Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.0 Oreo Beta Hands-On: The Best Mid-Range Smartphone Gets...

Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.0 Oreo Beta Hands-On: The Best Mid-Range Smartphone Gets Even More Compelling

The Xiaomi Mi A1 will soon become one amongst the few mid-range smartphones to receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update. Xiaomi already rolled out the Oreo beta update to the Mi A1, only for select beta testers. However, we managed to install the update on our Mi A1. Even though the update is in beta stages, my Mi A1 already feels much better than it was earlier.

There are some bugs, but Xiaomi is actively rolling out new OTA updates fixing all the major bugs. Until now, Xiaomi has rolled three OTA beta updates, and the stable update roll out is around the corner. Xiaomi may release the stable update next week itself, in line with its year-end roll out promise.

Xiaomi Mi A1 Android 8.0 Oreo Beta Update Features
Firstly, Xiaomi has selected a few people across the globe to test the Android Oreo beta update on the Mi A1. However, there are some few tricks available on the web with which you can install the update right away on your smartphone. Do make a note that the second method involves unlocking the bootloader of your Mi A1, which will void the warranty of the device.

Talking about the Oreo Beta update on the Mi A1, I installed it using the second method without any hassles. Being a stock Android-powered smartphone, there won't be any significant interface changes though.

All the stock Android 8.0 Oreo features such as the quick settings revamp, settings app redesign, etc. are present in this update. What makes the difference is the app load time. Yes, the app load time is significantly increased, and the animations are a lot better on the Oreo update.

The Mi A1 had a lot of issues on the Android Nougat, especially the animations were not that smooth, which affected the overall software experience of the smartphone. Xiaomi is addressing this issue with the Oreo update.

The Mi A1's highlight is the dual rear camera setup, and there might be some improvements to the camera performance with the Oreo update as well.

The primary highlight of the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Mi A1 is Xiaomi enabling the fast charging support. After the update, the Mi A1 charges from zero to 100% in 92 minutes, as compared to the earlier two hours of charge time. However, I tested the charging speed using the OnePlus 5T charger, and not the Mi A1 bundled charger. Lack of fast charging was one of the massive letdowns for the Mi A1 when it released, but it's going to change with the Oreo update though.

As of now, all the Oreo features such as the Picture-in-Picture mode, smart text selection, already made to the Mi A1 in the beta version itself.

Overall, with the Android 8.0 Oreo update, the Mi A1 will become even better device as compared to what it is right now. There's no info on when the stable update rollout will begin, but looking at the current Oreo beta update, it is just around the corner. Maybe, Xiaomi will release the update as a New Year gift to the Mi A1 owners like OnePlus did it last year with the OnePlus 3 and 3T.