh	3340 mAh	3080 mAh
Chipset	Snapdragon 636	HiSilicon Kirin 659	Snapdragon 625
RAM	4GB 6GB	3GB 4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB Expandable Up to 256GB	32GB 64GB Expandable up to 256GB	64GB Expandable up to 128GB
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.2 5MP f/2.0 1.25-micron	16MP 2MP depth sensor	12MP f/2.2 Wide-Angle 12MP f/2.6 Telephoto 1.25-micron
Primary Camera Video	1920 x 1080 px @ 30fps	1920 x 1080 px @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP Sony IMX376 Beautify 4.0 LED flash	8MP	5MP f/2.0
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor	Fingerprint Sensor	Fingerprint Sensor

Photos are extremely subjective, hence, we will let you choose your winner. Let us know your choice in the comments below!

February 19, 2018

Top Xiaomi Smartphones In India Right Now

Not so slowly, Xiaomi has gone on to become one of the most successful smartphone brands in India. A market that is so price sensitive, Xiaomi seems to have cracked the code to succeed here. Every few months, the company launches a smartphone that in one way or another, is a great device for its price bracket.

Apart from just launching budget devices, the company has introduced some great high-end smartphones as well. But, with so many Xiaomi smartphones in the India market right now, which ones are the best? Let’s take a look!

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

The priciest Xiaomi smartphone available in India, the Mi Mix 2 was launched in October 2017. At the time of its launch, it had the best “design+specs” combination under Rs. 40,000. The OnePlus 5 looked archaic when put next to the Mi Mix 2 and the LG G6 had an older chipset. However, the launch of the OnePlus 5T changed that a bit. Even though the OnePlus 5T was launched in November, the Mi Mix 2 continues to be a great device at a price of Rs. 35999.

The Mi Mix 2 has a stunning tri-bezel less design with a ceramic back panel. This means that the Mi Mix 2 is a fingerprint magnet but, due to a darker shade, the fingerprints aren’t too prominent. It is also much more compact than the Mi Mix of 2016.

It has a 5.99 inch 2160 x 1080 px LCD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Xiaomi reverted to an 18:9 aspect ratio since the Mi Mix had a 17:9 aspect ratio. Also, in 2017, the 18:9 aspect ratio became the norm for flagship devices.

Under the hood, the flagship smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, Adreno 540 GPU, 6GB RAM and storage options of 64GB, 128GB or 256GB. The smartphone sports a 12MP Sony IMX386 sensor with 1.25-micron pixels, an f/2.0 aperture 4-axis optical image stabilisation, 5-piece lens, and facial recognition. On the front is a 5MP which features facial recognition as well.

Xiaomi Mi A1

The Mi A1 is the only Xiaomi device in India that runs stock Android OS. At a price of Rs. 13999, the Mi A1 continues to be a fan-favourite and there isn’t much wrong with the device. It has a great dual-camera setup, a reliable Snapdragon 625 chipset and is even available in a red colour variant now. The Honor 7X has a more modern design, however, it runs EMUI which might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The Mi A1 has a 5.5 inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution. The smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 has a 12MP equipped with a wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture while the other one is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

The most successful Xiaomi smartphone by the company’s own admission, the Redmi Note 4 continues to do well in the Indian market. The Redmi Note 4 was launched in early-2017 and had astonishing specifications for a smartphone priced at around Rs. 10,000. It sold like hotcakes in India and it is evident that consumers are eagerly waiting for the Redmi Note 5 to launch in India.

The Redmi Note 4 has a 5.5 inch LCD display which has good visibility indoor and outdoor, along with wide viewing angles. Under the hood, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of storage.

The front houses a 5 MP camera, and the rear a 13 MP shooter with decent colour optimisations.

Xiomi Redmi 5A

At a price of Rs. 4999, the Redmi 5A is as good a smartphone you can get. When HMD Global launched the Nokia 2 at a price of Rs. 6999 running on Snapdragon 212, the Redmi 5A was launched with the Snapdragon 425 chipset.

The Redmi 5A has a 5 inch LCD display with a 1280 x 720 px resolution. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset, has a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.4GHz, along with 2GB/3GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card. The dual-SIM Redmi 5A is powered by a 3000 mAh battery.

The Redmi 5A has a 13MP rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture, burst mode, panorama mode, HDR mode, and more. To the front is a 5MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The smartphone records 1920 x 1080 px videos.

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

As bezels get thinner, the lines between a smartphone and phablet become blurier. However, the Mi Miax 2 continues to be a true blue phablet in the Indian market. With great battery life, the Mi Max 2 is ideal for people whose primary media consumption happens on a smartphone. It is priced at Rs. 13999 for the 32GB storage variant and is worth the price!

The Mi Max 2 has a unibody metal design along with a 6.44-inch display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution.

It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, has 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with 32GB or 64 of onboard storage.

To the back of the phone is a 12MP camera and the front houses a 5MP camera.

Which is your favourite Xiaomi device right now? Let us know in the comments!

February 7, 2018

Honor 9 Lite Vs Honor 7X Vs Xiaomi Mi A1 Vs Moto G5s Plus

2017 saw the launch of a lot of great mid-range smartphones. Right from the Moto G5 Plus in early 2017 to the Honor 7X, the mid-range segment had some excellent additions. It is fair to rate the Honor 7X, Xiaomi Mi A1 and the Moto G5s Plus as the three top phones in their price segment. And in January 2018, Honor launched the Honor 9 Lite with four cameras and a price of Rs. 10999.

At a price of Rs. 10999, the Honor 9 Lite is a great prospect with its bezel-less design and a very capable Kirin 659 chipset. The Xiaomi Mi A1, Honor 7X and the Moto G5s Plus possess good cameras and have been great performers over the past few months of testing.

In terms of design, the Honor 9 Lite is the clear winner. At such a price, to offer a glass build is commendable. The other three phones have a great aluminium unibody design as well but, the Honor 9 Lite wins by a mile here.

In our recent comparison of the Xiaomi Mi A1 and Honor 7X, both the smartphones were at par when it came to day-to-day performance. The Honor 9 Lite has the same chipset and RAM configuration as the Honor 7X while the Mi A1 shares the specifications with the Mi A1. Software on all the phones is extremely smooth. At the end of the day, it will boil down to personal preference, whether you like stock Android OS or the customisable EMUI.

Specifications

Specifications	Honor 9 Lite	Honor 7X	Xiaomi Mi A1	Moto G5s Plus
Price	Starting Rs. 10999	Starting Rs. 12999	Rs. 13999	Rs. 14999
Display	5.65 inch IPS LCD	5.93-inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.5 inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.5-inch IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 X 1080 px	2160 X 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px
Battery	3000 mAh	3340 mAh	3080 mAh	3000 mAh
OS	Android 7.1 Nougat EMUI	Android 7.1 Nougat EMUI	Android 8 Oreo	Android 7.1 Nougat
Chipset	HiSilicon Kirin 659	HiSilicon Kirin 659	Snapdragon 625	Snapdragon 625
RAM	3GB/4GB	3GB/4GB	4GB	4GB
Storage	32GB/64GB (Expandable up to 256GB)	32GB/64GB (Expandable up to 256GB)	64GB (Expandable up to 128GB)	64GB (Expandable up to 128GB)
Primary Camera	13MP + 2MP (depth sensor)	16MP + 2MP depth sensor	12MP wide-angle f/2.2 + 12MP telephoto lens f/2.6	13MP + 13MP with f/2.0
Primary Camera Video	1080P @ 30fps	1080P @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	13MP + 2MP (depth sensor)	8MP	5MP	8MP f/2.0
Add-ons	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor

January 27, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8 Oreo Update Suspended Again

Xiaomi Mi A1 was the first ever smartphone from Xiaomi to run stock Android OS. The Mi A1 was promised to have much better update experience thanks to Android One support. That, however, has not been the case so far.

After releasing the Android 8.0 Oreo on December 31st, the company had to suspend the rollout. On 16th January, the company resumed the rollout. It seemingly fixed all the bugs that were reported by users who updated their phones in the first wave of the rollout. Now, the company has been forced into suspending the update rollout once again.

New bugs have been unearthed in the latest build. Xiaomi would like to fix these as soon as possible. One of the USPs of the Mi A1 was the smartphone’s software experience for people who did not fancy MIUI and all its bells and whistles.

Xiaomi isn’t the first company to suspend the Android 8 Oreo update. OnePlus had to recently halt the Android 8 Oreo update for the OnePlus 5 devices due to performance issues reported by users. However, the issues were fixed soon and the official rollout resumed a few days ago.

Xiaomi Mi A1/5X

Xiaomi Mi A1 Overview

The Mi A1 has a 5.5 inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution.

The smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 has a 12MP equipped with a wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture while the other one is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.

Watch our full review of the Xiaomi Mi A1:

January 26, 2018
Xiaomi Mi 6X Case Leak Confirms The iPhone X Style Dual Camera Setup

The past couple of years have seen a promising growth in the popularity of mid-range smartphones. Consumers are genuinely interested in the upcoming smartphones rather than just looking at them as a cheap alternative until they buy a flagship phone. Xiaomi has been a big player in the budget category of smartphones and especially in India, it has seen an exponential growth thanks to popular phones like the Redmi Note 4 and Xiaomi Mi A1.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 was an Android One variant of the Mi 5X which was launched in July of 2017, and a successor is eagerly anticipated by many suitors. The Mi 5X/Mi A1 had a great camera setup for its price point and nothing less than an upgrade is expected of the upcoming Mi 6X. However, there might be a design change that might interest a few people more than others.

A leaked image of the back panel of the Xiaomi Mi 6X revealed that it will sport a vertically placed dual-camera setup, uncannily similar to the iPhone X. A leaked image of a case has also surfaced, which reveals the same camera placement along with a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. The accompanying front angle image reveals that the Mi 6X will have thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The resolution is expected to be 2160 x 1080 px.

The image of the back panel did not reveal a fingerprint sensor instead, had a small hole.

The Xiaomi Mi 6X could very well be the Xiaomi Mi A1 (2018) or Mi A2 in India as the Mi A1 was extremely well-received for its software and camera performance. Even though the Mi A1 got off to a rough start after the first Android 8.0 Oreo update, things have gotten better since then as the company released a new update.

So far, apart from two sketchy leaked images, we have no information about the Mi 6X however, with its launch presumably a few months away, there is plenty of time for more leaks. Only time will tell whether the Xiaomi Mi 6X will ever make its way to India as the Mi A2 or under any other moniker.

January 23, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A2- What To Expect?

In September of 2017, Xiaomi surprised a lot of people by launching the Xiaomi Mi A1. While a lot of people expected a flagship device in the ‘Mi’ lineup, the Chinese smartphone maker announced its first ever stock Android OS running Mi A1. The device is a part of Google’s Android One program which means that it will receive consistent software updates for a longer period than other smartphones by OEMs that are not a part of the Android One program.

While it could be possible that the Xiaomi Mi A1 was a one-off from Xiaomi since the company truly promotes its own MIUI and there are reports that it has already started working on MIUI 10 called, MIUI X. However, the company won’t be able to ignore the popularity of their stock OS smartphone in India.

If there is a remote possibility of the Xiaomi MI A2 becoming a possibility, what can we expect?

Price

The price of the Xiaomi Mi A1, at the time of its launch, was Rs. 14999 which was marginally cheaper than the Moto G5s Plus. However, the launch of the Honor 7X might have made the company reduce the price of the Mi A1 to Rs. 13999. If the Mi A2 were to be launched in India, the price would remain the same at Rs. 14999.

Display

2018 will, in all likelihood, see a lot of budget and mid-range smartphones launching with a bezel-less design. Xiaomi Mi A2 will have to keep up with its competition, which will be devices like the Moto G6 Plus and Honor 8X. The Xiaomi Mi A2 might have a 6 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Xiaomi is also expected to retain the IPS LCD display as well.

Honor 7X

Hardware

The Xiaomi Mi A1 was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, a very commonly used chip in the budget segment. 2018 budget-oriented smartphones are expected to be powered by the new gen chipsets by Qualcomm. Qualcomm is expected to launch the Snapdragon 670, 640 chipsets which means that the Mi A2 could be powered by one of these chipsets. It is expected to retain the 4GB RAM/64GB storage specification and it might be the only variant the smartphone will be launched in.

Camera

Up until the Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched, Motorola’s Moto G5 Plus and G5s Plus had the best cameras in the segment. However, the Xiaomi Mi A1 had a great dual-camera setup as well and the Mi A2, in order to sway customers will have to have a great camera performance as well. The Xiaomi Mi A2 is expected to have the same “wide-angle and telephoto lens” combination for the primary cameras. The dual-camera setup on the front is becoming popular as well, meaning the Xiaomi Mi A2 could also have a dual-camera setup on the front as well.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Mi A2 may never be launched but, it could be a great prospect for Xiaomi to further tap into the segment of consumers which still prefer stock Android OS over a customisable third-party skin. If priced competitively just like its predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi A2 could be a very popular smartphone in the budget-segment.

January 16, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.0 Oreo Update Rollout Resumes

A few days ago, it was reported that the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Xiaomi Mi A1 was suspended. Xiaomi launched the Mi A1 back in August of 2017 with stock Android 7.1 Nougat. The company promised an update to Android 8 Oreo by the end of the year. Technically, the company delivered on the promise and released the first software update to Android 8.0 Oreo on the 31st of December.

Xiaomi had to suspend the rollout of Android 8 Oreo because a lot of users were complaining about performance-related issues. Users had complained about issues pertaining to an unresponsive camera and dialer app, battery drain when Bluetooth is turned on, unresponsive ambient light sensor and recent app button.

Xiaomi is now pushing out a new version of the Oreo update for the Xiaomi Mi A1. This new update will fix all the bugs that were reported by users. For people who downloaded the previous version, the new update is only 89MB in size while for people who have are still on Android 7.1 Nougat, then it’s a more substantial 1112MB update.

Xiaomi’s update took a lot less time than expected to release a fix and hopefully, this time around, the company won’t suspend it again.

The Mi A1 has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection and aluminium unibody build.

The smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 has a 12MP equipped with a wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture while the other one is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.

January 16, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8 Oreo Rollout Suspended

Xiaomi launched the Mi A1 back in August of 2017 with stock Android 7.1 Nougat. This was the first instance of a Xiaomi smartphone running stock OS out of the box and the company promised an update to Android 8 Oreo by the end of the year. Technically, the company delivered on the promise and released the first software update to Android 8.0 Oreo on the 31st of December.

However, Xiaomi has now suspended the rollout of Android 8 Oreo owing to a lot of users complaining about performance-related issues. Users have complained about issues pertaining to an unresponsive camera and dialer app, battery drain when Bluetooth is turned on, unresponsive ambient light sensor and recent app button.

Xiaomi isn’t the first company to suspend the Android 8 Oreo update. OnePlus had to recently halt the Android 8 Oreo update for the OnePlus 5 devices due to performance issues reported by users. However, the issues were fixed soon and the official rollout resumed a few days ago.

The Mi A1 has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection and aluminium unibody build.

The smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. Handling the graphics under the hood is the Adreno 505 GPU. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has an IR blaster to control appliances in your home or office. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device below the camera.

Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery and 2A charging through the Type C port.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 has a 12MP equipped with a wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture while the other one is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.

January 12, 2018

Nokia 6 (2018) Vs Mi A1 Vs Moto G5s Plus

HMD Global’s pricing strategy for its mid-range and budget smartphones in India has baffled everyone. The Nokia 6 was launched in India in early-2017 and was heavily panned for its excessive pricing. However, it appears that HMD Global has learned its lesson and will be willing to rectify such costly errors with its new budget smartphone, the Nokia 6 (2018).

In China, the device starts at a price of CNY 1499 (Rs. 14600 approx.) and if HMD Global goes the Nokia 8 route and launches the device at Rs. 14000 or less, the Nokia 6 (2018) could be a great contender in the budget category of Android phones. In this category, the Xiaomi Mi A1 and Moto G5s Plus also offer a stock Android experience and feature metal build although, both the devices also have a dual-camera setup at the back unlike the new Nokia 6.

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Early images of the Nokia 6 (2018) reveal a nice design with good colour options, however, a few choices made by Nokia are questionable. Many other OEMs have resorted for a rear-facing fingerprint sensor due to the tall display and thin bezels but, the Nokia 6 (2018) maintains the 16:9 aspect ratio and the thick bezels while moving the fingerprint sensor to the back. This decision would’ve been justified had the smartphone moved to an 18:9 aspect ratio and cut down the bezels significantly.

A few design tweaks aside, the Nokia 6 (2018) is a significant update over the Nokia 6 of 2017. But, will it be the new fan favourite if and when it is released in India? Let’s find out:

Specifications	Nokia 6 (2018)	Xiaomi Mi A1	Moto G5s Plus
Price	Starting at CNY 1499 (Rs. 14600 approx.)	Rs. 13999	Rs. 14999
Display	5.5 inch IPS LCD	5.5 inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.5-inch IPS LCD
Resolution	1920 x 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px
Battery	3000 mAh	3080 mAh	3000 mAh
Chipset	Snapdragon 630	Snapdragon 625	Snapdragon 625
Processor	2.2GHz Octa-core processor	2.0Ghz Octa-core processor	2.0 GHz Octa-core
RAM	4GB	4GB	4GB
Storage	32GB/64GB (Expandable up to 128GB)	64GB (Expandable up to 128GB)	64GB (Expandable up to 128GB)
Primary Camera	16MP f/2.0	12MP wide-angle f/2.2 + 12MP telephoto lens f/2.6	13MP + 13MP with f/2.0
Secondary Camera	8MP f/2.2 84-degree wide-angle lens	5MP	8MP f/2.0 Wide-angle lens

The Nokia 6 (2018) has a slightly better chipset than the other two smartphones but, it also launched more than four months later. With the Xiaomi Mi A1, you get Android One which means that the Mi A1 will get future software upgrades to Android P as well.

While companies claim that all their smartphones will get software updates for at least two years, you’ll be hard-pressed to bet on Android P update coming to the Moto G5s Plus. The Nokia 6 (2018) already runs Android 8 Oreo and hopefully, will get an update to Android P as well in early 2019.

Let’s not forget that the Honor 7X is cheaper than both the Mi A1 and G5s Plus with equally good performing chip and cameras. A lot will depend on the price of the Nokia 6 (2018) when it launches in India.

With so many viable options in this price category, the question that arises is whether the new Nokia 6 has enough to offer that will persuade potential buyers towards it or not. Also, will the absence of a dual-camera setup on the Nokia 6 (2018) be a deal-breaker for many suitors?

January 6, 2018

Tag: Xiaomi Mi A1

Xiaomi Mi A1

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Moto G5s Plus

Honor 7x

Honor 9 Lite

Camera Samples

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi Mi A1

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

Xiomi Redmi 5A

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

Specifications

Xiaomi Mi A1 Overview

Watch our full review of the Xiaomi Mi A1:

Price

Display

Hardware

Camera

Conclusion