Google unveils its first low-cost Android One phones

Google has revealed the first wave of its Android One devices at an event in India, kicking off its mission to spread affordable smartphones across the developing world.

Manufacturers Spice, Karbonn and Micromax will spark off the first wave of handsets, all of which feature a 4.5in screen, 1GB of RAM, 5MP camera and a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, along with microSD expandable storage.

Although budget Android handsets aren’t a new concept, Google has made it mandatory for all Android One devices to run stock Android, eliminating the problems of no after-sale updates and app incompatibilities which have caused issues in the past.

Google aims to push Android updates out to Android One devices directly, much in the same way it already does with is Nexus range, and Android L is expected to be the first big update to hit the devices when it launches later this year.

Acer, Asus, Lenovo, HTC and Panasonic are also planning to join the Android One party in countries including Indonesia, Pakistan and Nepal later this year, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors in tow.

Good news for international users looking to sink their teeth into Android without breaking the bank, and good news for Google too, as it makes its mark in countries with plenty of potential growth.

READ MORE: Android L preview

[via The Verge]

Esat Dedezade Contributor

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Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.