Telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, and e-commerce companies such as Flipkart and Amazon, are expected to be part of a strategy of Android devices Google, which has been released today.
Airtel to offer free data plans that come with headphones, joining efforts in making Google more affordable mobile Internet is expected.
The devices will be sold by Micromax, Lava and spices. The mobile phone manufacturers are sold exclusively through the devices of e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart.
Low-cost smartphones
Google had first spoken of Android One strategy in June. The goal of the Internet giant is making quality smartphones at a lower cost for emerging markets. India has been chosen to implement these devices for the first time as the smartphone market here is growing at a record pace.
While it is expected that the phones at prices below â, ¹6,000, the alliance with Airtel will ensure rates do not block access to the Internet.
Under the program One Android phone brands will be given a standardized hardware design and software, which until now was only available in expensive phones. Users can also get the fastest OS updates.
One of the biggest criticisms of Android has been the lack of standards at the lower end. But with Android One program, device manufacturers make phones with the minimum specifications.
Google is also bringing multilingual capabilities to devices for users from different parts of the country use text or browsing the Internet in local languages.
How Google profits
The Android Google A plan will help reach the next billion users. The more users they get for their integrated services on smartphones, more advertising revenue will rise. Other Internet companies like Facebook are also designing strategies to allow cheaper access data.
For example, Facebook has the Internet.org platform which has been associated with telecommunications companies, device manufacturers and developers to affordable Internet services. In India, Facebook is offering free access, even for users with feature phones.
According to research firm IDC, the smartphone sales in India grew almost three times more than 44 million in 2013 in the second quarter of 2014, 18.42 million smartphones were shipped. Although Samsung is the leader with 29 percent market share, Micromax (18 percent) Karbonn (8 percent) and Lava (6 percent) are approaching. The One Android devices could boost Indian brands on the market above.
While Android is the dominant operating system, the challenge could come from the most recent platforms such as Firefox. Intex has recently launched a phone with OS Firefox for â, ¹2,000. It will be interesting to see how Google responds to this challenge.
