Google aims for $30 smartphones as it prepares to relaunch Android One in India

Google is planning to reboot its Android One project in India, reports the Financial Times.

Android One is a project that specifies a set of hardware and software guidelines for device makers to adhere to if they wish to get official status from Google.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Google’s managing director for India and Southeast Asia, Rajan Anandan, said the company was committed to the initiative, which has seemingly struggled since its launch last year.

While the Android One guidelines are open to all device makers, the main intention is to cut the costs and time associated with building affordable smartphones.

The original pricepoint suggested for Android One phones at launch was $100 but now, Anandan has said that Google wants to make that even lower at approximately $30-$50 (Rs2,000-Rs3,000).

Part of the reboot will see Google use an investment programme to bring smaller businesses online with content curated specifically for the Indian market.

And the company is also working on developing products suited to the slow connections that a lot of Indian customers have to deal with, similar to the offline versions of YouTube and Maps that are already available.

➤ Google set to reboot Android One smartphone project in India [Financial Times]

Read next: Android One phones coming to Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka