Google has fired the first shots in the battle for the next billion users to the first devices in the Android One program. Android One offers affordable devices for emerging markets and the first devices are already available at prices around 75 euros.
Another billion
At Google I / O let Google know that there are more than 1 billion active Android devices are. In calculating that number are the Android Phones that run on a version without Google applications like the Play Store and Gmail not counted. This indicates a problem for Google: there are more and more devices that do run on Android, but without the Google ecosystem. These devices, we see we are mainly in emerging markets, but there are other examples, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet and smartphone.
Google is trying to bind. Novice smartphone users themselves In countries where many people still have no access to computers and the Internet is increasingly the ‘Computer’ step beaten: people or a smartphone, but no computer. For tech companies like Google, it is important to bind to these people. Where in the West throughout the generations have grown by Microsoft Windows, will grow in emerging markets users with mobile operating systems and associated cloud services.
Nokia had an interesting strategy for the acquisition by Microsoft. The company knew that the acquisition the company was coming, but it came with an Android device, the Nokia X. That seems strange, since Microsoft has an excellent mobile operating system, but there was indeed a pro-Microsoft strategy behind . The Nokia X derived no Google apps on board, but is fully integrated with the cloud ecosystem of Microsoft. When the buyers, only novice smartphone users in emerging markets, are ready for the next step to a slightly more expensive unit will because of its attachment to the Microsoft cloud services, the choice of a Windows Phone device is a lot easier.
Android One
One Android is Google’s answer to ultra-budget devices. Where Android is known for the freedom that manufacturers enjoy in relation to the implementation of the hardware and the software takes Google to Android One of the reins. Manufacturers can choose from pre-Google-approved suppliers and parts and can not make any changes to the software. Updates for Android One devices will therefore directly off of Google. Providers there are generally known happy to deliver with their devices. Proprietary software That is Android One possible, but this additional software will probably uninstall by the user. This ensures that Google apparatus of updates can be provided more quickly.
The first Android One devices come from the Indian manufacturer Spice, Micromax and Karbonn. The units all have a 4.5 inch screen with 845×480 resolution, 1 GB of memory, FM radio support, room for expandable memory with an SD card and support for two SIM cards. They run on a MediaTek chipset with quad-core 1.3GHz processor and costs are converted between 76 and 90 euros. The current software is an unmodified version of Android 4.4 (KitKat), but an update to Android L will probably follow soon after the introduction.
Google has immediately made arrangements with providers about the data usage. This gives customers provider Airtel 200MB of data per month free for download from the Play Store apps. Note
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Enlargement
Online sales will start today in India and from October will be the Android One devices there also physically in stores. Later this year the Android One program will spread to other countries, including Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2015, more countries will follow.
It is also interesting that mainstream manufacturers have concluded with the Android One initiative. Also Several major manufacturers will be releasing Android One devices. It is, among other things, Acer, Alcatel, ASUS, HTC, Lenovo and Panasonic. The chipsets for Android One devices are now supplied by MediaTek, but also Qualcomm, the largest manufacturer of chipsets for mobile devices, will in future make Google-approved parts.
Source: The Verge, The Next Web, Economic Times
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