According to an unnamed source quoted by tech blog, Smartprix, Xiaomi may be planning to launch its next Android One smartphone, the Mi A3, on August 23 in India. The device, which was launched in Europe recently, is a re-branded version of the Mi CC9e that was unveiled in China earlier this year. However, while CC9e comes with MIUI, the A3 obviously runs pure Android.
In terms of hardware, the Mi A3 features a 6.088-inch HD+ AMOLED display panelthat does come with a modern 19.5:9 aspect ratio, but its HD+ resolution is a massive downgrade over the Full HD panel on the Mi A2. However, it does have one notable upgrade over its predecessor – an in-display fingerprint scanner, like the Redmi K20 Pro. Other key hardware specs include the Snapdragon 665 SoC, up to 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 4,030mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support.
Imaging options include a triple-camera module at the back and a 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera up-front. The triple camera module includes a primary 48MP (f/1.79) Sony IMX582 sensor, a secondary 8MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide-angle camera and a tertiary 2MP (f/2.4) depth sensor. Connectivity options include a hybrid dual-SIM/microSD card tray, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and more. The device also sees the return of the 3.5mm audio port after it was removed from the Mi A2.
While there’s no word on the pricing of the Mi A3 in India, it costs €250 (around Rs. 20,000) in Europe. It will be interesting to see if Xiaomi will price it at the same level in India or if it will be priced a bit lower so as not to cannibalize Redmi K20 sales.
