Will the Mi A1 get the Android 10 update? Apparently not

We've received a few inquiries on the fate of the Mi A1 regarding its chances of getting the Android 10 update. A few months ago, we reported that the device could actually get the update and now, two months after the release of Android 10, things may just be a bit clearer.

The Mi A1 was released back in 2017 and had the honor of being the device to rejuvenate Google's Android One program. Until the Mi A1, Android One phones were rather...niche, quite a bit like Android Go is right now. The A1 opened the floodgates, however, and set the pace for a world where major brands like Nokia, LG, and Motorola all have Android One phones.

Of course, the problem with the A1 being a pace-setter is the complete lack of precedence. The fact that the A1 was pretty much the first major device under the rejuvenated Android One program means we have no idea what to expect in terms of updates for the device. Will it get Android Q or not?

The official Android One page is rather straightforward about it:

"Android One phones will receive at least two years of OS upgrades. With the latest version of Android, you'll get software that auto-adjusts to your needs, and helps you get things done more easily throughout the day."

Keywords: At least two years of updates. In an ideal world, we'd take that line to imply potential for more updates. This isn't an ideal world, though, so that line only tells OEMs that they're obligated to provide  two years of updates. Corporate bodies tend to favor doing the barest minimum, so it's likely two years of updates is exactly what Xiaomi will provide for the Mi A1. 

The A1 was released in September 2017, so we're already past the two-year mark. It's also received the two updates: Oreo and Pie. Of course, Android 10 was released back in August, within the two-year period, but we're inclined to bet on Xiaomi not caring about any of that. 

It also doesn't help that the A1 has a history of rushed, buggy OS updates. Its Oreo update was plagued by issues and even temporarily pulled—and that was in a world where Xiaomi only had the A1 to worry about. Now it has four other Android One phones in its stables, and the A1 is unlikely to be anything close to a priority.

There's also the fact that the A1 never got official Treble support, making OS updates just a tad harder than they are now.

All these considered, if you own a Mi A1, it's about time you came to terms with the very strong possibility that its days of getting OS upgrades are over, and Pie is where the phone's journey ends. We'd love to be proven wrong, though.