Google's big project to sell super cheap phones in India appears to be failing (GOOG) | ||
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Google's Android One project, which aims to help people in the developing world buy smartphones and get onto the internet, is encountering some problems. The three Indian phone manufacturers that were initially involved in producing the low-cost devices have no plans to create future versions of the smartphone, The Economic Times reports. The Android One project works by letting local manufacturers create models of the phone under their own name. But now, Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice say that they are putting existing phone models on sale to clear stock, the Economic Times reports.
Sanjay Kalirona, who heads up the mobile phones unit at Intex, told The Economic Times: "Everything was finalised, the product was ready but market response was not there, so we dropped the idea." Despite the setback, Google maintains that it's pushing ahead with the Android One scheme. The company told the Economic Times: "We're not backing away from the programme. We've learnt a lot from the initial round with our partners and they have learnt in terms of device availability, in channel and others. Over time, as we work with our partners, we will keep working on making sure that we do things much better." Sales data for Indian Android One phones shows that the devices accounted for between 2% to 2.5% of smartphone sales in India from September 2014 until May 2015. And sales estimates from Convergence Catalyst estimates the total number of Android One handsets sold in India since launch at less than 1 million units. We reached out to Google for comment on this story. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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Google had lined up another set of manufacturers to make the phone in India, but The Economic Times says that Intex, Lava, and Xolo have now dropped plans to create Android One phones. Google's big project to sell super cheap phones in India appears to be failing (GOOG) | ||
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Google's Android One project, which aims to help people in the developing world buy smartphones and get onto the internet, is encountering some problems. The three Indian phone manufacturers that were initially involved in producing the low-cost devices have no plans to create future versions of the smartphone, The Economic Times reports. The Android One project works by letting local manufacturers create models of the phone under their own name. But now, Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice say that they are putting existing phone models on sale to clear stock, the Economic Times reports.
Sanjay Kalirona, who heads up the mobile phones unit at Intex, told The Economic Times: "Everything was finalised, the product was ready but market response was not there, so we dropped the idea." Despite the setback, Google maintains that it's pushing ahead with the Android One scheme. The company told the Economic Times: "We're not backing away from the programme. We've learnt a lot from the initial round with our partners and they have learnt in terms of device availability, in channel and others. Over time, as we work with our partners, we will keep working on making sure that we do things much better." Sales data for Indian Android One phones shows that the devices accounted for between 2% to 2.5% of smartphone sales in India from September 2014 until May 2015. And sales estimates from Convergence Catalyst estimates the total number of Android One handsets sold in India since launch at less than 1 million units. We reached out to Google for comment on this story. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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Maksimovic gives Serbia historic U-20 World Cup win | ||
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Wellington (AFP) - Serbia pulled off a historic 2-1 win in extra time to beat heavily favoured Brazil in the final of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Auckland on Saturday. The scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation play and the creative Nemanja Maksimovic put away the winner with two minutes remaining in extra time. He pushed a through ball from Andrija Zivkovic past Jean to bring success for Serbia who were in the tournament for the first time as an independent nation, although their Yugoslavian predecessors had won in 1987. The gentle tap left the Brazilians in despair, with their dreams of atoning for an embarrassing 2014 -- when they suffered a record 7-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals -- left in tatters. Maksimovic had earlier set up Serbia's opening goal in the 70th minute with a cross ball to Stanisa Mandic who slammed a close-range shot past Jean. But they had little time to celebrate that goal as Brazil struck back almost immediately with a brilliant solo effort by substitute Andreas Pereira. The Manchester United youngster weaved his way through the Serbian defenders and whipped the ball past a diving Predrag Rajkovic to send the game into extra time. Brazil dominated the early stages of the game with Jean Carlos and Gabriel both testing Rajkovic, while just before half-time Sergej Milinkovic had a free header on goal at the other end of the field but Jean pulled off the save. After the break Danilo had a chance for Brazil that went over the bar and Gabriel was wide with another shot as the South Americans continued to do most of the attacking and put pressure on the Serbian goal. But it was Mandic who broke the deadlock after 70 minutes when Maksimovic had broken down the right side. Three minutes later, Pereira produced his moment of magic to level the score, less than 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute, to ensure the Under-20 World Cup final would go into extra time for the fourth consecutive time. Driving rain added to the difficulty of playing the extra 30 minutes as Malcom, Andreas Pereira, Jean Carlos and Joao Pedro continued to work away at Rajkovic. But the Serbian keeper remained up to the task and as the spirit started to sag in the Brazilian camp Maksimovic came through for Serbia. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Strident Obama says gun control laws will change | ||
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San Francisco (AFP) - US President Barack Obama voiced confidence Friday that a "shocked and heartbroken" nation would eventually tighten permissive gun laws, striking a more strident tone after the deadly Charleston shooting. Obama told US mayors in San Francisco that change would come one day, as he took on detractors who accused him of politicizing the deaths of nine black worshippers in South Carolina. Describing gun crime as a crisis that "tears at the fabric of a community" and "costs this country dearly," Obama said: "More than 11,000 Americans were killed by gun violence in 2013 alone. 11,000." He accused Congress of failing to act after a mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 which killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook elementary school. "We wouldn't have prevented every act of violence or even most," Obama said. "We don't know if it (gun reform) would have prevented what happened in Charleston. No reform can guarantee elimination of violence, but we might still have some more Americans with us. "We might have stopped one shooter, some families might still be whole. You all might have to attend fewer funerals." In the immediate aftermath of the Charleston shooting Obama had voiced resignation that change would not come in the autumn of his eight-year term in office. On Friday he sounded more resolute and called for an honest debate. "At the very least we should be able to talk about this issue as citizens. Without demonizing all gun owners who are overwhelmingly law abiding, but also without suggesting that any debate about this involves a wild-eyed plot to take everybody's guns away," he said. "I'm not resigned. I have faith we will eventually do the right thing," he said. "We have the capacity to change, but we have to feel a sense of urgency about it." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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