Google is gearing up to launch the cheapest smartphone in India priced at $30, which equates to Rs. 2000. Although Google didn’t confirm the arrival of a budget Rs. 2000 smartphone, the primary signal came from Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
In his address before the students and faculty at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur in India, Pichai stressed the need for a low-cost smartphone. Moreover, he added that the cost of entry-level smartphones should start from Rs. 2000 to enable people from all walks of life to make use of the Internet and the newly launched digital payments services.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai stressed the need for enhanced connectivity
Pichai also said that respective governments should provide great importance to enhanced connectivity with adequate support for local languages. Otherwise, it will be difficult for India to retain the top spot among global players in the digital economy arena. In a significant move, a cross section of media and tech portals have dissected the statements of Pichai and reported that the company is planning to roll out a smartphone worth Rs. 2000.
According to industry analysts, the arrival of a new Android smartphone at such a low price is of least possibility especially the company is only familiar with the launch of premium handsets such as Pixel and Pixel XL.
Will Google bundle digital payment apps with the new smartphone?
If at all such a smartphone is launched, we expect a small 4-inch display with minimum specifications pre-loaded with BHIM app introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all know what happened to the infamous Freedom 251 smartphone which was introduced in 2016 amidst uproar. However, the project never materialized since the company filled to honor the promises.
It remains to be seen as to whether Google manufacturers the rumored smartphone on its own or outsources it to other companies. If the new smartphones become a reality, you can expect integration of apps such as Google Allo, Duo, and others into the core Android platform.
In the past, the search engine giant had launched Android One platform in collaboration with Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice. Moreover, the company advertised in all major newspapers about the launch of the new smartphone.
The main purpose behind the launch of Android One-based phones was to provide high-quality and affordable Android smartphones for the emerging countries such as India. However, the project and the smartphones based on the platform turned out to a disaster since consumers never showed any significant interest. Hence, before venturing into the budget smartphone segment, Google should analyze the potential ground reality.
