Android One has been Google’s low-cost, budget-friendly smartphone program in developing markets, particularly India, Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. For the last year, Google has committed itself to offering affordable handsets at the $100 price point. To add to the Android One program appeal, Google, as it does with its Nexus line, has promised quick, speedy updates to the latest Android build.
Unfortunately for Google, quick updates and a $100 price tag haven’t helped the Mountain View, California company make as big of a dent in developing markets as the Android owner would like to have. Perhaps a price reduction may sweeten the deal – at least Google hopes so.
The company has now said that it intends to drop the price of its Android One smartphones from $100USD to $30USD, or, in Indian currency, below Rs. 3,000.
Google’s made some strides in its experience to help Indian consumers adapt a taste for its program, such as offline YouTube and Maps apps that allow customers to access Google services even when in places where they lack an internet connection. At the same time, however, the majority of Google’s services are still heavily tied to the Web, meaning that many Indian customers would have to afford pretty intense data plans to access the best of Google services. The offline features are a step in the right direction, but there’s always more work to do. And, Google is not alone with its plans to succeed in India: LG, Samsung, Sony, and top Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi are also in a race to compete in the developing market.
Currently, Google’s Android One program includes smartphones such as the iQ II and Lava Pixel V1.
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