Google Android One phones unveiled in India. A big leap of Google to introduce an entry-level smartphone.
Last June Android One was first announced by Sundar Pichai. It is an initiative to push affodable smartphones to devoloping countries like India and other Asian countries.
The Android One phones will be available in India. Google partnered with three Indian hardware manufacturers; vendors Spice, Micromax and Karbonn.
The first three Android One phones are Micromax Canvas A1, Spice Dream Uno and Karbonn Sparkle V. Priced at $105 (Rs 6,000) or could be more.
All the three manufacturers adhered to the specifications set by Google. The phones should have a 4.5-inch display (845 x 480 pixels), dual SIM support and run a stock version of Android 4.4. Hardware specifications include a quad core Mediatek processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, microSD card for expansion (up to 32GB supported) and dual cameras. This specification set ensures a g performance of the phone.
Google also partnered with telecoms in Indi to support Android One users. Airtel will offer 200MB of free data.
With a great advertisement the Android One doesn't sound impressive compared to low-cost phones from Asus, Motorola and Xiaomi available in the Indian market.
The Android One phones will be available online on on Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal and via Reliance Digital, Croma and The Mobile Store, offline.
At the event, Sundar Pichai also announced the next set of partners for Android One handsets. This includes Acer, Alcatel, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic and Xolo. In addition, chipset manufacturer Qualcomm is the new hardware partner for the Android One Program
Google Android One phones are set to make their way to Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal before the end of the year.
What are your thoughts about the new low-cost smartphone Google Android One? Leave your comments below.
