New Delhi: At Google I/O 2014 in San Francisco, Google launched a new initiative designed to help make smartphones more affordable to develop and release. The initiative is aimed at original equipment manufacturers specifically making phones for developing markets.
As part of this initiative, Google's engineers will design cost-conscious hardware, and other companies will simply manufacture it. With this, the company will be able to dictate a minimum set of standards for forthcoming Android handsets.
The Android-powered handset will be built with a basic set of features including FM radio, have a screen slightly smaller than five inches and be priced at less than $100 (sub-Rs 6,000). Simply, Android One will be Nexus for the emerging markets.
The software powering these phones will be semi-standardized, as they will have updated coming straight from Google, just like the company currently delivers new versions of Android for Nexus and Google Play Edition devices. These phones will run "real" stock Android, with no notable software differences aside from the limitations of budget hardware.
