Thursday, July 24, 2014

First Android One phone to launch in October, manufactured by Spice

We already knew of Google's intentions to have an Android One handset out in the market by October, and now it seems that Spice, one of the original manufacturers that Google announced in I/O, is to be the first one to produce such a phone.

Spice, an Indian manufacturer, intends to release it for the Indian market, and the CEO announced the handset will be ready for the Diwali (a.k.a Festival of Lights), which is happening on October 23rd. 

Android One is a platform meant for emerging markets, of which India is an excellent example, and it's designed to bring entry-level devices with Google support a a reasonable price, claimed to be under $100. Google has pre-selected hardware, which includes a 4.5' screen, dual-sim support, FM radio, and an SD card support. In this case, probably a WVGA display, paired with a dual-core MediaTek processor. Definitely entry-level, but at under a $100 it's fairly reasonable, especially considering it will have Google support and will get immediate firmware updates.

Except for Spice, Google is also partnering with Indian manufacturers Micromax and Karbonn Mobiles, and probably other OEMs will join in as well. Google is planning a massive effort on this project, as it set a $1 billion marketing budget. The vision for this is to bring Android to every home in the world, and get 5 billion users. 

What do you think of it.? If it's under a $100, would you consider getting one just for playing around? Tell us below!



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