Google expands Android One program to Turkey with $262 handset
Google is changing up the playbook with its Android One initiative to bring low-cost, standardized Android phones to emerging markets.
On Tuesday, the company announced an Android One phone for Turkey that will retail for $262; far above the many sub-$100 handsets previously introduced. Turkey is now the seventh region for the Android One program, joining Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
With a much higher price, you get better components in the phone, of course.
The Android One model launching in Turkey works on 4G networks, has a 13 megapixel rear camera, 2 GB of memory, 16 GB of storage and a 5-inch HD IPS display.
The handset also eschews the typical low-end processors in favor of a more capable quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chip clocked at 1.2 GHz.
When Google first launched the Android One program back in September, it appeared to be focused solely on inexpensive handsets. The idea is similar to the company's Nexus line of phones: Have more control over both the hardware and the software, but at a lower price point.
Considering a Nexus 6 will set you back $649 or more, depending on the storage capacity, the newest Android One phone is still markedly less expensive.
However, it shows that Google has broader aspirations for its Android One initiative as it seeks to further expand the already most-used mobile platform around the globe.