Techhies across the Philippines are constantly in search of budget-friendly yet high performance gadgets; given the austere economy of the times. It comes as welcome news that Google’s Android One will be soon be available in the country; in time for Christmas holiday shopping, to boot.
Android senior vice president for Chrome and Apps, Sundar Pichai, said that the Andorid Onbe will be marketed as a phone that is accessible to the masses, and will be powered by the latest version of Android.
“The software on Android One devices automatically updates to the latest version of Android and will be some of the first to get the Android L release later this fall. The goal is to provide a consistent and uncompromising smartphone experience, for everyone,” he said.
He pointed out that even entry-level smartphones – many of which do not utilize the latest Android software and apps – are priced beyond what most people can afford.
“(E)ven where 3G and 4G networks are available, not enough people have phones that can support data and the plans can be expensive,” he noted.
Pichai added that Google expects the Android One phones to be hitting the Philippine market by “the end of the year.”
Android One phones will feature expandable storage, dual SIM cards, a replaceable battery and built-in FM radio, among others.
Furthermore, Pichai disclosed that Android One will partner with numerous phone manufacturers like Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo, and chipmaker Qualcomm.
“We expect to see even more high-quality, affordable devices with different screen sizes, colors, hardware configurations and customized software experiences,” he said.