The Bits and Pieces of the Android One Program
The 'most powerful man in mobile' wears his stature lightly. Ask him how it feels to bear the title and he shrugs. "There are many powerful men and women in mobile. I'm fortunate to be part of that group. But by no means do I think I'm the most powerful person." At 42, the tall, slight and soft-spoken Sundar Pichai is senior vice-president at Google where he oversees Android, Chrome and Google Apps. He's been rumoured to have been in the running to become Microsoft CEO ("I can't comment on rumours," he says when asked). There's also speculation that he'll lead Google one day. "Larry (Page) is very committed to Google for the long term. So that's a hypothetical question," he replies.
Pichai confesses to not knowing too much about Google's operations in India, though he adds, "I follow India news on the TOI website every day." In 2013 Andy Rubin who led the development of Android moved on and Pichai who was head of the Chrome platform took over. There has been speculation that the two platforms will be rolled into one." If we had decided to fully converge, we wouldn't have arrived at Chromecast. The team could think about it in a different way because the attributes of Chrome are different," said Pichai.
What Does Android One Offer To Customers and Manufacturers?
The Android ecosystem might already be a billion devices large, but Google wants to expand it more and at a faster pace. This is where its new programme, Android One, fits in. No, it is not a new operating system, but an effort to bring the best hardware-software combo possible to the magical $100 price point. So the first set of Android One smartphones, launched in India and carrying Indian brands on the rear, will all be priced at Rs 6,399, aiming to woo the first-time smartphone buyers. Sundar Pichai, Google senior vice president for Android, Chrome and Apps, said the price point and the entire value proposition is good enough to get new customers on board. “This gives us an opportunity to expand the market significantly… we see a lot of opportunity going ahead,” said Pichai, who is originally from Chennai. Pichai said Android One tries to solve the problems people face with hardware, software and connectivity while buying affordable smartphones. It will also solve the obstacle of language by including Google Translate with a Hindi-English-Hindi package. There will also be Google Now with a focus on cricket and even train reservations and going ahead free access to YouTube.
Along with the 50 per cent less data usage and free data packages offered by service providers likes Airtel, Google hopes these phones will be able to differentiate itself from the scores of Android phones available at similar price points. Anand Chandrasekaran, Chief Product Officer, Bharti Airtel said customers would be able to enjoy 100 MB of data per month for six months for software updates and 200 MB per month for a similar period for app downloads and updates on the “first prepaid active Airtel SIM inserted in the Android One device”. Plus, this will offer a pure Android experience like Google’s costlier Nexus devices and will be among the first to get the new Android L update when it is released for consumers.
The three phones launched today from Micromax, Karbonn and Spice all have the same specifications though they sport slightly different designs. One common factor in the new devices is the MediaTek processor. Mohit Bhushan, VP and GM at MediaTek, said the affordable smartphones so far were devoid of a full mobile experience and that is where Android One stands out. “This will trigger more aggressive growth in the smartphone segment. This is just the start of a journey, you will see more devices in the new future with different display sizes and connectivity options under the Android One umbrella,” he added. The phones will sell only online initially with each manufacturer deciding to pick an etailer from among Flipkart, Amazon and SnapDeal.
Android One and the Road Ahead
Under the Android One program, device manufacturers will continue to use the latest Android software. However, to have better control over the ecosystem, Google has provided these manufacturers with a reference sheet of components that are the most compatible with Android software. This has been done with the intention of making sure that the user experience is good since Google will be able to push the latest updates for its software and applications on these devices directly. Android One devices are also better optimized for the local market since they support more Indian languages. However, it will be a while before more devices around Android One enter the market. An official with a device manufacturing company said it would offer cheaper product based on Android One with different specifications, as "70-80 per cent of the smart phone market in the country is still hovering under Rs 5,000." By the end of the year, the company will launch both a cheaper and a more expensive device on Android One.