To recommence budget-friendly Android One smartphone program in India, Google Inc is teaming up with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi Inc to bring back a new handset to the market again. Dubbed as Xiaomi M1 A1, Google and Xiaomi is releasing the next-generation Android One phone in India where it all started.
Xiaomi M1 A1 is the latest iteration of Google's Android One smartphone program. Designed to be affordable and consumer-friendly, the new phone sports a dual-camera setup which is only available in high-end phones and a few mid-range phones.
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The device is available in India for US$234 (14,950) only. Although the program is now in its third year, this is the first time Xiaomi has produced a phone under it. Apart from India, Google and Xiaomi are planning to release the device in Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico and Russia.
Xiaomi is the biggest smartphone producer in its home country. Being second in India, the Chinese tech giant is hoping to grow its market share in the country with the release of M1 A1.
Xiaomi senior vice president Wang Xiang notes in a statement that M1 A1, despite it being a midrange smartphone, will be as powerful as premium devices in terms of storage, offering free unlimited drive for photos and videos.
"Google came to us in Q4 of last year as they were seeking to evolve their Android One program," says Wang. "The Mi A1 is an entirely new type of device."
