Google recently said that it’s committed to Android One despite the program not totally catching on early in its life, and now a company executive has reiterated that commitment and hinted at a reboot.
Rajan Anandan, Google’s managing director for India and Southeast Asia, says that Google is “very committed” to Android One and that the company plans to reboot the effort in the “next few weeks.” That reboot will include new phones that target the so-called “sweet spot” of India’s smartphone market, which includes phones that cost between 2,000 and 3,000 Rupees ($31-$47 USD).
In addition to these lower-priced devices — current Android One phones typically sell for $100 to $200 USD — Anandan said that Google plans to create more products that are better suited for users of the Indian market that have slower data connections.
Of the current Android One effort, Anandan said that it has “not delivered to expectations,” adding that supply chain issues have resulted in shortages.
Google’s Android One program is meant to bring low-cost devices to emerging markets that offer a smooth software experience and speedy Android OS updates. While the phones have gotten better lately, they’re still a bit pricey for some shoppers, and device makers likely have little motivation to keep churning out Android One phones if the program isn’t catching on with consumers. Google is still committed to making Android One a success, though, which is admirable since cheaper phones can often have poor software experiences and few, if any, updates. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of devices Google can cook up and sell for less than $50.