Update (December 11): Xiaomi has permanently reduced the price of Mi A1 in the Indian market to INR 13,999. More in my full report.

Update (November 21): Xiaomi has finally started selling the Rose Gold version of Mi A1 in India. You can find more details in this report.

Update (September 12): Mi A1 is now available in Black and Gold colour options in the country.

Earlier (September 5): Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Tuesday unveiled the new Mi A1 smartphone at a launch event in New Delhi. Part of the new A-lineup, the new smartphone has been built in association with Google and is based on Android One platform. It is the first-ever Android One smartphone from Xiaomi and runs on stock Android.

Mi A1 is being targeted to the mid-range buyers, who want a Xiaomi device, but love stock Android experience.

“Mi A1 is a strategic device in our global expansion, marking a milestone on our quest to bring innovation to everyone. From the beginning Xiaomi has been all about choice, and we are delighted to offer users a new way to experience the power of Xiaomi,” said Xiaomi’s Wang Xiang.

Coming to the device specifics, Mi A1 sports a 5.5-inch full HD display in a full-metal body. The phone is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. It runs on Android 7.1 Nougat right now, but will be getting the 8.0 Oreo update by the end of 2017. Google has even promised the Android P update for the phone. You can check out the full specifications later in the report.

Pricing and availability

With an impressive set of specifications and dual rear camera, the new Xiaomi Mi A1 carries a price-tag of Rs. 14,999. It will go on sale in India beginning September 12. The online sales will be exclusive to Flipkart and Mi.com, however offline retailers like Croma, ezone, Hotspot and Mi home will also carry the device. In addition, Mi A1 buyers with an Airtel connection will get free 200GB of 4G data.

Mi A1 isn’t just being released in India, the phone will also be available in over 30 countries including Indonesia, Russia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Xiaomi Mi A1 full specifications

Display: 5.5-inch full HD, 1920x1080p

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core

Memory: 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, microSD card slot 

Cameras: Dual camera setup with 12-megapiel wide-angle and 12-megapixel telephoto lens, 5MP front shooter

Connectivity: USB Type-C, IR blaster, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, dual-SIM

Battery: 3080 mAh

OS: Android 7.1.2 Nougat

Others: Fingerprint sensor

Colours: Black, Gold, Rose Gold