Listen to the Mi MIX 2’s designer talk about Xiaomi’s new bezel-less phone

Xiaomi has just released a new video featuring both Industrial Designer Philippe Starck and CEO Lei Jun talking about the brand new Mi MIX 2. Starck is a world-famous designer and has worked on everything from Steve Jobs’ yacht to furniture and more. Starck also designed the first Mi MIX, which was a viral sensation and kicked off the bezel-less trend we see taking over the market today.

See also:

Xiaomi Mi MIX Review – all screen, almost all of the time!

Xiaomi Mi MIX Review – all screen, almost all of the time!

November 16, 2016

And now, Xiaomi is back again with another beautiful device. A common theme in the video is Jade, the ornamental rock that is heavily featured in Asian art. Xiaomi is using a unibody ceramic casing for the Mi MIX 2 to give it the cool, calm, quiet feeling akin to Jade. Last year’s Mi MIX featured a similar ceramic design, but the Mi MIX 2 improves on that design by featuring a full ceramic unibody casing.

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One of the key points that Starck and Jun push in the video is perfection. Xiaomi took the time and effort to make what it thinks is the perfect device. According to them, it has the perfect body, a perfect aspect ratio, and removing something as small as a 0.1 mm seam makes all the difference. “It’s just magic.”

We recently spent some hands-on time with the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2. We noted in our initial hands-on article that Xiaomi’s decision to shrink the size of the display and overall footprint made it easier to handle. Due to the smaller size, the phone lacks a headphone jack and the battery size drops from 4,400 mAh in last year’s Mi MIX to 3,400 mAh this year. Under the hood, the Mi MIX 2 has a Snapdragon 835 processor, 6 or 8 GB of RAM, and 64, 128, or 256 GB of RAM.

Xiaomi Mi A1 with dual-camera setup and stock Android now available in India (Updated)

Update, 03:45AM EST: It looks like the Mi A1 is fast flying off the virtual shelves. The phone is already out of stock on Mi.com and Flipkart. The next sale on Mi.com is scheduled for September 19 at 12PM IST. You may still be able to get it from one of the brick-and-mortar retailers listed below.

Original post: The Mi A1, Xiaomi’s first Android One smartphone, is now on sale in India. It’s available on the company’s online store and Flipkart as well as at various offline retailers: Sangeetha, Poorvika, Big C, LOT, UniverCell, E-Zone, Croma, and Vijay Sales. The device will set you back Rs. 14,999 and can be yours in black or gold.

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As a refresher, the Mi A1 was officially announced a week ago and really does offer good value for money. It’s a mid-range handset that sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display and is powered by the Snapdragon 625 chipset. It has 4 GB or RAM and 64 GB of storage that you can expand with a microSD card in case you need more.

See also:

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

5 days ago

One of the main features of the device is its dual-camera setup on the back with a 12 MP wide-angle and 12 MP telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom. Additionally, the setup allows you to capture those fancy bokeh images that have a blurred background.

The smartphone also comes with a 5 MP selfie snapper, a 3,080 mAh battery, and a metal body. Of course, as this is an Android One smartphone, it ships with a stock version of Google’s OS on board — Nougat. So if you like Xiaomi devices but aren’t a big fan of its MIUI user interface, this is the one you should get.

If you’re interested in picking up the Mi A1, just visit Xiaomi’s website or Flipkart via the buttons below.

Author cellphonehackerPosted on September 12, 2017Tags India, News, Xiaomi, Xiaomi Mi A1Leave a comment on Xiaomi Mi A1 with dual-camera setup and stock Android now available in India (Updated)

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 first impressions: AI-powered beautification

In addition to the Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi also took the wraps off the Mi Note 3 this week. This new mid-range device looks sharp, features a dual camera, and comes with new beautification features that promise to make selfie even more of a science. Let’s see what the Note 3 is about.

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Xiaomi Mi Note 3 specs

The device sports a 5.5-inch display (featuring a reading mode) and is powered by the Snapdragon 660 chipset. It has 6 GB of RAM and comes with either 64 or 128 GB of storage. It’s not quite as compact for its size as the Mi Mix 2 as it doesn’t feature the so-called bezel-less design, but Xiaomi wants to make it clear that the bezels are still relatively thin, making the device smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus.

One of the biggest features of the Mi Note 3 is its dual-camera setup on the back. It features a 12 MP wide-angle lens along with a 12 MP telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom. Xiaomi has also mentioned that the cameras have a 4-axis optical image stabilization and will, of course, allow you to capture those bokeh images that we all love.

See also:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Great specs, but a few things are missing

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Great specs, but a few things are missing

1 day ago

The secondary camera, on the other hand, features a 16 MP sensor with what Xiaomi calls an Adaptable AI Beautify mode. What this apparently does is offer a “realistic beautify effect” that won’t compromise the quality of the image.

It packs a 3,500 mAh battery and also comes equipped with NFC, an IR blaster, as well as stereo speakers. Other things worth mentioning are a fingerprint scanner that’s embedded in the home button below the display, a USB Type-C port, and a facial recognition feature that gives you another way to unlock the device. Although it’s a nice feature to have, this technology hasn’t proved to be the safest one in the past.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 hands-on impressions

The Mi Note 3 takes a lot of cues from the Mi 6 that we saw a number of months ago, right down to its design and dual cameras. The curves on the back make for a phone that is easier to handle than many of its blockier peers, but the Mi Note 3 is bigger than Xiaomi’s last flagship smartphone.

Even the colors are the same, with black taking the lead and an electric blue again taking the spotlight with its eye-catching sheen. Other than that, there isn’t too much to be overly excited about with the Mi Note 3, if users have already been using Xiaomi’s previous phones from the past year.

All of the software guts are largely the same and will feel very familiar to veteran MIUI users, despite the UI’s weekly update schedule. All of the different features return here, like the Quick Ball that adds the soft keys and a couple extra buttons to any portion of the screen, Dual App for ghosting another version of maybe a messenger app for multiple account usage, and the app drawer-less homescreens that some may like and other may quickly replace. Of course, as this is a China-only phone, this might not affect as many people this time around.

Similarities to the previous Mi 6 continue with the camera package, which is largely the same as the dual 12MP regular and zoom lens combo that brought the first portrait mode to Android. These two cameras performed decently well, with the portrait mode taking much of the attention, but if it’s anything like the previous attempt, we might be seeing some less-than-decent low-light shots. I would be interested to see if the zoom capabilities can be used in video mode, which was not the case in the Mi 6 – and software updates did nothing to rectify that.

AI Beautify

A limited release can perhaps be explained by Xiaomi trying to experiment with a couple of features before making them more readily available to the masses. This is perhaps most apparent with the AI Beautify mode. With a powerful 16MP front facing camera, it is clear that Xiaomi is really trying to capture the imagination of its beautify-addicted user base, as it was clear in their marketing for the phone. Crazy video packages and gorgeous models aside, the phone uses face scanning to find the different zones of face and provide more accurate (if that is even the word to use) changes to the user’s visage. Eyes can be pinpointed for enlargement, the chin can be singled out for easier slimming, and the cheeks can be airbrushed to remove spots, to name a few options.

There are even different settings in order to add what could be described as “virtual makeup” to take it to the next level. Xiaomi even made a big deal about their new AI Beautify working for men just as well as women, but this remains to be seen.

All of these features, allegedly, get better at identifying the best touchups to apply to the user’s face, the more they take selfies using the mode. All of this sounds good and well for users who really want their faces to be altered by their smartphones before snapping, but I wasn’t able to really understand how it was any different from other beautify modes we’ve seen in other Chinese phones. All of the toggles and sliders are about the same and when cranked up to the max, my face looked far from the original.

And without any knowledge of the written Chinese language, I wasn’t sure if I was missing any other of the makeup features to add to my new face. It’s all in good fun, however, what is interesting about this feature is the possibility that Xiaomi could put it in more phones moving forward. It’s possible that they are testing it in their home market before touching up their more global-ready offerings like the Mi Mix 2.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 price and availability

In terms of pricing, the 64 GB version will set you back RMB 2,499 (around $385), while the 128 GB variant will retail for RMB 2,899 (around $445) — only the black model. There’s also a fancier blue version of the device available that only comes with 128 GB of space and is slightly more expensive at RMB 2,999 (around $460).

Unfortunately, Xiaomi hasn’t shared any info regarding the release date of the Mi Note 3 yet. No need to worry though, as soon as we hear more on this topic, we’ll be sure to let you guys know.

Read:

• Mi Mix 2 – What you need to know
• Mi Mix 2 specs

Xiaomi Mi 5X owners: you can (unofficially) turn your phone into an Android One device

Last week, Xiaomi announced its very first device for the Android One program, the Mi A1. What’s basically a rebranded Xiaomi Mi 5X, the new Mi A1 sports most of the same specifications as the Mi 5X, only it drops Xiaomi’s MIUI Android skin. In its place is a bare-bones Android experience, complete with Google services and a promised Oreo update. It looks to be a very compelling option for anyone looking for a stock Android device without breaking the bank.

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If you’re a Xiaomi Mi 5X owner jealous of that delicious stock Android on the Mi A1, you’re in luck. A developer from the MIUI forums named heli0us published their Android One port for the Mi 5X. The ROM enables current owners to, for all intents and purposes, turn their Mi 5X into a Mi A1. After flashing the ROM, the phone identifies itself as a Mi A1 and comes with the August 1 security update.

See also:

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

4 days ago

Due to the difference in partition layouts in the Android One and MIUI versions of the device, you probably won’t get OTA updates, but you should be able to flash them yourself. As of right now, it seems that everything in the ROM is working. The developer reports that they’ve seen no issues on their device, but you should always keep in mind that when you’re dealing with unofficial software ports, things do tend to break. Also, be sure to back up your data before you begin the flashing process as you’ll be required to wipe the data partition and start over from scratch.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 with 6 GB of RAM and dual camera makes its debut

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In addition to the Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi also took the wraps off the Mi Note 3 today. The device sports a 5.5-inch display (featuring a reading mode) and is powered by the Snapdragon 660 chipset. It has 6 GB of RAM and comes with either 64 or 128 GB of storage. It’s not quite as compact for its size as the Mi Mix 2 as it doesn’t feature the so-called bezel-less design, but Xiaomi wants to make it clear that the bezels are still relatively thin, making the device smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus.

One of the biggest features of the Mi Note 3 is its dual-camera setup on the back. It features a 12 MP wide-angle lens along with a 12 MP telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom. Xiaomi has also mentioned that the cameras have a 4-axis optical image stabilization and will, of course, allow you to capture those bokeh images that we all love.

To show off exactly what the dual-camera setup can do, Xiaomi released a few sample images that you can check out below. None of these were taken at night, which is quite strange based on the fact the company emphasized that the cameras are optimized for low-light photography.

See also:

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Great specs, but a few things are missing

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Great specs, but a few things are missing

2 hours ago

The secondary camera, on the other hand, features a 16 MP sensor with what Xiaomi calls an Adaptable AI Beautify mode. What this apparently does is offer a “realistic beautify effect” that won’t compromise the quality of the image.

The Mi Note 3 has an aluminum frame and a glass back with a mirror-like effect and is slightly curved on the sides, which should make it sit better in the hand. In terms of design, it’s more or less identical to the Mi 6 that was announced back in April, which isn’t really a bad thing.

It packs a 3,500 mAh battery and also comes equipped with NFC, an IR blaster, as well as stereo speakers. Other things worth mentioning are a fingerprint scanner that’s embedded in the home button below the display, a USB Type-C port, and a facial recognition feature that gives you another way to unlock the device. Although it’s a nice feature to have, this technology hasn’t proved to be the safest one in the past.

In terms of pricing, the 64 GB version will set you back RMB 2,499 (around $385), while the 128 GB variant will retail for RMB 2,899 (around $445) — only the black model. There’s also a fancier blue version of the device available that only comes with 128 GB of space and is slightly more expensive at RMB 2,999 (around $460).

Unfortunately, Xiaomi hasn’t shared any info regarding the release date of the Mi Note 3 yet. No need to worry though, as soon as we hear more on this topic, we’ll be sure to let you guys know.

Read:

• Mi Mix 2 – What you need to know
• Mi Mix 2 specs

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Great specs, but a few things are missing

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Mi Mix 2, the latest phone with an edge-to-edge screen is here, but are the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 specs up to par with those of competitors? You can check out for yourself in the table below!

While we wait for Josh’s hands-on impressions, let’s just say that there’s not a lot missing (at least on paper) from the Mi Mix 2 spec sheet. The most obvious issues could be the lack of water protection, wireless charging, and a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack.

Here’s what the Mi Mix 2 offers in terms of specs and features.

	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Special Edition
Display	5.99-inch FHD 2160 x 1080 resolution 570 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut	5.99-inch FHD 2160 x 1080 resolution 570 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut
Processor	64-bit octa-core (max 2.45GHz) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 10 nm process	64-bit octa-core (max 2.45GHz) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 10 nm process
RAM	6 GB LPDDR4X	8 GB LPDDR4X
Storage	64 GB/128 GB/256 GB USF 2.1	128 GB USF 2.1
MicroSD	No	No
Cameras	Rear: 12 MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 4-axis OIS, 1,25 μm, PDAF Front: 5 MP sensor, 1080p video, Beautify	Rear: 12 MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 4-axis OIS, 1,25 μm, PDAF Front: 5 MP sensor, 1080p video, Beautify
Battery	3,400 mAh (typical) 3,300 mAh (minimum) 2A QuickCharge 3.0	3,400 mAh (typical) 3,300 mAh (minimum) 2A QuickCharge 3.0
Wireless charging	No	No
Water resistance	No	No
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), 2X2 MIMO and MU-MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC USB Type-C (no 3.5 mm jack) Location (GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BeiDou) Network bands § 2G • GSM 2/3/5/8 • CDMA BC0，BC1,BC6,BC10 § 3G • CDMA EVDO,BC0,BC1,BC6,BC10 • WCDMA 1/2/3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 / 9 / 19 • TDS-CDMA 34/39 § 4G • TD-LTE 34/38/39/40/41 • FDD-LTE 1/2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 12 / 13 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 • B41 supports 2496MHz-2690MHz full bandwidth • LTE B41 4 antenna technology, supports 4X4 MIMO	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), 2X2 MIMO and MU-MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC USB Type-C (no 3.5 mm jack) Location (GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BeiDou) Network bands § 2G • GSM 2/3/5/8 • CDMA BC0，BC1,BC6,BC10 § 3G • CDMA EVDO,BC0,BC1,BC6,BC10 • WCDMA 1/2/3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 / 9 / 19 • TDS-CDMA 34/39 § 4G • TD-LTE 34/38/39/40/41 • FDD-LTE 1/2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 12 / 13 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 • B41 supports 2496MHz-2690MHz full bandwidth • LTE B41 4 antenna technology, supports 4X4 MIMO
SIM	Dual nano SIM	Dual nano SIM
Software	MIUI 9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat	MIUI 9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat
Dimensions and weight	151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7 mm 185 g	150.5 x 74.6 x 7.7 mm 187 g
Design	Aluminum alloy frame Four-sided curved ceramic body 18K PVD gold coating camera rim	Ceramic unibody design Black version: 18K PVD gold coating camera and fingerprint sensor rims White version: 18K PVD rose gold coating camera and fingerprint sensor rims

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 price details revealed

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is official. The full-screen sequel to the original Mi MIX concept phone from 2016 was unveiled at a Beijing event earlier today. There’s lots to be excited about, and you can read more details on what it will offer in terms of hardware here. Below, you can check out the key Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 price and availability details.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 release date

The Mi MIX 2 was unveiled today, September 11, and is coming in a single black color option, while a Special Edition variant will be available in two colors: black and white. Precise release date information should be coming soon — the Xiaomi conference is still ongoing — but the original Mi MIX was unveiled in October 2016, with a release in November 2016, which suggests that we should see the Mi MIX 2 by next month.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 price

The regular version of the Mi MIX 2 is coming in three storage variations, these are:

• 6 GB 64 GB model — RMB 3299 (~$506)
• 6 GB 128 GB model — RMB 3599 (~$552)
• 6 GB 256 GB model — RMB 3999 (~$614)

The Mi MIX 2 Special Edition comes with a ceramic unibody, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage space priced at RMB 4699, or around $720.
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Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 officially announced: Bezel-less design, refined

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 has landed! Stay tuned as we bring you all the details over the following days and hours. We will be updating our Mi Mix 2 coverage regularly, so tune in.

Xiaomi shocked the world when it first introduced the nearly-bezelless Mi Mix back in October of last year, and since then, the design has absolutely taken the world by storm. Many flagships released in 2017 have sported a new streamlined design language with minimal bezels and a slimmer footprint, and it’s become evident that the industry is shifting towards all screen, all the time.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 review
• LG G6 review

It’s been almost a full year since Xiaomi announced their phone though, and they’re ready to take the next step in the battle for smartphone design domination. With so many other competitors on the market stealing their limelight, can the Mi Mix 2 line retain its lead in the design innovation department? We’ll leave that for you to decide, but for now, here’s everything you need to know about the new Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.

A note from the editor: Xiaomi is releasing the Mi Mix 2 in two versions: a regular one and a Special Edition with extra memory and a more luxurious design. We will highlight the differences as they come into discussion.

A familiar, luxurious design

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 looks quite similar to its predecessor, with a 5.99-inch 2160 x 1080 (FHD ) display encased by a 151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7 mm aluminum alloy frame and a ceramic back that is curved on four sides. As an accent, both the standard and the Special Edition feature an 18K gold-plated ring around the camera.

The phone sports the trendy aspect ratio of 18:9 and weighs 185 grams, down from the 209 grams in the original model.

The chin of the device has been shrunk by 12 percent, and the result is a more visually balanced design. Xiaomi has also tweaked elements like the call speaker and the proximity sensor, which are now placed in the top side of the phone.

Key specs

The Mix 2 will be powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor, putting it up to par with many of the other flagships currently on the market today. It sports 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and storage options of 64, 128 and 256 GB. With a well-sized battery of 3,400 mAh, we’re thinking this thing should be able to last you quite a bit more than a solid work day. And with Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 3.0 technology built right in, you’ll be able to juice up in no time.

There is a fingerprint scanner in the same location as last year, encased into the back of the device, but sadly we won’t be getting a headphone jack this time around. Xiaomi is introducing Bluetooth 5.0 into this model however, so you should get the best wireless audio experience available today. If you want to go wired, there is an USB Type-C port in the bottom of the device, so you can use that for charging or wired audio.

Fewer megapixels, larger pixels

The rear camera sports a 12 MP sensor, down from the 16 MP in the original Mix, but utilizes large 1.25μm pixels to capture more light. There is also 4-axis optical image stabilization in this camera, meaning you should be able to get clear photos and nice stable video. With a 5-piece f/2.0 aperture lens, you’ll also be able to get some nice depth of field out of this camera, though rivals like the Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30 offer better specs in this area. And though the bezels on the device are very fashionable, the Mi Mix 2 bucks the 2017 trend with only one lens on the back of the device. Still, it can record 4K at 30 fps and 720p at 120 fps.

The front-facing camera is in the same place as last year, at the bottom of the face of the device, but comes in a bit smaller to make more room for the screen. This camera shoots at 5 MP, and can record 1080p video calls with real-time beautify technology. It’s also got a selfie countdown and face recognition technology, so you’ll always be able to snap the shot exactly when you want to.

A familiar interface… updated

Xiaomi is using MIUI 9 for this device, which just entered its third round of open beta. This is quite similar to the old OS but with a variety of new features and optimizations, so you’ll be getting the latest the company has to offer on the software front. MIUI 9 offers features like multi-window and quick reply and is based on Android 7.0 Nougat. Though no news of an Android 8.0 Oreo update has been announced, be sure to check back to see if the company decides to update the device in the future.

A special edition for those who want more

If you’re the kind that wants to go all out, Xiaomi is offering a special edition of this phone, with 8 GB of RAM (vs 6 GB on the standard) and 128 GB of storage. It has an 18K gold coating surrounding the camera and the fingerprint sensor rim, and uses ceramic over the entire body of the device instead of the aluminium in the standard model.

Use it anywhere

You still might be hard-pressed to find the Mi Mix 2 in your area, but Xiaomi has added global bands to the device to allow it to be used anywhere. This means our friends who were craving the original model will be able to enjoy everything Xiaomi has to offer, though they might have to import it.

Dive deeper

Interested in reading more about the Mi Mix 2? We have more details coming your way soon.

• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 full specs We’ve rounded up all the specifications of the Mi Mix 2 (standard and Special Edition). Spoiler: there are a few features that competitors offer and the Mi Mix 2 does not.
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 price and availability details When, where, and for how much? We’re answering the essential questions about the Mi Mix 2 availability.
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 hands-on – coming soon!
• Xiaomi Mi Note 3 announced At the same event, Xiaomi took the veils of the Mi Note 3. Check it out!

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Details regarding price and availability will be coming in the near future, but until then stat tuned to Android Authority to get the latest information as soon as it hits.

Xiaomi set to introduce the Mi Note 3 alongside the Mi MIX 2 next week

Xiaomi announced last week that it would introduce the Mi MIX 2, sequel to its bezel-less Mi MIX concept phone from last year, at an event on September 11. However, according to Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, the Mi MIX 2 won’t be the only device unveiled at the event.

Lei posted a promo image of the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier today (seen above), revealing that the handset would be launched alongside the MIX 2 at the Beijing event.

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See also:

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

1 day ago

While we’ve already seen a few rumors regarding the Mi MIX 2, speculation recording the Mi Note 3 has been thin on the ground. It appears that it will arrive in blue with a gold trim (you can just about see it on the sides, but the model’s gold necklace could be another subtle nod to this) and feature a dual camera setup, unlike the Mi Note 2, which housed a single rear camera sensor.

Xiaomi Mi A1 first impressions: How’s stock Android on a Xiaomi phone?

The pitch for the new Mi A1 by Xiaomi is that the phone is ‘created by Xiaomi, powered by Google’. It’s an interesting amalgamation, but does it bring any value to the consumer?

I spent some time with the Xiaomi Mi A1 in last few days, and here are my initial impressions of the first Xiaomi device that is powered by Android One.

Design

At first glance, the Mi A1 impresses with its minimalistic yet premium design and full metal chassis. The antenna bands fluidly blend with the top and bottom edges at the back, and while they look quite prominent in gold and rose gold variants, they are hardly noticeable in the black variant. There’s a minor camera bump on the back, but it’s not an eyesore.

Also, it’s slimmer than other Xiaomi devices with curved corners which makes it a compact smartphone that fits comfortably in your palm and at 165 grams, it weighs just right too. The buttons on the side and the fingerprint sensor on the back are also comfortably within reach.

Overall, I think it’s the best-designed Xiaomi device in its price segment as yet. It has a refreshing new design language, something similar to what we recently saw with the Mi Max 2, and the Mi A1 looks like a smaller sibling of the Mi Max 2.

Display

The Mi A1 sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display with a 2.5D curved glass, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The display is quite bright and the text and images look sharp. Even though the display is a tad reflective, sunlight legibility is good enough and viewing angles are great.

Hardware

For the Android One experiment, Xiaomi goes back to its recent favorite, the Snapdragon 625 chipset paired with 4 GB of RAM. The mid-range Snapdragon 625 processor is not the most powerful in the business, but offers a good balance of power optimization (leading to longer battery life) and performance push.

And with those internals, the Mi A1 does quite well chugging along nicely with whatever one throws at it. I’ve not stress-tested it till now, but multitasking with several apps in the background and everyday navigation is quite breezy. There’s no noticeable lag or stuttering, and the smartphone is quite responsive in everyday usage.

Like always, the Mi A1 packs in a hybrid tray so you can either use two SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card for storage expansion. However, 64 GB of onboard storage on the Mi A1 should be good enough for most users.

The Mi A1 packs in 3,080 mAh battery under the hood, and thankfully, Xiaomi has now opted for the USB Type-C port for charging keeping up with the times. Like always, there’s an infrared blaster as well.

Software

The Mi A1 is powered by stock Android, and comes with Android 7.1.2 out of the box. As an Android One smartphone, it aims to offer pure Android Nougat experience with a guarantee of Android Oreo update before the end of this year. In a surprise announcement at the launch, it was shared that the Mi A1 will also receive the Android P update, whenever it’s available.

While there’s no bloat of MIUI, Xiaomi’s proprietary customization layer, there are three Xiaomi apps – Mi Remote (to use in conjunction with the IR blaster), Feedback, and the Mi Store – which also can be uninstalled if one so wishes. The Mi A1 also uses Xiaomi’s own camera app, which is expected since the default Android camera app doesn’t support dual cameras as of now.

See also:

The most exciting new Android phone is… an Android One?

The most exciting new Android phone is… an Android One?

22 hours ago

While Android UI is a matter on one’s own preference, and there are quite a lot of fans of MIUI especially considering the nifty add-on features it brings to the table, using a Xiaomi device with stock Android is a refreshing experience. It’s zippy, and smooth. There’s support for Google Assistant and free unlimited cloud storage on Google Photos in high quality.

Yet, there’s nothing unique about this Android experience, and a Nokia or Lenovo smartphone with stock Android offers pretty much the same deal. Essentially, there’s no USP in terms of software department, except regular and timely Android updates.

Camera

While the partnership with Google made all the headlines, the highlight of the smartphone is its dual camera setup at the back. There’s a 12 MP wide-angle lens and a 12 MP telephoto lens that work together to help you click photos with depth-of-field effect, popularly known as bokeh. The telephoto lens also supports up to 2X optical zoom.

There’s a 5 MP front camera, that takes serviceable selfies unless you have shaky hands.

With the few shots I took, I realized that the rear camera works just as expected. It manages to capture some impressive photos, but few very ordinary ones as well. The bokeh shots are inconsistent.

Overall, the camera is quite good for its price, and one of the best in the segment. Of course, it’s not the same as OnePlus 5 or the iPhone 7 Plus which we wouldn’t even have considered but for the comparison that the company asserted.

Summary

At a price of ₹14,999 ($235) in India (and coming to several other countries soon), the Xiaomi Mi A1 is a pretty good smartphone on its own. It looks quite premium, and performs like a good, trusted workhorse.

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And then there’s the Android One affiliation, which brings stock Android experience, if it’s important for you, as well as regular updates.