Not everyone can afford pricey smartphones, but everyone wants a handset that can keep up with their lifestyle. As luck would have it, Android fans in the United States may get a new cheap smartphone this year.
Google is reportedly launching a low-cost Android One mobile device in the country in mid-2017, according to The Information. The smartphone is for those people who can't afford handsets like Google's Pixel, which starts selling at $649.
The upcoming cheap Android One phone means that Google isn't planning on abandoning users who prefer low-end mobile devices, but at the same time also release phones that are on the high-end side. The Android One program was originally intended for users in developing countries and not bigger markets like the U.S., Android Authority pointed out.
America isn't lacking of low-cost Android phones. Plenty of manufacturers have catered to that particular area, and Google's Android One program will definitely face competition in the U.S. market because of that.
The Android One program was first announced by Google in June 2014 in its yearly I/O developer conference. The tech giant was initially involved in a more direct role for Android One phones, though they eventually expanded the program to Africa, Portugal and Spain, The Verge noted.
Android One phones are manufactured and retailed by third-party companies such as Karbonn, Spice, Micromax, Cherry and QMobile. The devices run using a stock version of Android that is updated directly and regularly by Google. The Philippines, India, Turkey and Pakistan are some of the countries that these budget-priced Android One phones went to.
The Information claimed that Google will work with an OEM for the Android One phone in the U.S. The device will cost around $200 to $300, with the possibility of coming with a higher-end hardware to compete with other smartphones in the same range such as OnePlus, Huawei and Xiaomi. Google will regularly update the phone's security in the next two years.
The Lava Pixel V1 is one of the latest Android One phones. The 5.5-inch device has a 13MP primary camera, an 8 MP front-facing snapper for selfies, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage that's expandable to 32GB. The Lava Pixel V1 is equipped with a 2650 mAh Li-Polymer battery and Android 5.1 Lollipop, which receives the latest software update upon release.
While this is interesting news for some, a confirmation from Google about Android One phones coming to the U.S. is yet to be had. Until then, all we have to do is wait.
