Android One devices go on sale in India, more countries later this year

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Android One devices go on sale in India, more countries later this year

Back at Google I/O we heard about Android One, a new initiative to get Android devices in the hands of the 5 billion people without smartphones. Since then we haven’t heard much about this program, but today Google is finally announcing the first batch of devices. Today in India the first Android One devices from Micromax, Karbonn, Spice and chipmaker MediaTek are available starting around just $105.

This is just the beginning for Android One. Today Google has also announced partnerships with phone manufacturers Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo, and chipmaker Qualcomm. Later this year we can expect Android One devices to be available in Indonesia, the Philippines and South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). Even more countries will be announced in 2015.

The importance of Android One devices are huge. Markets like India can provide a huge boost for a platform. One recent example is the original Moto G. Here in the U.S. the Moto G was not a big deal, but because of emerging markets it became Motorola’s most successful phone ever. Android One will help our favorite little green robot continue to spread across the globe.

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Get $50 off the new Moto X if you have a .edu email address

Tomorrow is the big day for Moto X (2nd gen) pre-orders. The “Pure Edition” (unbranded and unlocked) and the AT&T model will be available for $499 to $99, depending on your contract situation. However, if you have a current or old .edu email address lying around you can get a sweet $50 discount.

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To get this deal you can head over to Motorola’s website and fill in your information. You will need to be able to access your .edu inbox in order to get the discount code. When the pre-order goes live tomorrow at 11AM Central you can put in your code and reap the rewards. If you’re still waiting for Verizon, or other carriers, just hold on to the code for a little but longer. Motorola did not mention when the devices will begin shipping.

Do any of you plan on pre-ordering the new Moto X tomorrow? What color/material options will you be choosing?

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