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Android One expanding to new countries in the next couple of weeks

• Egon Kilin
• December 22nd, 2014

Android One has been a successful launch in India already, with three participant smartphones already launched to positive reviews. Sundar Pichai reiterated the fact that Android One would be expanding soon and now we’ve official word that other countries would be getting their own versions of these phones soon. Three new countries are now on the Android One list: Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. While we don’t have an exact date as to when new handsets would hit these countries, are spidey-senses say we are pretty close.

Android One aims to bring cheap stock-Android smartphones to developing countries and India was the first to receive them in the form of the Micromax Canvas A1, Karbonn Sparkle V, Spice Dream Uno. These handsets have low prices between $95 and $115, which makes them affordable and stock Android makes them desirable. Android One devices were added to the list of devices compatible with CyanogenMod 11, which sparked interest in the new cheap smartphones.

Since the announcement, Google has detailied that Banglalink will be one of the partners carrying Android One smartphones in the future. Another OEM called Symphony is also scheduled to release the Roar A50 as an Android One device, while the previous partners (Micromax, Sparkle, Spice) will reportedly make handsets for the three new countries that are now part of the program. While we don’t exactly when the new Android One platform will be launched in the three countries, but Bangladesh will probably be the first to receive a handset since we already know a few details. We can safely assume that Android One should appear in Bangladesh by the end of the month or at the beginning of January, the rest of the partners joining up shortly. Android One in my mind is a great opportunity for Google and Android to expand and help developing countries and we hope the model it sets acts as an example for other manufacturers and companies.