News - Google announces Android One, a low-cost smartphone program

[HEXUS]

The company also told us it has reached the 1 billion Android users milestone.

Read more.

[crossy]

Google's Sundar Pichai gave an example at the keynote event by showing off a Micromax Android One smartphone, which features what he regards as vital features for emerging markets including; a 4.5-inch display, dual-SIM support, a microSD card slot and FM radio.

This being the same Google who was - until recently - desperately telling us that uSD slots were a bad idea, and then "broke" the uSD support for a lot of 3rd party apps in KitKat? Hypocrites!

There's a new runtime called the Android Ready Runtime (ART).

Haven't they just "productionized" the ART that they released in KitKat last year? I seem to remember that, at the time, we were told that ART would eventually replace Dalvik. And last time I checked there were still a few apps that break with ART. Current phone is limited to JB (thanks a bunch Samsung!) so I don't know whether anything I use is on the "ART incompatible" list.

[Tpyo]

Re: micro-SD support

I think they have to recognize the need for more on-board storage to be useful in places where a mobile connection could be patchy at best. Still, it does leave open the stupidity of their high-end/flagship devices deliberately lacking some of the functionality that is considered core in their low-cost/entry-level devices.

[3dcandy]

Indeed it does seem that micro-sd support is coming back again as people do actually want it!

[scaryjim]

.... it does leave open the stupidity of their high-end/flagship devices deliberately lacking some of the functionality that is considered core in their low-cost/entry-level devices.

I guess the whole point there, though, is that in a high end device you can happily slap 16GB or 32GB of storage in without worrying about adding to the cost. In a < $100 device, that margin becomes a lot tighter. A quick google shows that uSD card readers cost less than £1, while 16GB flash drives cost upwards of £4 - that's a big difference in margin when your entire phone costs < £60 at retail...

[crossy]

I guess the whole point there, though, is that in a high end device you can happily slap 16GB or 32GB of storage in without worrying about adding to the cost. In a < $100 device, that margin becomes a lot tighter. A quick google shows that uSD card readers cost less than £1, while 16GB flash drives cost upwards of £4 - that's a big difference in margin when your entire phone costs < £60 at retail...

I know what you're getting at here, and for the low-end devices I agree. Unfortunately if true for the high end stuff then - to quote Shakespeare - there's something rotten in the state of Denmark.

I just bought a high-end 16GB smartphone, cost just under £500. I then had to spend another £50 for a 64GB uSD card (Sandisk Extreme Plus) because the 32GB storage model of that phone isn't sold in this country. So taking a simple minded approach, surely I should be able to get an 64/80GB model of that phone for about £550? As much as it pains me to say this - at least Apple are selling their big-storage models of iPhone here - even though these are at prices that would make most consider that purchase VERY carefully.

I know there's folks saying that you don't need that amount of storage, and that's probably true to an extent. My issue though is that a typical "16GB" smartphone only has about 10GB of storage available and that with the coming of 4K video-capable phones, that storage is going to be under a lot of pressure. And yes, I appreciate Google's "defence" that (a) removing the uSD makes phones cheaper and easier to program for and (b) that this is what their cloud services are for. I really object to (b) because it's not valid in these days of niggardly data allowances, cloud will be fine when we're all promenading around with 100% 4G coverage with all-you-can-eat data plans. Until that time I want my effin' uSD so I can have a decent selection of apps, music and take photos and videos without being scared witless about running out of space.

Apologies for the rant...

[Hicks12]

This being the same Google who was - until recently - desperately telling us that uSD slots were a bad idea, and then "broke" the uSD support for a lot of 3rd party apps in KitKat? Hypocrites!

Haven't they just "productionized" the ART that they released in KitKat last year? I seem to remember that, at the time, we were told that ART would eventually replace Dalvik. And last time I checked there were still a few apps that break with ART. Current phone is limited to JB (thanks a bunch Samsung!) so I don't know whether anything I use is on the "ART incompatible" list.

Never really understand why everyone is hating Google for changing the setup in KitKat (Android 4.4) because in reality the previous implementation was hugely flawed from a security point of view and Google didnt change it just to annoy people they did it for a legitmate reason, with external storage Android didnt implement the permissions system to the same extent as the main data storage so an application could read/write to ANY location on the SD card, that sounds great but its a double edged sword as that means Application X can access Application Y saved data (imagine if Application Y was a banking app and wasnt securely written... oops!) so now the application can only write to its installed directory as it should be and I believe you can set it to read certain folders as it should have always been.

The main issue with the change in SD setup was that the likes of Samsung were using an old and dead function within Android to mount the SD card, they were being dirty and refusing to move to the new function call that was introduced before KitKat (it was just made mandatory then) so if the OEMs used the correct function when told to it would have been fine and Software developers should just update their application to correctly call permissions.

I like external storage but honestly it wont sway my decision on a purchase, my Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 16GB devices have been fine and I always have around 6 - 7 GB free but I stream all my content on my phone as I am on the Three one plan, the freedom is unbelieveable I download about 20GB a month and pay £8.50 (yay for quidco!) a month so it doesnt bother me especially when signal is 99% everywhere I go and now 4G is active in some places (I get 30Mb/s Up and Down in my place of work ha). Regardless thats my opinion its a nice plus but if its a requirement for you then power to you, maybe google will help with giving a reference high end device with the correct expansion implementation ... eventually .

Now onto ART, ART was released as a Dev test in KitKat and it did have issues with compatibility with some applications however that was in Oct/Nov, after January I do not know of a single application that is incompatible with ART, actually the only third party application broken is Xposed Frameworks but the developer has actively said he is investigating this and will implement it once it was confirmed art would be the standard runtime in the next android version (Android 'L') and since its now confirmed and most likely 'stable' and major updates will be slowed he can now work on it without worrying that it will change, so in short I wouldnt worry about compatibility, its really good .

[scaryjim]

... I really object to (b) because it's not valid in these days of niggardly data allowances, cloud will be fine when we're all promenading around with 100% 4G coverage with all-you-can-eat data plans. ...

now this I can get behind. I've been looking at options recently since I just bought a 4G phone and my contract runs out in a month or so - 3 will do you all you can eat 4G data from as little as £12.90 a month. So perhaps we'll be there before too long...

[crossy]

Never really understand why everyone is hating Google for changing the setup in KitKat (Android 4.4) because in reality the previous implementation was hugely flawed from a security point of view and Google didnt change it just to annoy people they did it for a legitmate reason, with external storage Android didnt implement the permissions system to the same extent as the main data storage so an application could read/write to ANY location on the SD card, that sounds great but its a double edged sword as that means Application X can access Application Y saved data (imagine if Application Y was a banking app and wasnt securely written... oops!) so now the application can only write to its installed directory as it should be and I believe you can set it to read certain folders as it should have always been.

A lot of column inches have been written about this, but the consensus seems to be that because SD's have to be (ex)FAT then it wasn't possible to put in a decent locking scheme. So why not move from FAT to something "better" - like ext3. Then put applications into their own groups and assign that group to any directories that they create. Users could then explicitly control which applications can access which groups by adding certain apps into certain groups. E.g. if you trust a file manager then you add it into all groups.
Or, as has been said elsewhere, scrap FAT for SD, bring in the same scheme as used for internal, pointing out that most folks access their SD's by using the phone as a flash drive, so as long as it looks like FAT to that then everyone's happy, even if there's a translation going on in the phone.

The cynics who claim that Google was "leaned on" by the manufacturers so that they could sell the more expensive SKU's maybe have a point.

PS thanks for the info about ART - I've got a G3 on order, which runs KitKat, so maybe I can give it a whirl and see if it's as good as folks say.

now this I can get behind. I've been looking at options recently since I just bought a 4G phone and my contract runs out in a month or so - 3 will do you all you can eat 4G data from as little as £12.90 a month. So perhaps we'll be there before too long...

Much as I hate to admit it Three seem to be doing it right. They're doing AYCE deals on 4G and AYCE with tethering if you've got TOP. They're also going to rollout 4G locally far faster than EE. I'm hoping to go to Orlando for family holiday next year and am giving serious consideration to popping back to Three because of that Feel At Home programme. Last time round I registered with Walmart and bought a StraightTalk SIM and got it mailed to the hotel, but FAH would make that unecessary. Unfortunately the Three website seems to give conflicting info - it says "not pay a penny more" then lists roaming charges.

[semo]

This being the same Google who was - until recently - desperately telling us that uSD slots were a bad idea, and then "broke" the uSD support for a lot of 3rd party apps in KitKat? Hypocrites!

Haven't they just "productionized" the ART that they released in KitKat last year? I seem to remember that, at the time, we were told that ART would eventually replace Dalvik. And last time I checked there were still a few apps that break with ART. Current phone is limited to JB (thanks a bunch Samsung!) so I don't know whether anything I use is on the "ART incompatible" list.

Now let's see what they say about easily replaceable batteries. I'd go even further and provide support for full size cheap, fast and capacious SD cards but uSD will suffice. I just hope Samsung and LG don't change their mind and fully seal their future phones

[scaryjim]

... it says "not pay a penny more" then lists roaming charges.

From that page:

Feel At Home.

In Feel At Home destinations, you can use your UK plan allowance or Add-on allowance to call or text the UK, or use data, just like you would at home at no extra cost, as long as your device is compatible with the local networks that you are roaming on.

So I would assume that while you remain within allowance you don't pay extra, but if you go outside of allowance you pay the roaming charges.

[crossy]

Now let's see what they say about easily replaceable batteries. I'd go even further and provide support for full size cheap, fast and capacious SD cards but uSD will suffice. I just hope Samsung and LG don't change their mind and fully seal their future phones

I don't think that the batteries were as "contentious" as off-board storage. AFAIK it was only the phone designers that hated/hate removable batteries because it means that you can't easily do "waterproof" and these unitary case designs - like HTC One's - aren't doable either.

HTC's jumped back a step - they were non-replaceable batteries/non-upgradable memory, but the m8 models (full and mini) both have uSD support. I'll suggest that everyone will now pick up on lack of user choice (with the uSD) as a bad point for any new phone, especially a high end one. The only company that I can see getting away with it is Apple, but even in that case there's reputedly strong pressure to make large-memory models "affordable" - c.f. the recent iPod Touch price cuts in the US.

From that page:
So I would assume that while you remain within allowance you don't pay extra, but if you go outside of allowance you pay the roaming charges.

Hmm, okay. I thought Three were maybe being sneaky about things. But you're right - that would make sense as an explanation. Be nice if Three could revise the page to remove the ambiguity though.
(or maybe there's no ambiguity and I'm just being dumb <grin>)