Google steps up its game in India with Android One

The increasing popularity of smartphones in emerging markets coupled with Google's desire to gain control over its open-source mobile operating system have resulted in Android One. It's a new program, designed with low-end devices in mind, that will see more consumers enjoying the benefits of a close-to-stock Android experience on inexpensive handsets. It's also Google's way of making sure that billions of first-time smartphone users will be exposed to its services and become long-term customers.

"If we look at how people are getting online and accessing information today, increasingly it’s through a smartphone", says Android and Chrome & Apps SVP Sundar Pichai. "While 1.75 billion people around the world already have a smartphone, the vast majority of the world’s population -- over five billion more -- do not. That means most people are only able to make simple voice calls, rather than connect with family through a live video chat, use mapping apps to find the closest hospital, or simply search the web. We want to bring these experiences to more people".

And the first emerging market where Android One attempts to woo local smartphone buyers is India. Karbonn, Micromax and Spice are its first partners to launch Android One handsets, available as early as today. The most affordable of the bunch costs Rs 6,399, which translates into roughly $105. There may be cheaper smartphones around, sure, but Google is confident that the appeal of Android One will make local smartphone buyers look towards its partners' offerings.

MediaTek will be responsible for providing the processors for the first Android One smartphones, but it will not be the only processor manufacturer involved in the program as Qualcomm's chips will also power such devices. Other vendors, like Acer, Alcatel, Asus, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic and Xolo have also joined the program.

"By working closely with phone and silicon chip makers to share reference designs and select components, we're making it easier for our partners to build phones that are not just great to use, but also affordable. They have lots of processing power, so you can get information quickly. They have high-quality front- and rear-facing cameras. And for all those pictures, along with your apps and videos, Android One phones will have expandable storage. We also added features that people in India will find particularly useful, like dual SIM cards, a replaceable battery and built-in FM radio", adds Pichain.

I suspect that this will also be one of Android One's killer features: Google will be the company providing updates for such smartphones. In fact, the search giant says that Android One devices will be among the first to be updated to the upcoming Android L release. That means that prospective customers will enjoy a similar, if not better, experience to those paying much, much more to get their hands on an Android smartphone. This will ensure that Android One will provide a superior experience to myriad third-party distributions, with heavy custom skins, which are all too popular in this segment.

Android One will expand to include Indonesia, Philippines and South Asian markets (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) before the year's end. Google has bigger plans though, revealing that more markets will be part of the program next year.