Last month, Google launched Android Oreo Go edition for low-end smartphones. This lightweight OS was initially announced back in June last year at Google I/O. Now the reports claim that Micromax would launch its phone based on Android Oreo Go later this month for the price of just $31. The phone will also be packed with 4G connectivity.
Sources close to the company confirmed the launch of the phone on Republic Day or around it.
Android Oreo Go edition is for smartphones with low specs. This OS takes less space on phone and also runs fine on devices with RAM less than 1 GB. There will also be Go version of popular apps for this OS. These apps will be optimised to consume less RAM and less space on phone. Google has also launched Google Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, YouTube Go, Google Assistant Go, Files Go for Oreo Go.
Qualcomm and MediaTek have also announced that they are optimizing their chipset for Android Oreo Go.
It is also worth to note that Google CEO Sundar Pichai also said that the cost of entry-level smartphones should come down to $30. Android Oreo Go aims to fulfill the same dream. Android Oreo Go edition aims emerging market including India. Google is also in talks with several OEMs for using Oreo Go for budget phones and bring down the cost of entry-level phones to make it more affordable.
This is also a chance for Indian smartphone vendors to use Android Oreo Go for launching affordable phones and bounce back. After Chinese took over the phone market in India, Indian OEMs market share went down to 15% from 50% in just 2 years.
Google tried to push budget smartphones with Android One in past but the program couldn’t get enough attention from Consumers. Google also failed to fulfill the promise of priority OS upgraded and Many Android One users felt cheated. Now it has opened the Android One to every price segment and Xiaomi gave it a new life with its Mi A1 smartphone. Google designed another concept and launched Android Oreo Go to offer a better experience in low-end devices.
For now, we do not know what other Indian OEMs are ready to bring smartphones with Android Oreo Go. Micromax will be the first one and it will soon be joined by Lava, Intex, Karbonn soon. It will also be interesting to see what chipset it will be using as Qualcomm and MediaTek both are ready with their optimised chipsets.
With $31 price tag, the phone will be in price range of featured phones. If it gets success, it will mark the end of featured phones.
What are your expectations from Android Oreo Go edition smartphone? Let us know your views in the comments.
