Cheap Google Phone Sans Pixel Brand Confirmed; Surprising High-End Feature Graces New Android One Device

Google has confirmed a Pixel successor to be released this year. That high-end device is expected to be expensive much like its biggest rivals, Apple's iPhone 8 and the Samsung Galaxy S8. Google, however, isn't ditching its budget-conscious customers.

The tech giant is reportedly planning to introduce a cheap phone without the Pixel brand attached to it, 9to5Google claimed from an anonymous source. This low-priced Google-built handset, which comes with a less powerful processor and hardware, will cater to emerging markets and will probably be released under the Android One brand.

Google should expect a huge volume of buyers if they are indeed planning to release a budget-friendly phone. Some are skeptical over the company's capability to handle large consumer demands. Customers have complained about the Pixel being constantly out of stock -- not to mention the delays in the product's shipping, Phone Arena pointed out.

Android One phones are known for their no-nonsense, simple design. The handsets are equipped with a built-in Google Assistant and the latest version of Android, meaning it will regularly get security and OS version updates from the tech giant.

India, the Philippines, Pakistan and Myanmar are some of the countries that sell Android One phones. The devices were also launched in Africa.

The latest Android One phone, the GM6, was recently announced in Turkey. The handset was built by Turkish company General Mobile and comes with mid-range specs and features: 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB internal storage, a 3,000 mAh battery and a 5-inch 720p display. The GM6's cameras aren't bad, with its primary lens clocking in at 13 megapixels and the secondary front-facing one at 8 megapixels.

Though cheap, the GM6 surprisingly comes with a feature that's usually seen in high-end smartphones. The handset has a fingerprint sensor built into its home button, which was a first in any Android One device. The GM6 costs around $250 and is also equipped with Google Assistant thanks to its Android 7.0 Nougat operating system.

A review from Digital Trends praised the GM6's performance for a mid-range device. The phone's hardware does a great job in making sure apps launch fast and run smoothly without any lags. Also, the device's lower-resolution screen conserves battery power.

The major complaint that the phone receives is centered on its camera. The live-view mode appears to diminish color from a photograph even though the coloring looks perfectly fine when you take the picture. There were shutter lags, too, and the entire interface is slightly problematic.