Google’s Android One phones could be launching in US soon: Report

The report also notes the manufacturer’s identity has not been confirmed, but the ad campaign for these phones will be funded by Google, and just like the previous Android One phones they will also come with regular “software updates, including security updates, for two years from sale date.” Android One as a programme has continued in countries like Turkey, but India was supposed to be the main market for these phones, which didn’t really end up happening.

Also read: Google Pixel XL: The Android flagship in the market

When Android One phones were launched in India in September 2014, the phones offered budget specifications and came with pure Android, which has always been missing at this price point. The other highlight of the Android One phones from Micromax, Karbonn and Spice was the promise of regular upgrades to the next level of Android OS; in this case it was for two years. But those updates took a long time to get delivered on the smartphones.

Now it looks like Google is trying to revive the Android One phones, and it is interesting that it plans to do this in a market like the US. As far as the reported pricing goes, $200 can’t be considered budget by any standards, and let’s not forget Google has its own more premium Pixel smartphones, which cost $650 plus. With the Pixel phones, Google isn’t just aiming for the premium segment, the idea is to highlight the best of Google’s software and what it can do.

Watch our video review of Google Pixel 

These new mid-budget Android One phones will likely do the same, and for Google that could be an important space to capture. Let’s not forget that budget phones, be it $100 (Rs 7,000) or $200 (Rs 14,000) price point, don’t often get upgraded to the next level of Android, and most of these phones come with their own bloatware, which can spoil the experience for users. Google’s Nexus series used to be the equivalent of this, but it wasn’t exactly cheap. The Nexus 5X was launched at $379, while the Nexus 6P started at $499.

Google’s new Android One phones could be a slightly cheaper alternative to the Nexus universe, but we’ll have to wait and see when these phones are launched.