It’s been months since Google announced in its I/O conference last June the Android One or smartphones for developing markets. A recent invite to a launch event in India on September 15 might just give us the first glimpse into the much-awaited affordable but near-stock Android smartphones.
Back in June when they announced the idea behind Android One, they also announced launch partnerships with India’s Karbonn, Micromax and Spice. So we are safely assuming that the new announcement they’ll be making in September in India might just be that. Android One is part of Google’s efforts to reclaim the entry-level segment by partnering with local manufacturers in creating products with Google specifications in markets that are not yet at that high-end segment.
This does not mean that Google will just be giving manufacturers a list of specifications that they have to meet. They will be closely working with both local carriers and manufacturers to ensure that the quality will not just meet their standards but also bring customer satisfaction at an affordable price. According to Sundar Pichai, Google’s Vice President for Android, Chrome and Apps, they will be sharing their resources with the OEMs, not just subsiding the hardware for the Android One phones. This way, the local manufacturers will not be forced to come up with marketing deals just to offset the costs. These deals add pre-installed “bloatware" to the OS which causes much annoyance to consumers.
The event on September 15 in India is a big deal to Google, given how much they’ve placed importance on this Android One project. Pichai is expected to be there himself, if it is indeed true that the newest smartphones will be launched at the event. As the invite says, let’s wait for “more details closer to the date!”
VIA: NDTV Gadgets