Google shook things up last fall when the company decided to unveil its new Pixel brand rather than their usual Nexus phone (or phones). More than just a simple rebranding, Pixel took stock functionality and great performance, but nixed the “affordable” aspect Nexus had become known for in favor of more powerful hardware across the board; Nexus was only powerful in some aspects, but typically suffered from others such as weak battery or lackluster camera performance. Pixel is essentially Nexus without any sacrifices, and so far appears to be on the fast track to long-term success.
Another contributing factor into Pixel’s success: advertising. Google has been noticeably aggressive with its advertisements for Pixel; Nexus, on the other hand, was hardly advertised in its later generations – and when it was, it certainly wasn’t to this extent. Between lack of advertisement and exclusive availability to Google’s online store, it was easy to forget that the brand even existed. I do wonder how Nexus would have done with a fiercer marketing campaign, but that is neither here nor there; Nexus is dead now.
But hope is not lost for those who may still want to experience “pure” Android without having to pay Pixel’s premium price tag, as a new report from The Information suggests that Android One, Google’s low-cost Android solution for developing markets, may be making its way to the U.S. Additional details of the leak reveal that the first Android One may arrive as early as the middle of the year with a price of $200-$300, and would receive updates for two years.
Like the Nexus line, Android One uses hardware manufactured by a third-party company under the guidance of Google. Thus far, companies like QMobile, Cherry, and Micromax have created Android One phones for other regions. Although details haven’t been revealed on a U.S. model’s manufacturer, I suspect that a more familiar name would be used to help propel potential sales – perhaps LG or HTC.
At $200-$300, Android One could be a good replacement for Nexus, even though it may have a different focus. Nexus specialized in providing a powerhouse experience with powerful processors and good cameras, but those specs often came with a sacrifice from battery life and sometimes a weak camera. I praised these features in Nexus for a long time because, at the time, I think that’s what the industry needed. At this point, however, there seems to be a big push for the opposite: less flagship status and more balance.
I mention this often, but the line between “flagship” and “mid-range” is much thinner than it used to be. I typically use a flagship as my daily driver, but on occasion I’ll still pick up a more affordable smartphone just to use something different. Over the past year, I’ve used devices like the Honor 5X and Nexus 5X and while there are some notable differences between them and my Galaxy S7, they’re not going to be that noticeable for most people. We’ve grown so used to the idea that flagships are absolutely necessary in order to get the best experience possible out of our smartphones, but that’s just not true anymore. Most people could sacrifice top of the line specs for something more modest for a better price and still have an excellent smartphone experience.
I do think that Android One may struggle in the sense that the U.S. market still puts most of its focus on flagships, but I think that it would still be a good option for people who may want something similar to the Pixel but don’t necessarily want or need the premium hardware that comes with it. At the very least, it helps to fill the void that Google left when it became official that Nexus wasn’t coming back. And who knows? Maybe Android One will end up having an even bigger following than Nexus.
Readers, what are your thoughts on this rumor? Do you hope to see Android One come to the states? If so, who do you hope to see manufacture them?
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