The global launch event was held this morning in Madrid where two new phones, the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite running Android One were announced. Two many new things weren’t shown to those who read our articles but there are some details which came to light only now.
The launch event was organised in WiZink Center with a special stage where there was not one big projector but two separate ones on both sides.
The launch event was opened by Xiang Wang, Co-Founder Business Development Manager. He presented the successes achieved in the first 20 minutes and their relationship with Google, then he introduced the next model through Mi A1, the first Android One phone by Xiaomi.
Donovan Sung went on to introduce the device itself. The Xiaomi Mi A2, as we have already seen, is a full display, trendy phone and is the thinnest one in its category, as it was shown in the usual comparison to a Samsung A8 phone.
Xiaomi Mi A2
The Xiaomi Mi A2 is really thinner than the average with its 7.3mm and curved, full-aluminium unibody it is convenient to hold.
It features 5.99-inch FHD+ display backed by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 so as to protect the phone against scratches and falls. The 2.5D curved glass gives a nice design but it isn’t easy to find a screen protector glass that fits …. USB-C isn’t missing and the symmetrical design, either. There is no 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The components which got most attention were cameras. As in most dual-camera Xiaomi launch events, we could listen to the positive photo-taking features of the phone for long minutes.
The primary sensor of the two rear camera modules is 12MP, f/1.75 aperture and 1.25µm pixels Sony IMX486 is responsible for the good quality of daytime images while the secondary 20MP, f/1.75 and 2µm pixels are responsible for night photos taken under reduced light conditions. Which photo will be better depends on AI.
The front camera also has a 20MP sensor supported by AI and combined with Super Pixel technology: that is the device combines four pixels to create a larger pixel to improve the sensor’s light sensitivity and result in clearer pictures.
The Xiaomi Mi A2 didn’t get a flagship processor but the best in mid-range category. Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 was the best possible choice for such a device. Its price is not so high as that of 8 series but in performance it doesn’t lag behind. Xiaomi and Qualcomm work shoulder to shoulder on AI support of devices, in this way former chips gets this great software retroactively.
The Mi A2 includes almost the maximum in terms of both storage and internal storage. SD660 + 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM is not bad, isn’t it?
Is it worth changing our former Mi A1? Sure! Let’s see what features of Mi A2 are better than those of its predecessor. Processor, camera (rear, front), storage, display, internal storage, BT and the list is endless…..
The Mi A2 will soon go on sale in 3 different colours: blue, gold and black.
Prices are favourable and they stand ground even in European circumstances and we can enjoy the so-called Xiaomi feeling: in terms of price compared to value it has beaten all its competitors. It will be available in three different versions:
- Xiaomi Mi A2 4+32 – €249
- Xiaomi Mi A2 4+64 – €299
- Xiaomi Mi A2 6+128 – €349
Full specification:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AI processor
- 4/6GB of RAM
- 32/64/128GB storage (not expandable)
- 5.99″ screen size, 18:9 aspect ratio, FHD+ 2160×1080 pixels, 403 PPI, 1500:1 contrast ratio
- Dimensions: 158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm
- Weight: 168g
- Battery: 3010 mAh
- Rear camera: 12MP, SONY IMX486; 1.25 μm pixel, large f/1.75 aperture,20MP, SONY IMX376; 4-in-1 pixel binning, 2.0μm pixel, f/1.75 large aperture, dual-toned LED flash
- Front camera: 20MP, SONY IMX376, 4 in 1 superpixel, pixel binning, 2.0 μm pixels, large f/2.2 aperture, LED lighting help
- Dual Nano-SIM, only one 4G can be used, the other is not
- GSM: B2 / B3 / B5 / B8
WCDMA: B1 / B2 / B4 / B5 / B8
LTE FDD: B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B7 / B8 / B20
LTE TDD: B38 / B40 - Wireless networks: Wi Fi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; 2.4G WiFi / 5G WiFi / WiFi Direct / WiFi display, Bluetooth 5.0
- Fingerprint scanner (at the back)
- Navigation: GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, Beidou
- Sensors: Accelerometer, E-compass, Gyroscpe, Fingerprint Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Hall Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Motor
- Packet includes : Mi A2 / network adapter / USB-C port / SIM ejector tool / C-type Audioadapter / User manual / Transparent soft cover
Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite
And then a big BANG and the Mi A2 Lite was also announced!!! (Who’d have thought it? – editor.)
Stoick droid lovers got a Redmi 6 Pro! Happiness or a wry? You should decide it on your own!
In terms of prices Lite is also favourable, price tags are similar to those in China. Colours are the same as those of Mi A2: blue, gold and black.
- Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite 3/32 – €179
- Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite 4/64 – €229
Full specification:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor
- 3/4GB of RAM
- 32/64GB storage (expandable up to 250GB)
- Notch display, 5.84″ screen size, 18:9 aspect ratio, FHD+ 2280×1080 pixels, 432 PPI, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 84% NTSC colour gamut
- Dimensions: 149.33 x 71.68 x 8.75 mm
- Weight: 178g
- Battery: 4000 mAh
- Rear camera: 12 + 5 MP, f/2.2 aperture, large 1.25 μm pixels, PDAF technology, AI support, LED flash
- Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0 aperture, AI support, LED lighting help
- Dual Nano-SIM + MicroSD slot, only one 4G can be used, the other not (optional)
- GSM B2/3/5/8
WCDMA B1/2/5/8
FDD-LTE B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20
TD-LTE B38/40 - Wireless connectivity: Wi Fi802.11 a/b/g/n; 2.4G WiFi / 5G WiFi / WiFi Direct / WiFi display, Bluetooth 4.2
- Fingerprint sensor (at the back)
- Navigáció: GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, Beidou
- Sensors: Accelerometer, E-compass, Gyroscpe, Fingerprint Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Hall Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Motor, Infrared
- Packet includes : Mi A2 Lite/ network adapter / USB / SIM ejector tool / C-type Audioadapter / User manual / Transparent soft cover
Both the Mi A2 and the Mi A2 Lite will be available for sale in July and August in France, Spain and Italy and in 40 other countries in the world including our country as well! We’ll see you in August! ;)
Full presentation: