Google Android One Release Date & Price Rumors: Apple iOS Still Lacks Penetration in Developing Markets
While several tech companies including Microsoft are on their way to cheaper hardware, Google's Android One already has had a head start both in terms of hardware and software design.
The big companies are putting their efforts into producing cheaper products while delivering quality service at the same time in order to gain shares of the emerging markets. But Google exploits its current knowledge and experience with Android by loading the operating system on to cheap devices, possibly undercutting all efforts by other companies.
While the smartphone trend has successfully captured a large portion of developed markets with an ever-growing user base, the trend is now on its way to a greater penetration of developing countries, specifically when it comes to Africa, China, India, and other countries in the Asia Pacific region. Google's new project, Android One, could successfully capture a majority of possibly the next one billion smartphone users.
Android One will release in India this fall with three partners -- Karbonn, Micromax, and Spice, which will all provide the hardware for Android. Google has said that Android One phones would most likely be available for a price under $200 since Micromax, for example, is capable of producing a 4.5-inch device for under $100. However, Google must ensure that the hardware makers can actually manufacture phones that can handle the mobile operating system, especially as they plan to keep the costs down, according to The Verge.
Google's overall plan is to provide the emerging markets with an experience at par with the more developed countries in terms of the hardware and software of their devices since the developed countries have almost exclusively seen Android use. This includes giving the emerging markets access to Google's Play store for media content, apps, and updates.
According to the research done by IDC, Android got hold of 81.1 percent of the global smartphone market in Q1 of 2014.
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