Something that people may have forgotten is that Google was a software company before anything else. Sure, today, we have devices spawned from the Nexus program, and Google Play edition versions of popular smartphones, but at the heart of it, these devices are meant to put smartphones in the hands of users the world over. This is great news all around. Users get to have devices that offer them all of human knowledge at very reasonable prices, and the big G gets to reach more and more people all over the world. Everybody goes home happy.
To further this strategy, Google has just recently released the Android One. The device, first revealed at the 2014 Google I/O in June, promises everything users need to have a connected smartphone at a price point that wouldn’t be a strain on finances. To achieve this goal, Google has partnered with phone and chip manufacturers to hit an excellent balance between affordability and usability.
Primarily targeted for markets where monthly incomes average around USD 250, these devices allow users to have a smartphone, and get connected to the rest of the world.
Launched first in India, Google has announced that the Android One phones will also be making their way over to Philippines shores. While there hasn’t been word as to which manufacturers have been tapped to supply the devices locally, Acer, Asus, Alcatel, HTC, Lenovo, Panasonic, and other large names are on board. Different device configurations, screen sizes and even software differences are on the horizon, in order to give everyone a smartphone they can afford.