Google is launching new smartphones next week, on July 14, to the delight of many stock Android lovers around the world. Although Google is focusing on Android One at the launch event, we do think details about the new Nexus 5 2015 made by LG and Huawei will surface at the conferences. The Google launch event involves Android One, the company’s affordable stock Android line-up made with the Indian market in mind. Although the Android One smartphones are not made specifically for India, they are most popular there, where the Moto G was king until the new phones were first launched last year.
Google intends Android One to be the forerunner of the stock Android experience on affordable hardware, and thus far, it has done well. On July 14, the new Google smartphones will adopt a new strategy, unlike the original one. Google wants the Android One initiative to promote affordability, however, funding and marketing for such a smartphone have been approached in an online-only manner in India last year. That lead to slow adoption, although the popularity of the devices launched was quite high. Popularity means little when people are not buying products, which is why Google has rethought their marketing strategy, according to the Economic Times.
Apparently, the new Google smartphones will cater to general smartphone users instead of first-timers as the previous Android One line-up did. Instead of harboring entry-level specs, the new devices will be more mid-rangers than anything and will compete directly against Motorola’s Moto G line-up, as well as the thousands of Chinese phones that are seeping into the Indian market. It seems like the focus for the new Android One line-up will be on India rather than Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia and other targeted nations. The smartphones will be available in more countries, according to our sources, but availability has not been confirmed yet.
Details about the new Google phones are scarce but available. According to leaks and sources, one of the new Android One phones will be made by Lava International and it will be launched with a $190 price tag. Although the previous phones from Google were under $115 unlocked, the price point for the new generation does confirm the mid-range theory. As usual, MediaTek will be running the show under the hood, although a model number has not been shared with us as of yet. RAM is going to be bumped to 2 GB and internal storage will be between 8 and 16 GB. The display will also be increased to 5 inches, to add to the future-proof nature of these phones and battery size will also be increased.
Now for the bad news. Although Google is adamant about stock Android being the norm, that’s not the main idea behind the new Android One line-up. According to our source, the new phone will not come with stock software, but with a skinned version from the manufacturer instead. That might be a problem and people who have heard about this rumor are not very keen on accepting this change. Everybody wants stock Android, and for good reason, seeing as stock is smoother when it comes to performance.
There are pros and cons to this Google-related event on July 14, that’s for sure. Whether a skinned version of Android will be accepted is debatable, but if marketing is done correctly, the company might have a shot at becoming a big smartphone seller in India at least. Until now, the pull of Android One has not been strong, but that might change soon enough.
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