Sundar Pichai, was in India today to launch Android One.
If you are reading this blog from your smartphone, you are not the intended customer for Google to buy Android One. They have a big purpose behind this epic launch, This is Google’s move towards empowering millions of people with the power of Internet to stay connected.
That being said, Sundar Pichai unveiled the first set of low-cost smartphones for the Indian markets, the three brands currently are Spice, Micromax and Karbonn. You can buy this online on Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal and via Reliance Digital, Croma and The Mobile Store, offline.
It has got the latest features, your favorite apps, and enough free data to get you started, here’ everything you need to know:
- Runs the latest version of Android (4.4 KitKat)
- Automatically gets the new operating system soon after it’s released for up to 2 years
- Helpful innovations like voice commands and clever engineering help your phone run faster, last longer, and take more stunning photos.
- Start with a fresh home screen and customize it with your favorite Android Apps and wallpaper to make it exactly the way you want it.
- Unlock your phone with a password, pattern, or even using the image of your face. If you lose your phone, you can find it, lock it, or delete your content remotely using Android Device Manager.
- Free Android updates and app downloads (when using an Airtel SIM card*
- Enjoy popular publications with a free 12 month subscription on Newsstand
- Watch YouTube videos offline (coming soon)
- Everything you’d expect from a great smartphone
- Front and Rear Camera
- Quad Core Processor
- Micro SD Card
- All Day Battery
- Dual SIM card
You can choose between
- Karboonn Sparkle V or Micromax Canvas A1 or Spice Dream UNO
- All the three Handsets have the same configuration and starts at Rs 6,399/-
- 4.5” FWVGA display
- Cortex A7 1.3 GHz Quad-Core processor
- 1GB RAM
- 4GB storage (expandable up to 32GB)
- 2x micro SIM
- Front and rear facing cameras (2MP and 5MP)
- Rechargeable lithium-ion, 1700mAh
- Android™ 4.4, KitKat® (and gets the new version soon after it’s released)
- It will be available in blue, red, white, and grey colours
How are they going to reach the masses? here’s how
A physical demo shop on wheels that will visit more than 200 towns in india
The Bigger Picture
“Knowledge is a game changer. I’ve long been inspired by the Internet and how it opens the doors to opportunity.” Says Sundar Pichai; Android One levels the playing field for everyone who is looking for information through a simple Google Search.
Hence, the seamless upgrade of OS, free data plan through Airtel, free News publications, all of this leading to a better connected world.
More to come (here’s the abstract from Google’s blog)
This is just the beginning of the Android One journey. The first phones, from our hardware partners Micromax, Karbonn, Spice and chipmaker MediaTek, are available starting today in India from leading retailers starting at Rs 6,399. We’re also excited to welcome more partners to the program, including phone manufacturers Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo, and chipmaker Qualcomm. We expect to see even more high-quality, affordable devices with different screen sizes, colors, hardware configurations and customized software experiences. Finally, we plan to expand the Android One program to Indonesia, the Philippines and South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) by the end of the year, with more countries to follow in 2015
Sundar Pichai signs off with a very important message that differentiates Google from the rest “Access for access’s sake is not enough. With Android One, we not only want to help people get online, we want to make sure that when they get there, they can tap into the wealth of information and knowledge the web holds for everyone.”
