It has only been a few weeks since Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 Pro in India. The Redmi Note 7 Pro has impressed critics and consumers alike with its class-leading camera performance and an impressive specification list. In fact, the Redmi Note 7 is presently the best deal you can get under Rs 15,000 in India. However, Xiaomi doesn’t content itself with just a single model in this segment and, if history is to be witnessed, the Android One series of phones complete Xiaomi’s lineup under Rs 20,000. Therefore, a Mi A3 is expected to come within a few months and rumours of this device are already floating around.
The Android One series of phones from Xiaomi is usually based on the Mi X series of smartphones, which itself is a watered down version of the flagship Mi branded smartphone. Last year, the Mi A2 was an exact replica of the Mi 6X, albeit with a stock Android interface. This year, rumours are that Xiaomi will be coming up with the Mi 9X and the Mi A3 will be based on it. Therefore, if you go by all the 2019 Xiaomi launches, the Mi 9X could end up being a quite premium offering and the Android One version in India could make it the phone to beat under Rs 20,000.
If you are looking forward to the next Android One phone from Xiaomi, here’s what you need to know.
What is the Mi 9X?
The Mi 9X is expected to be the affordable version of the flagship Mi 9. This year, Xiaomi already launched the Mi 9 SE alongside the Mi 9 and on paper, both the phones don’t vary by a huge margin. The Mi 9 SE achieves a cheaper price tag with a slightly less powerful chipset, a slightly less capable camera system and a smaller battery. In fact, the Mi 9 SE in itself qualifies as a great platform for Xiaomi to build the Mi A3 on.
Representative Image: Mi 9 SE
However, rumours suggest that Xiaomi will develop the Mi 9X as a more affordable version of the Mi 9 SE. The Mi A3 will be the smartphone that will establish Xiaomi’s presence in the premium midrange segment in India and European markets. By loosely basing Mi 9X on the Redmi Note 7 Pro, Xiaomi could end up offering it at a more aggressive price. This could help it undercut other Android One smartphones from Nokia and Motorola.
What specifications could the Mi A3 offer?
–The Mi A3 will carry on from where the Redmi Note 7 Pro left. Therefore, from the 18:9 display on the Mi A2, the A3 will definitely go for a dot drop notch. Since it will be based on the Mi 9 series of phones, the chin at the bottom should also be narrower than what it is on the Redmi Note 7 Pro. Rumours suggest that Xiaomi could even offer an AMOLED display on the Mi 9X so as to make a place for an in-display fingerprint sensor. This move could make it challenge the Galaxy A50 in terms of specifications on paper.
Cameras are another important area for Xiaomi this year. The Mi 9 series gets a triple camera system and it won’t be surprising if Xiaomi does that for the Mi A3. Samsung has already gone a step ahead of others this year and offered a triple camera setup on the Galaxy A50 and the cheaper Galaxy M30. The Mi A3 could carry forward the 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor from the Note 7 Pro. Rumours suggest Xiaomi will offer an 8-megapixel telephoto camera and a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera (wide angle cameras are the new trend in 2019). The selfie camera could get a 32-megapixel sensor as well. As is the case with all Mi A series phones, the Mi A3 will certainly yield better photos and the wide-angle camera along with the telephoto camera could make it an unbeatable proposition under Rs 20,000.
Representative Image: Mi 9 SE
For the chipset, Xiaomi is rumoured to use the Snapdragon 675 chipset. The Snapdragon 675 has been observed to be more capable than the Snapdragon 710. The chipset performs quite well on the Redmi Note 7 Pro and Xiaomi could simply enhance the performance with a lighter stock Android Pie interface.
The Mi A3 could offer a gradient finish similar to the one on the Mi 9. The rear panel could feature curved edges similar to the Mi 9 as well. The phone could end up losing the 3.5mm headphone jack and chances are it could come with a 3000mAh battery. However, Xiaomi could make it more suitable for markets like India and give it a 4000mAh battery as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Xiaomi Mi A3 expected price in India
The Mi A3 could be Xiaomi’s answer to the feature-rich 2019 Samsung Galaxy A series of phones. Therefore, the Mi A3 could carry a price of Rs 16,999 for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Xiaomi could also offer a variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage for close to Rs 20,000.
As for the launch timeline, Xiaomi will probably launch it around June-July with Android Pie and update it to Android Q by the end of 2019. However, by that time, Samsung could aggressively push a few more Galaxy A series of phones with more features to tackle the Mi A3.