Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Mi A1: Everything New and Different With the New Phone

Xiaomi Mi A2 is the Chinese brand's latest smartphone, launched alongside the Mi A2 Lite at a global event in Spain on Tuesday. The Mi A2 is based on Google's Android One programme and comes with features such as a vertically stacked pair of dual rear cameras, Android 8.1 Oreo, up to 6GB of RAM, and a 3010mAh battery with support for QuickCharge 3.0. It succeeds last year's Xiaomi Mi A1 that was first launched in September 2017. The Mi A1 comes with Xiaomi's trusted Snapdragon 625 SoC, a larger 3,080mAh battery, and two 12-megapixel camera sensors at the back. Let's look at the Mi A2 price, specifications, and design to find out everything that's new and different in the new phone compared to the Mi A1.

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Xiaomi Mi A1 price

Xiaomi Mi A2 price has been set at EUR 249 (roughly Rs. 20,100) for the model with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, EUR 279 (roughly Rs. 22,500) for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant, and EUR 349 (about Rs. 28,100) for the one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The Mi A2 is being sold in Black, Blue, and Gold colour options. The phone hasn't yet been launched in India but we can expect it to be priced similarly in the Indian market.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 price in India is much lower than the global pricing of the Mi A2. Only one variant of the smartphone, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage, is available in the country at a price of Rs. 13,999. Currently, it is out-of-stock in India, on Mi.com and Flipkart, and there is no word on when it will be back for purchase. The Mi A1 comes in Black, Gold, and Rose Gold colour variants.

Xiaomi Mi A1 Review

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Xiaomi Mi A1 specifications

The dual-SIM (Nano) Xiaomi Mi A2 runs an optimised stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo, certified by Google's Android One programme, and sports a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with a 18:9 aspect ratio and 2.5D curved glass. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, paired with an Adreno 512 GPU, 4GB/ 6GB of RAM, and 32GB/ 64GB/ 128GB of inbuilt storage.

In the camera department, the Mi A2 sports a dual rear camera setup. It consists of a 12-megapixel Sony IMX486 with f/1.75 aperture and 1.25-micron pixels, and a 20-megapixel secondary Sony IMX376 sensor with f/1.75 aperture and a 2-micron 4-in-1 Super Pixel size. The rear camera setup comes with dual-tone LED flash and PDAF. On the front, the handset gets a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 selfie camera with f/1.75 aperture, fixed focal length, and a soft-LED flash. There is a 3,010mAh battery under the hood, with support for QuickCharge 3.0.

In terms of connectivity, the smartphone includes 4G LTE, Bluetooth v5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Miracast, an IR emitter, and USB Type-C. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack on the Xiaomi Mi A2. Sensors on the handset include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, and proximity sensor.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi A1 bears a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It is runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. Storage on the smartphone is expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB).

As for camera specifications, the Mi A1 features two 12-megapixel sensors at the back - one with a wide-angle f/2.2 lens and the other with 1-micron pixel size and an aperture of f/2.6. On the front, the smartphone bears a 5-megapixel camera with real-time beautification mode. It comes with a 3,080mAh battery under the hood. In terms of connectivity, the smartphone comes with 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Xiaomi Mi A1 design

In terms of design, the most apparent difference is the tall 18:9 display on the Mi A2, compared to the 16:9 panel on the Mi A1. On the back, both smartphones have dual cameras however the Mi A1 bears a horizonal setup while the ones on the Mi A2 are placed vertically.