The Indian smartphone market has recently become home to the first set of devices launched under Google's Android One project. The company's tagline says the initiative aims to bring the best of the Android experience to all users. The first three devices are made by Micromax (Canvas A1), Karbonn (Sparkle V) and Spice (Dream Uno), but Google has nine other partners working on Android One devices.
Noble as it sounds, some aspects of it have been quite confusing to consumers. So, we put a few questions to Sandeep Menon, Director, Marketing, Google India over email and here's what he had to say.
1) What is Android One? Is it like a certification from Google saying these devices run Android at its best?
Android One is an initiative to make high-quality smartphones accessible to as many people as possible. By working closely with phone and silicon chip makers to share reference designs and select components, we’re making it easier for our partners to build phones that provide great user experience at affordable prices.
2) What exactly is Google's role? We saw small changes to the software. But what changes are made to optimise the OS?
We believe that access to information can do tremendous things for the world and for individuals. With Android One, we can help bring the world’s information to the next five billion people. Whether it’s connecting with different people, exploring foreign countries, identifying new educational opportunities, or simply watching a movie with your family, access to the web changes the way we live for the better.
With KitKat, we made Android much more lightweight. Today, you can comfortably run Android on a phone with only 512MB of RAM. This means that you really don’t need incredibly powerful hardware to run Android, HD videos, 3D games and your favourite apps smoothly. The reduction in component costs that we’ve witnessed over the past few years means we can get affordable components that provide an optimal Android experience. The reference design approach also allows us to pool our resources with partners so that the entire ecosystem can unite to bring further economies of scale.
3) If such optimisation is possible then why is this not the Android for all devices? It is an open source system, so companies should be able to do it even by themselves right?
At Google, we’re always working to bring the best of the web to as many people as possible. The Android One initiative is a part of that mission. We think any effort to make the web and the power of information more accessible to more people is a good thing — our effort aims to comprehensively tackle the barriers around hardware, software and data connectivity. For our initial launch in India, it made sense to work with local Indian OEMs, but we look forward to working with many global hardware partners in the future. We will be adding hardware partners Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo and chipmaker Qualcomm. Android One is a part of a much broader ecosystem so we’re excited to work with many more partners and carriers that share our vision.
We have given manufacturers a menu of choices so that they can assemble a broad set of smartphones under the Android One family with different prices, designs, and functionality.
4) The first three devices are identical, are these then the reference build? Is the idea of Android One to have same performance on all devices in the programme or can they differ?
The manufacturing partners have customized the phones in terms of design, including colour SKUs and home-screen backgrounds. As Android One moves forward, you can expect a broad family of smartphones with different prices, designs, and functionality.
5) The first three devices are very similar, but you have partners who are known for their UI additions. Does Android One mean stock Android or are such additions still allowed?
All the devices under the Android One programme will have stock Android experience.
6) So, how can Google continue to handle the software side and provide timely updates?
We’re very proud of Android One. We have a growing number of OEM partners who will make devices for multiple countries around the world. These affordable phones will have the latest version of Android and get updates directly from Google, so we’re really bringing an experience that was once only common in a few countries to billions of more people.
7) Will these devices be second in line or at par with Nexus for Android updates?
All Android One devices get the latest version of Android. The Android One phones will be some of the first to get Android L release when it becomes available later in the year. To help ensure a consistent experience, the software on Android One devices will be updated automatically to the latest version soon after its release. Users will get all the latest features, up-to-date security patches, and invaluable peace of mind that their stuff is backed up in case their phone goes missing.
8) How soon will the next set of devices arrive?
We have already shared the details on the OEM’s but I can’t really comment on the timeframe at this moment. We will be disclosing more details as and when everything finalises.
9) Does Google have any say in the prices? Do you have a minimum price tag for a phone or a maximum that can be charged? Or is it completely up to the manufacturers?
Over time you'll also see a wide range of Android One devices at different price points that our partners will bring to market. For the time being, we think these are very high-quality phones at very affordable prices. The manufacturers ultimately set pricing, with various factors that dictate the final price.
10) Motorola, Xiaomi and others achieve low price points by cutting on marketing. You on the other hand are aggressively marketing and keeping costs low despite that. Where is the compromise being made?
There is no such compromise. Our goal is to get high-quality, affordable devices to as many people as possible. Android One takes that model a step further by working closely with partners and offering reference boards, qualified components and pre-tuned/optimized software that helps OEMs bring high-quality phones to market faster and in a cost-efficient manner.
11) You have a TV ad, newspapers, online and the vehicle, what else will be done to market the initiative?
To help people with their smartphone needs, we’ve created a program called Android One Ambassadors. Ambassadors are retail sales people specially trained and certified by Google to provide the right kind of guidance on Android One devices. At launch, we have 30,000 retail personnel signed up to become Ambassadors from around the country. People will be able to find the closest Android One Ambassador easily through our website, even if on a feature phone. Also in order to reach people where there may not be any retailers, we created an experience zone on wheels that we call Android One Zones. This is a mobile showcase where people can experience live demos, talk to trained staff, and probably most important, use the devices fully enabled on free free wifi so they can experience them first hand before they buy. We’re planning to cover 600 locations across 20 cities in India.
12) Is marketing up to Google or is it up to the manufacturers?
We’re committed to raising the awareness for Android One. We’re pleased to be making Android One devices available for purchase through India's leading e-commerce providers – Flipkart, Amazon, and Snapdeal. Our OEM and carrier partners have extensive networks and experience in retail and we’re working closely with them to scale Android One to over 200,000 retail locations in over 240 cities before Diwali. You’ll be able to find these phones at large retailers including Reliance Digital, The Mobile Store and Chroma — as well as small neighbourhood shops across the country.
13) With Qualcomm as a partner, is it still possible to maintain these prices with marketing and a Qualcomm chipset?
Like I said earlier, you'll also see a wide range of Android One devices at different price points that our partners will bring to market over time. We are committed to bring high-quality phones to market faster and in a cost-efficient manner.
14) Google showed a set of hardware specifications that you said manufacturers could choose from for an Android One device. Is there a definite skew that they need to go with or can they mix and match among the prescribed hardware?
With Android One, we plan to work with an ecosystem of partners, to offer reference boards, qualified components and pre-tuned/optimized software that helps partners bring high-quality phones to market faster and in a cost-efficient manner.
15) Are we justified in comparing this to Nexus and the erstwhile Google Play Editions? What is different, except prices?
These are very different programs. The Nexus program has traditionally been the way we showcase our new software release via new hardware. It’s been a key part of our launch process for new software versions (e.g., Gingerbread, Jelly Bean, KitKat, etc) in which we work closely with a lead OEM on the design, development, support and manufacturing of these devices. With Android One, we plan to work with an ecosystem of partners, to offer reference boards, qualified components and pre-tuned/optimized software that helps partners bring high-quality phones to market faster and in a cost-efficient manner.
16) If such low costs are possible with marketing, then is the margin kept low?
We’re committed to raising the awareness for Android One, but unfortunately we do not disclose details on margins and the investment numbers for our marketing campaigns .
17) What is the future of Android One? After the next billion?
It’s a pivotal time in India, and Google is excited to be playing a role in that transformation. For many people, phones are their first gateway online to the internet. Currently, less than 10% of the population of India has access to a smartphone. Android One is a step to address the mobile computing needs of those in markets like India. We’re happy to announce we’re also launching in Indonesia, Philippines, and additional countries in South Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka).
18) Do you intend to bring Android One devices to every price point or is that up to the manufacturers?
Under the Android One initiative our aim is to reach out to as many people as possible and we are working on this front to bring the best of experience to the users.
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