Xiaomi may be the champion of phone teasing, as it came all the way to London to show me the Mi A2: a solid all-round phone with a highly affordable price tag. The downside for me? This phone won't be coming to the UK, the US or Australia. You may be in one of those countries and you may like the look of its metal, gold coloured body, you may like the big 5.99-inch display and you may appreciate how sharp text looks with the full HD plus resolution. You may also like the reasonable 250 euro price tag -- that's about $290, £220 or AU$395. But too bad! This phone's not for you. So you won't care that it has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 processor that handles gaming and photo editing without hesitation. And speaking of photos, you won't care one bit that the dual camera setup on the back takes pretty decent outdoor shots and has a portrait mode for those neat portraits with out-of-focus backgrounds. Andrew Hoyle/CNET If you're in a country where Xiaomi is selling the Mi A2 -- the company says it'll be on sale in "40 territories" but couldn't say exactly which at the time of writing -- then this phone is well worth taking a glance at. It really does pack some great tech for a super reasonable price. If you're not, then you have the choice of trying to order it through the various resellers and importers that will inevitably sell it unofficially through Amazon, or simply look towards other affordable brands like Huawei's Honor or OnePlus. Or maybe you could get some friends together to start a letter-writing campaign to Xiaomi to launch this phone officially wherever you are. The Mi A2 starts at 250 euros with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, rising to 349 euros for the top-spec model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It will be joined by the Mi A2 Lite, which is slightly smaller and has a lesser set of specs all round, and starts at 179 euros with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Now playing: Watch this: Xiaomi's Mi A2 is a tantalising budget phone -- if you... Xiaomi Mi A2 key specs:<doc-sep>Xiaomi is holding an event in Madrid, and we can’t be more excited. The Spanish capital is not the usual destination where we see phone debuts, but these are hardly the most typical phones either. The Chinese company is announcing the Xiaomi Mi A2, the follow-up of the Android One device Mi A1. Alongside it we'll see the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite - an even cheaper device with stock Android. The event begins at 11 AM local time (UTC+2) and will be streamed live both on the Mi Facebook page and its YouTube channel. Xiaomi Mi A2 (in Black) • Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite (in Gold) The Xiaomi Mi A2 is going to feature hardware identical to the Xiaomi Mi 6X, but with MIUI being replaced by stock Android. If the manufacturer keeps the tradition, the clean Oreo will arrive with some apps from the Mi user interface like Camera and Calendar. The Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite will also be on the Android One program for timely updates and stripped of the heavy Mi customization. It is expected to be based on the Redmi 6 Pro, so brace for a notch on the 5.84” screen. If the YouTube video does not play for some reason, follow the Source link for the Facebook stream. Source<doc-sep>Three months after its launch, the Nokia 7 Plus continues to be one of the best mid-range phones in the market. There really isn't much the phone gets wrong — there's a 18:9 panel at the front, proven dual cameras at the back, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard, and to top things off, the device is powered by the Snapdragon 660. Then there's the fact that the Nokia 7 Plus — like the rest of HMD Global's portfolio — runs Android One, guaranteeing timely updates. Xiaomi is now looking to challenge the Nokia 7 Plus with its 2018 Android One device, the Mi A2. At a high level, both devices are nearly identical: the Mi A2 also has an 18:9 display, and it features the Snapdragon 660 along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The dual cameras at the back are just as capable as the Nokia 7 Plus. VPN Deals: Lifetime license for $16, monthly plans at $1 & more That's where the similarities end. The Mi A2 is set to go on sale in India from August 16 for ₹16,999, or $250. That's $130 less than what the Nokia 7 Plus retails for in the country. Xiaomi's aggressive strategy gives the Mi A2 an edge when it comes to pricing, but the device is missing out on several features, including NFC, a 3.5mm jack, and a MicroSD slot. Here's how the Mi A2 compares to the Nokia 7 Plus. Xiaomi Mi A2 vs. Nokia 7 Plus: Specs Category Xiaomi Mi A2 Nokia 7 Plus Operating System Android 8.1 Oreo Android One Android 8.1 Oreo Android One Display 5.99-inch 18:9 FHD+ (2160x1080) IPS LCD panel Gorilla Glass 5 6.0-inch 18:9 FHD+ (2160x1080) IPS LCD panel Gorilla Glass 3 SoC Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 4x2.2GHz Kryo 260 + 4x1.8GHz Kryo 260 14nm Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 4x2.2GHz Kryo 260 + 4x1.8GHz Kryo 260 14nm GPU Adreno 512 Adreno 512 RAM 4GB/6GB 4GB Storage 32GB/64GB/128GB 64GB Expandable No Yes, up to 256GB Rear camera 12MP (f/1.75, 1.25um) + 20MP (f/1.75, 1.0um) PDAF, LED flash, 4K video recording 12MP (f/1.8, 1.4um) + 13MP (f/2.6, 1.0um) PDAF, LED flash 4K video recording Front camera 20MP (f/1.75, 1.0um) AI portrait mode LED Selfie light Beautify 4.0 16MP (f/2.0, 1.0um) Connectivity LTE with VoLTE Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, GLONASS Dual VoLTE, NFC Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0 3.5mm jack, FM radio GPS, GLONASS Battery 3000mAh battery Quick Charge 4.0 (India) QC3.0 (ROW) USB-C 3800mAh battery Quick Charge 3.0 USB-C Fingerprint Rear fingerprint Rear fingerprint Dimensions 158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3mm 158.4 x 75.6 x 8mm Weight 166g 183g Colors Black, Rose Gold, Gold, Blue Black/Copper, White/Copper Where they're equal As highlighted above, the Mi A2 and Nokia 7 Plus share a lot of the same internal hardware. The Snapdragon 660 is integral here, as it's currently the best mid-range chipset available today. That will change soon as we see more Snapdragon 710 devices make their way into the market, but for now, the Snapdragon 660 is a staple in this category. Both the Mi A2 and Nokia 7 Plus come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. There's a variant of the Mi A2 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but that'll make its way to India at a later date. Also notable is the fact that both phones come with Android One. With Google moving out of the mid-range market with the discontinuation of the Nexus line, third-party brands have filled the void with the current slate of Android One devices, and for the most part, the experience has been identical. In fact, the Nokia 7 Plus' design and feature-set have lent it the Pixel 2 Lite moniker, and it wears that badge very well. With Android One, you're getting a user experience that's near-identical to that of the Pixels on a diverse set of devices that span different regions and audiences. What the Mi A2 does better Xiaomi dominates the value game, and that's evident when you see how the Mi A2 lines up next to the Nokia 7 Plus. A $130 difference is a huge deal, especially when you consider the fact that the camera on the Mi A2 is just as good as that of the Nokia 7 Plus, if not better. It's no small feat to launch a Snapdragon 660-powered phone for $250, and Xiaomi's insistence that it won't exceed over 5% in profits from its hardware products makes it the brand to beat when we're talking about value. It is this factor that allows Xiaomi to undercut every other manufacturer. Xiaomi Mi A2 to the left, Nokia 7 Plus to the right. Xiaomi has also done a fantastic job with the camera on the Mi A2. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the best camera I've used on a sub-$300 phone, and both the rear cameras as well as the front 20MP shooter are incredible. That last image in particular — the one with the window — is where you'll see the Mi A2 pulling its weight. The greenery outside is more accurately portrayed in the Mi A2, and the overall detail is much better. What the Nokia 7 Plus does better With the Mi A2, Xiaomi focused on creating a device with a sleek form factor, and that meant eliminating features like the 3.5mm jack to maximize internal space. The Mi A2 comes in at 7.3mm as a result, whereas the Nokia 7 Plus is 8mm thick. The Mi A2 doesn't have the 3.5mm jack or even a MicroSD card slot, which puts the device at a disadvantage in the $250 category. The Nokia 7 Plus has both, and it has NFC as well, another feature that the Mi A2 is missing. NFC isn't as vital a feature as the MicroSD slot for Indian customers, but its omission makes the Mi A2 a less attractive option in markets where Google Pay is available. The Nokia 7 Plus' added bulk also has to do with the fact that it has a larger 3800mAh battery. The battery life on the Nokia 7 Plus is fantastic, and in this area the device pulls out a significant lead over the Mi A2. Also going in favor of the Nokia 7 Plus is the 6.0-inch 18:9 display. It is an LCD panel — like the Mi A2 — but it has better color accuracy, and much better sunlight legibility. Then there's the design: the two-tone finish on the Nokia 7 Plus gives it character and allows it to stand out in this segment, and I prefer it to the Mi A2. Xiaomi's design language is starting to look stale, and it's in need of an overhaul.<doc-sep>
Xiaomi has announced the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite, two new phones running Android One. Google’s stripped-down operating system was originally intended for low-end devices, but the Mi A2 phones are firmly mid-range and should provide a solid stock Android 8.1 experience. Just as last year’s Mi A1 was based on the China-only Mi 5X, the Mi A2 has basically identical hardware to the Mi 6X. Both phones are 7.3mm thick and share a 6-inch 18:9 1080p LCD, a Snapdragon 660 processor, a 12- and 20-megapixel dual camera setup, a 20-megapixel selfie camera with a flash, USB C, and a 3,000mAh battery. The Mi A2 is available with up to 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. The Mi A2 Lite is a smaller and cheaper variant with a notched 5.84-inch 19:9 1080p LCD, a Snapdragon 625 processor, 12- and 5-megapixel dual cameras, a 5-megapixel selfie camera, a 4,000mAh battery, and Micro USB charging. It’s 8.75mm thick, with storage maxing out at 64GB and RAM at 4GB. For some people, the Mi A2 Lite may actually be the more attractive device regardless of price. Its notched display means there’s more usable screen space, it has a headphone jack (unlike the Mi A2), and the Snapdragon 625 paired with a much larger battery should result in excellent endurance. The tradeoffs, though, will be in performance, build quality, cameras, and charging port. I’ve been using a Chinese Mi 6X for a while and overall it’s a really impressive phone considering what it costs. The Mi A2 phones are launching first in Spain, following Xiaomi’s expansion into the country last year. The Mi A2 will cost €249 (~$290) for a device with 4GB RAM and 32GB of storage, €279 (~$325) for 4GB/64GB, and €349 (~$408) for 6GB/128GB. The Mi A2 Lite has a 3GB/32GB version for €179 (~$209) and a 4GB/64GB model for €229 (~$267) in Spain. Availability starts this month, and Xiaomi says the phones will come to 40 countries; India is likely to be a priority, given that the Mi A1 was largely focused on that market.