Update: The source of this information has updated its story owing to a miscommunication. Google’s Rajan Anandan actually wanted to say that the company is ‘looking to launch a $50 phone in the next few years.’ This means there is still quite some time left for such a handset to manifest into reality.
Original Story: The Android One program is something Google really has a lot of hopes from. The project hasn’t really been excelling in India and other markets, but the company wants to keep it going, and is even ready to come up with a smartphone that will cost less than Rs 3000.
That’s an incredibly low price tag to have for a device that will receive timely software updates right from Google’s labs. Since their debut in India back in September 2014, Android One devices have made their way into a number of Asian nations, but it seems India will again be the launch pad for new sub-Rs 3000 handsets.
While speaking to The Financial Times, Rajan Anandan who happens to be Google’s Managing Director for India and Southeast Asia made sure to mention that the company is very committed to the Android One program. He revealed that Google wants to target the ‘sweet spot’ in the cost conscious Indian market with a device that will be available between Rs 2000 and Rs 3000.
The first three Android One phones in India came from Karbonn, Spice and Micromax, and they offered fairly modest hardware at extremely alluring price tags. It was only recently that Google’s program entered its second generation with the launch of the Lava Pixel V1 handset.
This device bears on its front a 5-inch 720p HD display and runs on a 1.3GHz quad core MediaTek MT6582 processor. It moreover, benefits from a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front snapper as well, apart from 32GB of storage that can be expanded further through its microSD card slot.
Also Read: Lava Pixel V1 unveiled as second-gen Android One phone with Rs 11349 price tag
There’s no word on when Google plans to release its Rs 3000 Android device, but we’ll have more on it when additional details are out.