Google Has Launched its first Android One smartphone in India for $105 (6,400 Indian rupees). This is the first of a series of low-cost phones designed to run the standard version of Google’s Android operating system.
The Android One program enables Google more control over the devices which enables them to issue and apply OS updates more effectively.
The Android One phone has language support for the Hindi language (including voice recognition), as well as 6 other Indian languages. Focusing on the needs of developing markets sounds like a good way to enter them, and that is what the Android One program aims to do.
Android One Technology Might Succeed In The Indian Smartphone Market
Only 10% of India’s population has a smartphone, however, their population is a whopping 1.25 billion people, translating to a little over 125 million smartphone users. Regardless of market size, Google’s Android One technology is going to have to compete with similarly priced smartphone technology from Samsung , Xiaomi, and Morotola.
According to Reuters, Neil Shah said: ‘After China and the United States, India is the third largest smartphone market in the world and Google won’t like to leave such a huge market in control of brands looking to use a custom-forked Android OS as is happening in China,’
Neil Shah is the research director for devices and ecosystems at Hong Kong-based technology research agency Counterpoint Research. The Indian smartphone market is also growing, so this is an opportunity for Google to get into it early. As the saying goes: ‘The early bird gets the worm’.
Google is working on solutions that will help them compete, including the ability to watch YouTube videos offline. The ability to watch YouTube videos offline is a godsend for some Indians who have unreliable Internet service. Few things are more annoying than choppy videos.
Google intends to launch phones with Android One technology in the South Asian, Indonesian, and Philippines markets.
Source: Reuters.
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