To reboot Google Android One project, the search giant is going to launch ultra low cost smartphones, which will cost less than $50. The company’s MD, Rajan Anandan, says that a new plan for Android One will be unleashed in “the next few weeks.”
When Google Android One project was introduced in India in 2014, the first set of phones running on this OS was sold at around the $80 mark (Approx. Rs 5000.) But for the users who are entering the smartphone market for the first time and wants to spend as little money as possible, the search giant and its local manufacturing partners found themselves frequently beaten on price.
Since the debut of Google Android One project in India, the search giant has expanded the project to many other regions, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But despite its gradual expansion, the Android One initiative has not seen much traction.
Rajan Anandan, Vice President & Managing Director of Google, South East Asia & India, said:
“We’re here really because 10 years from now a billion Indians will be online and when we have a billion Indians online we think that’s going to make a huge difference to the global internet economy.”
Rajan Anandan also said that the next wave of Android One devices will cost less than $50 (Approx. Rs 3000) and these devices will be coupled with a new focus on local search in regional languages. According to various rumors, Google will make some apps, which use little to no data particularly to benefit areas where data coverage is comparatively expensive.
The search engine giant does not make any hardware that is sold through the Google Android One project but the company does provide OEM’s with a set of hardware standards, which they have to follow. So in a way Google is managing both the software and hardware experience of these low cost devices.