Android

Google kicks off Android One program with three $100 smartphones

posted by Victor H. / Sep 15, 2014, 6:38 AM

Google kicks off Android One program with three $100 smartphones

Just as expected, Google launched the Android One program with three extremely affordable handsets. The Android One program rolls out in India first and will offer users a choice of three smartphones in the beginning: the Micromax Canvas A1, Spice Dream UNO, and the Karbonn Sparkle V.

Those are all basic Android devices running on 4.4 KitKat, and sharing pretty much identical hardware under the hood. The phones have 4.5-inch displays with a resolution of 480 x 854-pixels (FWVGA), a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek system chips with 1GB of RAM. In terms of camera, they are equipped with a 5-megapixel rear shooter and a 2-megapixel front cam. The biggest shortcoming seems to be the small amount of on board storage: just 4GB on the gadgets, but you can at least easily expand via microSD cards. All three offers come with 3G connectivity, but no 4G LTE.

Interestingly, Google has also partnered with local carrier Airtel to give buyers the extra of having free OTA updates and 200MB of free app downloads from the Play Store.

Amazon India, Flipkart and Snapdeal will all be selling the new phones, and starting prices run at around $100 off-contract.

source: Google via BGR

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30 Comments

1. Sniggly

Posts: 7305; Member since: Dec 05, 2009

It's nice to see Google aggressively targeting the low end of the market and making smartphones even more accessible than before to the public.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 6:43 AM 6

4. pokharkarsaga

Posts: 556; Member since: Feb 23, 2012

Its what MS should have done instead of buying Nokia.Now MS will follow this intiative,the same way they have made WP license free up-to 9 inch screen as Android is free.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 6:51 AM 1

9. hemedans

Posts: 761; Member since: Jun 01, 2013

ms has more than 10 device with wvga display, snapdragon 200 and 1gig of ram.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:24 AM 3

21. techspace

Posts: 1037; Member since: Sep 03, 2012

Google makes a lot of money from services,Microsoft doesn't so that wouldn't have been enough for them to survive...and it would have been extremely difficult to compete with android one....they have a much better chance with Nokia.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 9:05 AM 0

17. jaytai0106

Posts: 1888; Member since: Mar 30, 2011

Sell the phone for cheap and increase the amount of people who can afford a smartphone. A very smart way to increase its advertisement penetration. Google knows how to get their ads out there :D but still good for people who can finally afford a smartphone.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:53 AM 1

2. Iodine

Posts: 1503; Member since: Jun 19, 2014

Into the free smartphones ! And beyond !

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 6:44 AM 3

3. Martin_Cooper

Posts: 1774; Member since: Jul 30, 2013

Another blow to samsung. Too many OEM's competing in the low end market, in China Samsung is almost non existent compared to Chinese companies in the LOW end market. Same goes in many other emerging markets. And now with super cheap google phones its just making things harder. Lets see when Samsung decides its Tizen is ready for a fight. I am guessing another 1-2 years.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 6:51 AM 0

13. sgodsell

Posts: 7574; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

Samsung is competing, but not like they use too. They were #1 in China and India. But Samsung has since fallen to #2 in China and #2 in India as well now

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:33 AM 0

8. LoveHater

Posts: 235; Member since: Oct 09, 2013

Just look at the time on Red Mobile thats "5.10" Confirmend : 1. next Android version number 2. Half Life 3 3. My gf ran away with other Dude having I-Phone

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:09 AM 1

11. CX3NT3_713

Posts: 2363; Member since: Apr 18, 2011

DOA!!! IMHO

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:27 AM 0

16. Tritinum

Posts: 471; Member since: May 06, 2014

This is one more reason to like google even more.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 7:47 AM 1

19. D.Lamore

Posts: 198; Member since: Aug 15, 2014

Well done google

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 8:35 AM 0

25. itsdeepak4u2000

Posts: 3718; Member since: Nov 03, 2012

Great job. Affordable and always updated smartphone for everyone.

posted on Sep 15, 2014, 9:28 AM 0

28. c.hack

Posts: 614; Member since: Dec 09, 2009

4.5-inch displays with a resolution of 480 x 854? Why not just dig up those original Droids from 2009 and sell them. This kind of junk should be free with Google making billions reading all the suckers gmail and selling all their private info.