2011 was when Android clinched the title for the “hottest cellular working system” from iOS. One of many causes behind Android’s rising reputation, even when iOS was one of many trending OSes within the late 2000s, was the pricing of Android gadgets.
However since Android was ‘free and open-source,’ tons of producers began delivery their gadgets with the identical, and the Android cellular system trade was quickly bloated, and updates grew to become a big downside. That’s when Google got here out and introduced Android One and promised a clear Android expertise with a assured two years of main updates. On this article, let’s have a look at all the pieces Android One provided, and let’s additionally undergo its total historical past.
What’s Android One?
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First introduced in 2014, Android One was focused at rising Asian smartphone markets like India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, and so on. Android updates on companion gadgets are managed by Google to push common and fast safety updates and main Android updates that might in any other case take over a 12 months for different producers to push on their gadgets.
For instance, within the subcontinent, Google partnered with Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice. Google promised these producers that launching Android One would considerably lower down improvement prices because the updates could be dealt with by Google itself; therefore it appeared like a win-win state of affairs.
Android One’s Downfall and Resurrection
The three gadgets — Micromax Canvas A1, Spice Dream Uno, and Karbonn Sparkle V — managed to seize lots of eyes because of Google’s promise of a cleaner, quicker, and safe Android expertise alongside two main updates. Nevertheless, most individuals reported that the telephones have been plagued with points, most of which have been associated to QC (High quality Management).
One of many frequent complaints that individuals had was associated to efficiency. The primary-gen Android One gadgets have been all primarily based on the identical Mediatek 6582 platform, which was not the quickest SoC in comparison with Qualcomm 410 and 600 sequence of processors competitors. MediaTek SoC and low-quality elements have been some explanation why the OEMs managed to cost the gadgets decrease. Nonetheless, sadly, regardless of receiving large consideration from the Indian viewers, Android One didn’t develop into an enormous success.
Google and Xiaomi Revive Android One
Three years down the road, when most individuals thought that Android One was useless, Xiaomi and Google partnered collectively and launched the Xiaomi Mi A1 in September 2017. This partnership got here on the proper time as Xiaomi had simply turn out to be the primary smartphone model in India, when it comes to gross sales, in 2017.
When Xiaomi made a ballot on Twitter asking folks to vote between Inventory Vanilla Android expertise and their in-house MIUI, a majority voted for Inventory Android. The corporate later ended up deleting the tweet. Maybe it was anticipating a special final result.
The partnership labored wonders for each firms. Mi A1 was a mid-range system priced at round $200, and it managed to outsell most mid-range gadgets available in the market just like the Moto G5S Plus from Motorola. Google certainly hit it out of the park with the Mi A1 (or at the least we thought so). Certain, it was not like the earlier partnership, because the {hardware} was potent this time, and the cellphone had distinct options for the value that made it stand out from the competitors, however there was one thing in regards to the handset that individuals have been upset about (Extra on this later).
Later, HMD International, an organization that purchased again the Nokia branding, additionally partnered with Google to convey Android One to its gadgets. The Nokia 6.1, 7 Plus, and eight Sirocco have been the primary Nokia handsets to ship with Android One out of the field.
Android One’s Second Downfall
After the success of Mi A1, Xiaomi delivered Mi A2, which was a renamed Mi 6X, just like how A1 was renamed Mi 5X in China. Sadly, A2 was general a disappointing system. The listing of disappointments didn’t begin with A2 however with the Mi A1 itself.
One of many issues that Challenge Treble and Mainline intention to resolve is — offering quicker Android updates by eradicating the middlemen, i.e., producers. We’ve a separate article on Challenge Treble and Mainline so in case you don’t know what they imply, ensure to test it out.
In contrast to the first-gen Android One gadgets maintained by Google itself, that was not the case with the Mi A1. Xiaomi additionally had a big function within the updates, and let’s say they didn’t do an amazing job. For example, the Oreo (8.0) replace was delayed by three weeks attributable to stability points. Equally, Pie (9.0) was additionally delayed attributable to main bugs. More often than not, the month-to-month safety patches have been additionally pushed very late and had lots of bugs in them, which in the end killed the purpose of getting an Android One system within the first place.
Sadly, issues didn’t change with Mi A2 and A3 till Xiaomi determined to desert Android One. However, Nokia has a good replace velocity, however not many individuals purchase Nokia gadgets as a result of they’re normally thought of costly in comparison with the competitors.
The Future Of Android One
With a lot of the main system producers like Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, choosing at the least two years of main updates on their flagship and mid-range gadgets, and bi-monthly or quarterly safety patches, and with Google beginning to present safety updates through Google Play, shopping for an Android One system at the moment wouldn’t be a rational determination.
Each Samsung and Google will give at the least three years of main upgrades beginning with their new Galaxy gadgets (together with a few of the higher mid-range gadgets) and the Google Pixel 6 Professional gadgets, which raises a query — Is Android One irrelevant now?
Is Android One Lifeless?
The reply is not any. Other than the main OEMs, there are lots of producers that present at most one main improve to their mid-range gadgets. Therefore, we may see Google partnering with them and developing with Android One gadgets. And who is aware of, Google would possibly promise an additional 12 months of main updates to make it a robust promoting level for these gadgets. However that’s only a guess.
As of writing this text, Nokia stands as the one producer releasing Android One gadgets (some of the current gadgets being the Nokia T20).
What are your ideas about Android One? Have you ever ever owned an Android One system? Tell us your opinions within the feedback part beneath.
