Android One is a series of smartphones that run the unmodified Android operating system. It is a hardware and software technical standard created by Google intended to provide a consistent user experience and improved security through frequent updates and Google Play Protect. Android One was launched in 2014 and focused on entry-level devices for emerging markets, but later evolved into Google's principal mobile program.
Video Android One
History
Android One was launched by Sundar Pichai, Product chief and designated CEO of Google. The initiative was created with the Indian market in mind as a watered down version of Android for low tier devices. Pichai said that the initial set of devices shared common hardware because they were based on the reference platform, but an increasing range of devices were to be launched in the future.
Security and system updates were handled by Google for the first set of Android One devices, which featured MediaTek's quad-core MT6582 Mobile System-on-Chip (Mobile SoC).
Android One phones initially rolled out in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and other South Asian countries in 2014. The first Android One smartphones were by the Indian brands Micromax, Spice and Karbonn in September 2014, the second generation Android One smartphones were by Indonesia brands Mito Impact, Evercoss One X, Nexian journey in February 2015 and the first Android One preinstalled with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Other manufacturers including QMobile have launched an Android One device named QMobile A1, on July 6, 2015 in Pakistan. Android One launched in Nigeria in August 2015 with the Infinix Hot 2 X510 (1 and 2 GB RAM version) and became the first Android One in Africa. Infinix Hot 2 X510 was also exported to other African countries such as Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, and also Asian countries such as United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Indonesia (2 GB RAM version only). Other manufactures are to follow gradually.
In 2016, SoftBank announced that they will be the first carrier in Japan to introduce an Android One phone in the country, namely the Sharp 507SH which was released in late July 2016. The Netherlands and Italy are other developed countries where Android One is available on the market: retailer Media Markt sells Turkish smartphone brand General Mobile's 4G Android One devices in those two countries (as well as Turkey itself) since 2017.
On May 25, 2017, Turkish smartphone brand General Mobile released the next addition to their fully committed portfolio of Android One phones, the GM 6. SoftBank soon followed by introducing the Sharp X1 in Japan through its subsidiary telecommunications company, Y!Mobile, on June 30.
On September 5, 2017 Android One and Xiaomi jointly announced the Xiaomi Mi A1 as the first Android One device under the evolved program charter to bring users smartphones running on the unmodified Android operating system with the latest Google technology, an easy to use interface, and regular security and OS upgrades. The Mi A1 was the first Android One device to be released globally in over thirty-six markets. It was sold through various online and offline distributors, including Xiaomi's own Mi Homes with device sales concentrated in India, Indonesia, Russia, and Taiwan. Later in September, the mobile operator Project Fi introduced the first Android One device available in the U.S. with the Android One Moto X4. In November, Android One entered the German market with HTC with the U11 Life.
At the end of November 2017, SoftBank announced the addition of four new devices to its Android One lineup with Y!Mobile: the X2 (HTC), X3 (Kyocera), S3 (Sharp), and S4 (Kyocera).
In February 2018, HMD Global, the maker of Nokia smartphones, announced that the company had joined the Android One program.
Maps Android One
Products
Android One continues to expand its line of smartphones and geographic availability through OEM and carrier partnerships.
The Snapdragon 410 devices are rebrands of the Longcheer L8150, which is based on the Qualcomm Seed reference design, explaining their similarities. A direct competitor, based on a fully custom PCB design, is the Wileyfox Swift, which is available worldwide, officially supported by Wileyfox with recent Android versions and community supported with LineageOS ROMs.
References
External links
- Official website
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