Xiaomi previously launched a new Android One device. Jon Gold, global director of the Google Android Partner Program, emphasized that Xiaomi Mi A1 is a model for the future of Android One and clearly shows that the project is no longer just an entry-level phone.
Xiaomi A1 is sold on a large scale by “Xiaomi was created and developed by Google”. At the conference, Gold also hinted that Android One will soon cover a variety of devices and price points. My A1 is guaranteed to receive Android 8.0 Oreo update by the end of this year. Although it is too early, the release of Android P next year is also a guaranteed update period.
From the perspective of a Chinese company, my Xiaomi A1 not only provides a lot of support for Google. Given that the recently released Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4 are the two best-selling smartphones in India, choosing Xiaomi as a partner for Android One is a good decision. According to IDC, Xiaomi currently has a place in the country’s five leading smartphone brands. So far, 25 million smartphones have been sold. His new retail strategy also helped him grow.
For Xiaomi, Xiaomi A1 is a flagship product with a very competitive price, because Xiaomi 6 has not been launched in India yet. The Mi A1’s price specifications seem good, and a dual lens might be a good choice. It will be interesting to see how Xiaomi fans receive Mi A1. Let’s see if the efforts of the two companies work.
Look and feel
Although it extracts the design trajectory from the Xiaomi devices that have been released, it still stands out. It is basically a variant of the Mi 5X launched in China in July. This phone comes in black, gold and rose gold. We received a gold medal for review. Initially, only black and gold are available, and rose gold units will arrive in a few weeks.
The 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass on the front makes the phone look beautiful. The rounded edges and corners mean that it fits easily in the palm of the hand, while the 7.3mm side profile makes it look smooth. Xiaomi has repeatedly stated that the Mi 1 feels great, and we cannot completely deny it. The all-metal body looks sturdy, but the back is slippery and you must be very careful when using this phone normally. We recommend that buyers use this phone with some type of case or case. Compared to Xiaomi Redmi Note and Mi Max 2, Mi A1 is more advanced.
Xiaomi also compared the Mi A1 with the iPhone 7 Plus and can clearly see some similarities. Mi A1’s dual rear camera placement is similar, and the antenna cable is similar to the iPhone 7 series. As more cautious about overheating, Xiaomi said that all Mi A1 devices in India will be equipped with dual pyrolytic graphite plates, which should be able to quickly dissipate heat and reduce the temperature by 2 degrees.
Below the screen is an Android capacitive navigation button. The power and volume buttons are nice to the touch and located on the right, so you can use your thumb or forefinger, depending on which hand you use with your phone. The dual SIM card hybrid tray is on the left, while the infrared emitter is on the top. There is a USB Type-C port on the bottom, a speaker grill and a 3.5mm audio jack.
The fingerprint reader is on the back and works well. The dual cameras protrude slightly from the rear and feature two flashes. There are no marks on the front, but you will find the familiar Mi logo and Android One logo in the lower back.
Overall, the Mi A1 looks and feels better than any Xiaomi device we have reviewed so far. I like the attention to detail, such as the elegant speaker grille and the divider on the back, which stand out compared to the antenna bands that are common on phones at this price. However, the main problem with the Mi A1 is that it looks a lot like many phones, including some Xiaomi and Vivo models.
