Brief: Xiaomi and Google launch their jointly developed Android One phone

Xiaomi and Google’s new Mi A1 smartphone. Photo credit: Xiaomi.

The news:

• Xiaomi unveiled its new Mi A1 smartphone in Delhi today. The dual-camera device has been developed in collaboration with Google under the US company’s emerging market-focused Android One brand.
• The Mi A1 will be available in more than 40 territories, including India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It is the first Xiaomi phone to ship without the Chinese company’s own Android-based software, MIUI.
• Google typically handles much of the development for Android One products, while a local partner does the manufacturing. The Android One operating system – which is close to the “stock” version of Android and does not allow user interface customization – is intended to allow for quicker updates and bug fixes, as well as a clean interface and user experience.

Why it matters:

• Google has previously partnered with a host of local brands in South and Southeast Asia to release low-cost Android One phones. But this new phone – costing US$234 in India – represents an effort to shift existing perceptions of Android One as a “budget” brand to offer consumers in these regions a more high-end experience.
• For Xiaomi, the Mi A1 a significant step away from its own MIUI platform, which has several hundred million users worldwide.

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from Tech in Asia https://www.techinasia.com/xiaomi-google-mi-a1
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