Advertisement
Smartphones
Lifestyle

Google plans to introduce to US its low-cost phones aimed at emerging markets

Internet giant hopes to reduce the number of its customers moving to rival iPhone by offering the latest tech and regular updates for its phones

2-MIN READ2-MIN
Google has promised more updates for its low-cost phones. Photo: AP
Business Insider

Google wants to import one of its own creations into its home market.

The company wants to bring Android One – its three-year-old programme partnering with manufacturers to create low-cost phones for emerging markets like India – to the US, reports The Information’s Amir Efrati.

Importantly, The Information reports that those phones will come with a guarantee from Google to be updated with the latest Android updates and security fixes for two years from the sale date. Better yet, they will cost between US$200 and US$300, with the first Android One phone arriving in the US as soon as this summer.

Advertisement
An iPhone (right) with a Pixel smartphone. Photo: Alamy
An iPhone (right) with a Pixel smartphone. Photo: Alamy
This is a vital positioning for Google, as more and more Android users move over to the Apple iPhone.

Apple has always made a point of making sure that as many older iPhones and iPads as possible come along for the ride with each new update to the iOS operating system.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Android users are often left waiting months or years for updates, if they come at all, with the carriers usually left to decide which phones get which updates, when.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x