After days of speculation and a number of leaks and rumours, the day has finally come. Xiaomi’s next generation Android One smartphones, the Mi A2 and the Mi A2 lite, were unveiled today to much fanfare at a global launch event in Madrid.

The Mi A2, the company’s flagship successor of the Android One Mi A1, has been in the offing for quite some time now. The phone has been crafted taking into consideration requests by several Mi users and fans from all over the globe, Wang Xiang, senior official from Xiaomi Global, summarized at the event.

With the Mi A2 and A2 Lite, it would seem that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is focusing on the European market, evident from the fact that the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite will first be introduced for the European market. The aluminium Mi A2 was unveiled by Donovan Sung, global spokesperson, as the brand’s flagship phone.

On the other hand, the Mi A2 Lite was introduced as an “entry level Android One king”, offering long-lasting battery life. The company claims that the 4,000mAh battery on the Mi A2 Lite means that the phone can last for around two days before requiring to be recharged.

Notably, this will be Xiaomi’s second phone under the Mi brand offered with the Android One programme, meaning that these devices will enjoy unlimited memory access for Google photos and other AI features affiliated with the programme. Interestingly, Mi and Google also celebrate their first anniversary of the Android One programme collaboration today.

Release dates of the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite

The smartphones are scheduled to go on sale in France on July 27th, in Italy on August 8th, and in Spain on August 10th. The devices will be launched globally in 40 more countries including India, although no further details were revealed on this front at the event.

Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite specs

The Mi A2 gets an aluminum body with an arc structure that the company claims makes it easier to hold. USB Type-C, 7.3mm thickness, and 2.5D Gorilla Glass 5 are some of the key features of the smartphone. It boasts of a 12MP primary camera and a secondary AI-powered 20MP snapper with a selfie light for better selfies. The aperture and pixel offering have been enlarged to offer better photography experience. The Mi A2 has an octa-core Snapdragon 660 SoC with four 2.2GHz cores and four 1.8GHz cores.

Coming to the Mi A2 Lite, the entry-level device has similar design elements as the Mi A2. The display measures 5.84 inches with a notch on the front and a fingerprint sensor at the back. It has a 12MP+5MP rear camera setup with AI integration. Keeping everything inside humming is a Snapdragon 625 processor backed by a 4,000mAh battery and dual pyrolytic graphite sheets to manage the heat.

Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite price

These much anticipated smartphones have been competitively priced. The Mi A2 is available in three variants and is priced at 249 euros for the 4GB RAM/32GB memory model, 279 euros for the 4GB/64GB option, and 349 euros for the top-end 6GB/128GB variant. That comes to about Rs.20,000 as a starting price for the Mi A2.

Dubbed as the entry level Android one king, the Mi A2 Lite is offered in two variants, starting at 179 euros for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant, and 229 euros for the 4GB/64GB model. This is about Rs.14,500 for the lower model. The Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite will both be offered in Gold, Blue, and Black colour options.