Not way back, a low-profile program referred to as Android One appeared prefer it might be simply the one-two punch Android wanted.Android One, like numerous Google initiatives, has had a protracted and winding historical past with loads of twists and turns. When Android One first got here into the image in 2014, it was described as an effort to “make high-quality smartphones accessible to as many people as possible.” The focus was squarely on bringing inexpensive telephones with distinctive experiences to rising markets — locations like Pakistan and India, the place it might be “hard for people” to “get their hands on a high-quality smartphone,” as Google put it on the time.But that was simply the beginning of Google’s Android One ambitions. Three years later, in 2017, Google expanded this system with the launch of Android One telephones in locations like Japan, Taiwan, and finally the United States. The firm modified its description of the hassle from that authentic small-scale focus to the a lot broader imaginative and prescient of a “collaboration between Google and [its] partners to deliver a software experience designed by Google,” with a assure of fairly well timed ongoing working system updates and an expertise that’d be free from all of the bloat and shenanigans baked into so many Android merchandise.Sound acquainted? It ought to. It’s principally the identical idea we see with Google’s personal self-made Pixel telephones, solely scaled down a bit and with different producers concerned. Or, to zoom again even additional into Android nerdland, it is extremely just like what we used to see with Google’s Nexus telephones many moons in the past — the place Google would usher in different phone-makers to deal with the {hardware} however then preserve full management over the software program, assist, and general person expertise itself. (In the Nexus state of affairs, after all, the telephones had been branded as Google units. But that surface-level distinction apart, the scenario is nearly eerily comparable.)Over the previous few years, Android One has grown increasingly more mature, with a lineup of impressively first rate budget-level and even midrange units made by the likes of Nokia, LG, Motorola, and a handful of different corporations. Those telephones have constantly been forward of the pack relating to the ever-important space of Android upgrades, with post-sales assist that places most different choices — together with those who value 4 to 5 occasions as a lot — to disgrace.Lately, although, one thing unusual has been occurring. The once-thriving Android One program appears to have quietly pale into an virtually forgotten footnote. The tempo of latest units displaying up in this system’s digital cabinets has slowed all the way down to a trickle, and the telephones which might be nonetheless alive and kickin’ inside the Android One partitions are failing to satisfy their one-time guarantees of quick and frequent software program updates.So what on this planet is occurring? I’m a curious creature, and I discovered myself scratching my wooly man-noggin to little consequence (except for itch satiation) attempting to determine it out. So I made a decision to dig a bit of deeper to see what I might discover. And, effectively…The Android One oddnessLet’s begin with the primary entrance — the dearth of latest Android One units and the obvious lack of consideration Google is devoting to this system (a program for which it had beforehand promised to supply “major promotional dollars,” in response to a 2017 report).All you have gotta do is have a look at Google’s official Android One web site to see the unavoidable indicators that one thing uncommon is afoot. Right underneath the top-of-page headline promising telephones which might be “secure, up-to-date, and easy to use” is a graphic displaying the Nokia 5.3 — a telephone that was introduced a complete yr in the past, final March, and remains to be operating 2019’s Android 10 software program, almost seven months after Android 11’s launch. Yeaaaaaaaaah. I’m no mathematician, however one thing certain would not appear so as to add up.And the disconnect solely will get much more blatant from there: That main front-and-center graphic with the Nokia 5.3 truly describes the telephone as having “the latest Android 10 operating system” — even if Android 10 hasn’t been “the latest” Android model since final September. Um, proper.Google The different “latest phones” featured on the web page are not any higher. One of the highest units proven on the Android One touchdown web page, the Motorola One Action, got here out on the finish of October — in 2019. It additionally has but to obtain the now-seven-month-old Android 11 replace, regardless of being a part of the Android One program.Motorola, for its half, appears to have principally simply moved on from its Android One focus. Confusingly, it is continued to launch units with that One branding as a part of their titles — like final yr’s Motorola One Fusion and Motorola One Hyper — nevertheless it’s seemingly reclaimed that branding as its personal, with none of the Android One associations or guarantees.So what about Nokia — the corporate that went all in with Android One and that I as soon as labeled because the “unlikely new Android underdog”? I reached out to that firm’s media relations division a number of occasions over the previous week to ask for a proof on each its unprecedented failure to supply well timed updates to its present crop of Android One telephones and its sudden slowdown in new Android One machine releases, and I’ve but to obtain any response.What we are able to say is that first, Nokia’s had some public struggles over the previous months — with stories final February that the corporate might be “exploring strategic options,” together with a doable sale or merger. (Those stories had been later shot down, however the truth that such speak is even out there’s by no means an ideal signal.) Just this previous Friday, the corporate’s chief product officer and considered one of its most outstanding public figures introduced his departure — which can or could not have any direct connection to no matter’s happening with all of this, however once more, would not assist with the notion of a corporation that is adrift.As for Google, I requested the corporate if there was something it might share about whether or not Android One was nonetheless thought of an lively effort — and in that case, what precisely was happening with (a) the appreciable slowdown in new telephones popping out inside the Android One umbrella and (b) the obvious failure by virtually each current Android One device-maker to satisfy its well timed software program replace promise on this newest improve cycle. In response, an organization spokesperson despatched me the next assertion:
Android One is a residing program that continues to develop with profitable machine launches. New telephones that meet the elevated software program necessities set by Google will be capable of be a part of this system sooner or later. And as earlier than, these units include safety safety built-in into each layer, ongoing updates, and a easy interface freed from duplicate apps. While now we have nothing to announce concerning the way forward for the Android One program at this time, we are going to proceed to work with our companions to carry nice Android units to market.
I pressed a bit additional and requested if there was something extra particular that might be mentioned to elucidate the scenario with the entire still-pending Android One software program updates, some seven months after Android 11’s launch, in addition to with the latest lull in new Android-One-associated machine releases — however I have not obtained any extra responses.There is, after all, one completely logical doable rationalization to all of this — a story that ties all of the items collectively and definitely looks as if a wise reply to why Android One has gone from entrance and middle to pale and forgotten. Rev up that lovely mammal mind of yours: It’s time to discover an all-too-plausible-seeming concept.The larger Android One pictureStay with me for a sec, ‘trigger there’s some vital context we have to suppose via to set the stage for this sudsy soap-opera drama. Back when Android One first expanded from its preliminary “emerging market” focus, y’see, my favourite author on this planet — a very good-looking and humble fella — made some astute observations about how this system might be the brilliantly conceived lacking piece to Google’s grand Android puzzle.Go, go, gadget quoting machine:
Android can stay open and accessible for producers to customise as they need — one thing that is been integral to the platform’s success because the begin. Customers can select from quite a lot of types and kinds, as all the time, and every will supply its personal distinctive set of benefits. But now, phone-seekers who need a Google-controlled vessel with all the advantages that method offers may also have that as a totally realized, consumer-ready choice.
Google already offered that very same chance with its personal self-made Pixel telephone, after all — however on the time, Google was promoting solely a single high-end (and high-priced, for that period) Pixel mannequin. That meant the vast majority of telephone consumers had been by no means gonna get the Android expertise Google clearly noticed as being optimum — one which’s cohesive and straightforward to make use of, that places complementary Google providers entrance and middle, and that continues to be recent and compelling for an prolonged time frame by the use of dependable updates.And that is the place Android One got here into play: By providing a “Pixel lite” form of expertise at an inexpensive worth, Google might carry its imaginative and prescient for the way it wished Android to look to a a lot bigger base of individuals — even if it wasn’t able to make its personal lower-priced Pixel mannequin at that time.To quote my favourite humble author as soon as extra:
Google might have its cake and eat it, too: It might give shoppers an choice for a greater general person expertise — its personal imaginative and prescient for Android, solely now inside budget- to midrange-level parameters — whereas nonetheless permitting producers to do their very own factor instead. And in contrast to on the high-end of the spectrum, the place each element counts and a finely tuned holistic expertise is a part of the bundle, letting third-party phone-makers retain some quantity of branding and management of those lower-cost units is a compromise Google can afford to make.
So what’s modified since then? Ding, ding, ding! You received it: Google began making its personal inexpensive Android telephone with its best software program setup and self-controlled, super-speedy software program updates. That’s exactly what the Pixel “a” line is all about, and with a worth of 350 bucks, it brings the identical optimized expertise we first noticed within the high-end Pixel into a way more inexpensive kind. It is the “Pixel lite,” with none of the asterisks Android One entails compared.With Google promoting its personal utterly self-controlled Pixel telephone for 350 smackeroos, then, what motive does it have left to essentially, really care about Android One in the best way it as soon as did? The complete motive Android One initially benefitted Google is made principally redundant and pointless by the Pixel “a” line’s existence. For essentially the most half, an Android One telephone is a watered-down, lesser model of a Pixel “a” machine, and it is usually bought for fairly darn near the identical worth (generally much more).When you mix that truth with the shifting Android panorama — what we talked a few minute in the past with Nokia mixed with LG’s doubtlessly deadly present struggles, one-time Android One companion HTC’s elevated irrelevance, and the dearth of any actual motivation for an already-successful-on-its-own phone-maker like Samsung to take part on this form of effort — it kinda is sensible that Android One would begin to fizzle, would not it?I imply, take into consideration: The program’s most outstanding gamers are all having their very own points, and Google concurrently now has its personal absolutely self-controlled product to serve this system’s authentic objective much more successfully. It additionally has the ultra-low-end-focused Android Go program to handle the super-affordable, sub-$200 area that the Pixel line would not (but) cowl. Really, it is no surprise the Android One promise and all the pieces round it appear principally out of thoughts.And you realize what? This is admittedly studying between the strains, however in the event you look again at Google’s assertion on the topic, it appears virtually intentionally worded to keep away from saying something substantial about this system’s long-term destiny. Yes, it says that Android One is a “living program that continues to grow” — however look carefully at that final line (the emphasis right here being mine):
While now we have nothing to announce concerning the way forward for the Android One program at this time, we are going to proceed to work with our companions to carry nice Android units to market.
Nothing to announce about this system’s future at this time? That certain is not the identical as saying “This program isn’t going anywhere, bucko!” And persevering with to work with companions to carry nice Android units to market? Note the dearth of a point out of Android One, particularly, as a part of that proposition.When I wrote about Android One’s potential again in 2017, I famous how the hassle might fill the then-glaring void of an optimum Google expertise inside Android on the sub-flagship worth vary. As I mentioned on the time:
Google could not wish to make investments the assets in growing its personal units at each degree of the Android worth spectrum. Creating a complete line of merchandise can be expensive, for one, and it’d threat alienating and worsening third-party producers much more than it (most likely) already has. For now, no less than, this might be a intelligent technique to accomplish a good-enough-for-the-affordable-realm aim whereas getting simply concerned sufficient to keep up important core requirements.
Well, guess what? Here we’re, 4 years later — and Google has taken that formidable leap into the inexpensive Android telephone market. It has invested the assets in growing its personal units at lower cost factors, and by most counts, the primary Pixel “a”-line telephones have bought fairly effectively, comparatively talking.Google is probably not prepared to drag the plug on Android One but, however all of the variables surrounding the state of this system, it is onerous to not surprise if the clock is already ticking — and, in a technique or one other, if it is only a matter of time till the seconds run out.Want much more Googley data? Sign up for my weekly e-newsletter to get next-level suggestions and perception delivered on to your inbox.
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