Xiaomi is preparing to announce a sequel to the Xiaomi Mi A1, called the Mi A2. This is exciting because it will be the brand’s second phone to use Google’s Android One operating system, rather than Xiaomi’s own MIUI, making it ideal for international Xiaomi fans. The phone will be revealed soon, so here’s everything you need to know ahead of that time.
Release date and price
When will Xiaomi announce the Mi A2? It seems certain the company will do so on July 24 in Madrid, Spain. According to a post on its own official forums, Xiaomi will hold its first global launch event in the city on that date, and although it has not explicitly mentioned the Mi A2, it has also started teasing the phone’s release on its other social networks.
On Twitter, Xiaomi posted the image seen here, saying, “The next gen is coming,” while referencing the Mi A1. Spain was Xiaomi’s first official European launch country, so it makes sense for it to launch the Mi A2 there too.
In a leak by Swiss retailer Digitec, the Xiaomi Mi A2 was listed in three colors — black, blue, and gold — with local prices ranging from the local equivalent of $290 to $370. It was given a release date of August.
Design
What will the Xiaomi Mi A2 look like? based on the above image, the cheeky will quickly say it’ll look like an iPhone X, the truth is it’ll probably look exactly like the already announced Xiaomi Mi 6X. Which looks like an iPhone X. In a leak by Digitec, an online retailer, the phone has a dual-lens vertically stacked camera on the back, along with a fingerprint sensor, and small bezels around the screen on the front. This is not a bezel-less phone; but the display still dominates the front of the device.
Software
As leaked by Swiss online retailer digitec.ch, it’s Android One that makes the Mi A2 interesting. Xiaomi replaces its own MIUI user interface over Android with Google’s almost stock version of the operating system. The primary benefit is receiving regular and timely software and security updates, including the next version of Android, Android P, and Android Q as well. While MIUI is one of the better manufacturer interfaces, Android One will always be preferable.
Specification
The phone’s specification follows the Mi 6X, based on the information on Digitec’s page. This means a Snapdragon 660 processor with 4GB of RAM, and a choice of either 32GB or 64GB of memory, while a high-performance model will also be sold with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage space. The 6-inch screen has an 18:9 aspect ratio, curved edges, and small — but still very visible — bezels. The resolution is 2160 x 1080 pixels, according to the online advert, all of which matches the Mi 6X.
On the back of the Mi A2’s body, which like the Mi 6X closely resembles the iPhone X, the OnePlus 6, and several other phones, is a dual-lens camera and a fingerprint sensor. The camera array is made up of 12-megapixel and 20-megapixel lenses, complete with some artificial intelligence technology for the bokeh and beauty modes.
While the Mi A1 should operate internationally, it will probably have a modem tuned for mostly European carriers, and an official U.S. release is currently unlikely.
We’ll update here when more information is revealed.