Google’s Android One has their eyes focused firmly in emerging markets where not everyone can afford a high end Android or iOS device. Google teamed up with Indian device makers Micromax, Karbonn and Spice Mobiles to launch Android One in India on Monday.
Android One is Google’s attempt to penetrate emerging markets with low cost but high quality software devices, the device the launched Monday costs 6399 rupees ($105USD).
After launching in India, Google said it plans to expand Android One to Indonesia, Philippines and other South Asian countries by the end of 2014 and in more countries in 2015.
The company is working with partners including Acer Inc (2353.TW), HTC Corp (2498.TW) and Panasonic Corp (6752.T) (6752.T) to build more devices under Android One, Sundar Pichai, who heads Google’s Android and Chrome units, told reporters at the India launch event in New Delhi.
Google’s interest in emerging markets will likely continue to drive Android’s market share in the mobile market, leaving Apple a step behind. Apple’s attempt at a lower cost phone, the iPhone 5c, didn’t go over so well and it’s since been retired. As of now, Apple doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in emerging markets and seems content supplying high end devices at premium prices. But as Apple usually does, they may just be standing back until they feel it is the right time to enter the game. There have been no rumors or indications that will happen any time soon but you never can tell with Apple. What do you think of Android One? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Facebook and Twitter.
[button link=”http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/google-india-smartphone-idINKBN0HA0E520140915″ icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: Reuters[/button]Featured image courtesy Softpedia.
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.
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