We love the idea of Android One – a standardized platform of smartphones, hardware and software, for emerging markets. Unfortunately, it seems manufacturers don’t see it that way and Google is having to change its stance on it. Previously, Google had mandated that components had to come from a list of approved vendors, however this is now being loosened so that manufacturers can use their own vendors. And while Google has tried to keep pricing relatively standard between manufacturers, Android One manufacturers are now also allowed to control the pricing of their devices.
If this is all starting to sound a bit familiar, let’s just add one more thing into the mix. Whereas Google had previously said that Android One would be getting updates straight from Google (because they all had the same hardware, hence this was possible), the change to the arrangement with manufacturers has meant this will change to updates coming from the manufacturers themselves. In case you haven’t caught on already, all these changes mean that Android One is now effectively the same as Android – and apparently this is what manufacturers want. If Google wants to change how devices are made for emerging markets, they may end up having to do it themselves with a low-cost Nexus range.
What do you think about these changes to the Android One program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Wall Street Journal via Phone Arena
