Reliance Jio, Google Secretly Working Together To Launch Affordable 4G Smartphone

Reliance Jio is allegedly working with tech giant Google to develop an affordable smartphone that will work exclusively with Reliance-owned 4G network in India. One has to however, wait till end of this year to see the actual launch of the smartphone in making.

Notably, this is Google’s second attempt at launching affordable smartphones in India. To recall, in 2014 Google introduced Android One project which eventually got completely failed. However, this time Google worked closely with Indian smartphone brands such as Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice. According to a report, industry sources said that apart from smarphone Google, Reliance Jio is also working together on developing software for Reliance Jio’s smart TV services, which will be launched later this year.

Reliance Jio has just hit a milestone of 100 million subscribers and Google branding will help Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio’s boost its plans to sell cheaper 4G smartphones, and reach a larger market.

According to another report, Google is working with Jio so as to reattempt Android One in India, albeit with just one player. "Android One had too many OEM partners, with each phone from every brand looking exactly the same, leaving no distinction for the vendor. Moreover, at the same time, Chinese players like Xiaomi launched their phones at a similar price with a lot more features, essentially killing the idea of Android One completely,” said Jayanth Kolla, founder and partner at Convergence Catalyst, to DNA India.

While RJio and Google declined to comment on the development, industry sources said that the two have been indeed working together for both smartphone & Smart TV software.

[Top Image - Shutterstock]

Introducing Android One; India is First to get it, available at Rs.6399

Google has finally launched "Android One" smartphone family in India on Monday at price starting at affordable Rs.6399 (US $105), Android One is an initiative announced earlier this year which is aimed at boosting sales in key emerging markets through cheaper prices and better quality software.

As speculated, Google has tied up with Indian handset makers Micromax, Karbonn and Spice Mobiles to launch the 6,399 rupees phone, which is powered by Google's operating system and targets the booming low-cost segment of the world's fastest growing smartphone market. The new Android One family smartphones will be available online in India on Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal.



For our readers, don't get confused that Andoid One is new Android OS; it's not, Android One is a new family of Android devices, designed in collaboration with several manufacturers. The current version of the Android OS is Android KitKat only.

An Android One device will always run the latest version of Android on a high-quality hardware package. You'll enjoy a smooth, fast, lag-free experience and access to the latest technology, features and apps. All at a really affordable price. Updates in all Android One devices happen automatically over the air (OTA), through your 3G or WiFi connection.

Sundar Pichai, SVP of Android division of Google said - "There are three big reasons why it’s hard for people in countries such as India, Indonesia or the Philippines to get their hands on a high-quality smartphone. First, is the hardware itself. Even entry-level smartphones still remain out of reach for many (bear in mind that in some of these countries the average monthly income is around $250). Second, many people in these markets do not have access to the latest Android software and popular applications. Finally, even where 3G and 4G networks are available, not enough people have phones that can support data and the plans can be expensive."

"Android One aims to help tackle these challenges. By working closely with phone and silicon chip makers to share reference designs and select components, we’re making it easier for our partners to build phones that are not just great to use, but also affordable. They have lots of processing power, so you can get information quickly. They have high-quality front- and rear-facing cameras. And for all those pictures, along with your apps and videos, Android One phones will have expandable storage. We also added features that people in India will find particularly useful, like dual SIM cards, a replaceable battery and built-in FM radio.", added Pichai.



After launching in India, Google said it plans to expand Android One to Indonesia, Philippines and other South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) by the end of 2014 and in more countries in 2015.

The company is working with partners including Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo, and chipmaker Qualcomm to build more devices under Android One program.

Complete Digest to new announcements made at Google I/O event

Google I/O wasn’t an event to be missed but if due to some reason you couldn’t tune into the action, there is nothing to worry at all. As we at IndianWeb2 bring to you a complete list of all the important things that were announced at the conference.

Around 6,000 developers attended 7th annual Google I/O developer conference. The crowd in San Francisco was joined by millions more watching on the livestream and 597 I/O Extended events, in 90+ countries on six continents.

Google estimated that more than 20 billion text messages sent every day. 1.5 trillion steps taken with an Android. And more importantly, a roughly estimated 93 million selfies.

This year Google brought loads of things in Android, apps, new chrome features etc. Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome & apps addresses the event along with and reveal interesting initiatives Google is taking up from this year onwards, this includes few interesting devices and Android wearable gadgets as well.

Below are all major announcements Google made at Google I/O event:

Android One

The annual developer conference started with the announcement of the Android One initiative. It is a program that aims at providing guidelines to those manufacturing Smartphones for the developing market so as to give a unified Android experience.

This initiative allows the internet giant the right to dictate some minimum hardware requirements for manufacturers all around the globe.

Under this initiative, Google has decided to partner with Indian handset-makers Spice, Micromax and Karbonn to launch $100 (Rs.6,000) Smartphones. Some of these Smartphones are expected to be launched in early September.

Android Auto

Android Auto is completely voice enabled and has been manufactured so as to help the developers. It does so by creating a seamless and safe solution for using connected devices while driving.

Android Auto works by connecting the driver’s Smartphone to a compatible car, its UI then displays on the car’s screen with quick shortcuts to location searches, navigation and suggestions. It also has a feature which enables the driver to send and receive text messages while driving by using the voice command features.

The Android Auto will be made available to the masses later this year. For this, the tech giant has partnered with over 40 companies which include Porsche and Hyundai.

Bringing work and play together

The tech giant also announced Android for Work program at the I/O event. It is a unique program which lets the app live in one place. It gives a wonderful opportunity to the user to connect his or her work with personal life into one single device.

Microsoft Office editing has become possible in the Google Docs due to Android from Work. Google in addition to this also announced a premium Google Drive for enterprise customers which will offer unlimited storage for $10 per month per use.

L Developer Preview  

The upcoming Android L release supports Material Design which is a new cross platform User Interface. It makes available the app developers with more precise tools so as to make customized typography, color and grid changes.

Material Design makes it possible for designers to add smooth animations at 60 fps using a prototyping tool, Polymer. Further, in order to help the designers in building a consistent feel and look, it has added a guideline.

In order to make developers learn a thing or two about battery life, Google also launched Project Volta. It will help them in identifying battery discharge patterns so as to increase the overall consumption.

With a 64-bit compatibility and a new Android Extension Pack to back 3D graphics, Google openly boosted about the L’s enhanced performance. Google has also ensured the best of security for L.

Android Wear

Google demonstrated its Android Wear at the Google I/O event. Users can swipe across Google Now Cards and supported applications from the paired Smartphone by using its touchscreen User Interface.

In order to create reminders, notes, alarms and more, the users can make use of the “Ok Google” prompt. Material design is also in attendance in this wearable platform.

A wearable counterpart is installed on the Smartwatch whenever the user installs an app from the Play store on their Smartphone. This is ensures that all the features are synced immediately.

The Moto360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live are some of the Android Wear equipped products. Out of these, Samsung and LG are currently available in the Play store.

Google Cloud



Google also announced improvements to its Google Cloud engine. Developers can debug a live application which is running on hundred of servers using this platform. In addition, they can also set alerts or reminders to monitor performance of various events.

Appurify, which is a mobile test automation service, has been acquired by Google in order to optimize app testing and building.

The tech giant also introduced Cloud Dataflow, which will let the user create data pipelines for ingesting large data sets.

Android TV



Putting all the rumors to rest, Google finally unveiled its Android TV. Google with its Android TV has tried to combine all entertainment into one device. The TV lets the user watch live TV or stream content like cast information and related YouTube clips. The TV also promises a fluid search experience to the user.

The Android TV will be a joyride for casual gamers. Google supports games on the new TV and this gives the gamers a great chance to engage in their favorite mobile games on the big television screen.

Chromebook gets Android Apps

Now you can unlock Chromebooks with the help of your phone, this feature is similar to the new L update which permits the user to unlock their phone when using context and location.

To provide its users with a continuous experience, Android will now be sending notifications directly to the Chromebooks. Some selected Android apps have been made compatible on the Chromebook.

Google Play

Google Play now has a Games Profile feature with the saved games section. The section will have a screencap of the user’s game progress and leader boards. In order to encourage the gamers to set goals, it now has “Quests”.

Users will now be able to have a direct carrier billing for tablets which will let them charge everything at one place.

Chromecast Update

The much needed Chromecast update is here. Now, you no longer have to be on the same Wi-Fi network to cast content to Chromecast. You can search the nearby devices and connect via the cloud.

A backdrop feature has also been added which permits background photo customization by drawing photos from the user’s library.

Google Fit

The conference also saw the launch of Google Fit. It is an open, multi-OS API platform for fitness related apps and devices. Google Fit is very similar to the recently announced Apple’s HealthKit.

Google Fit assembles all of the user’s fitness data into one single place. Google Fit has partners in  Withings, Adidas and Nike.

Complete Digest to new announcements made at Google I/O event

Google I/O wasn’t an event to be missed but if due to some reason you couldn’t tune into the action, there is nothing to worry at all. As we at IndianWeb2 bring to you a complete list of all the important things that were announced at the conference.

Around 6,000 developers attended 7th annual Google I/O developer conference. The crowd in San Francisco was joined by millions more watching on the livestream and 597 I/O Extended events, in 90+ countries on six continents.

Google estimated that more than 20 billion text messages sent every day. 1.5 trillion steps taken with an Android. And more importantly, a roughly estimated 93 million selfies.

This year Google brought loads of things in Android, apps, new chrome features etc. Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome & apps addresses the event along with and reveal interesting initiatives Google is taking up from this year onwards, this includes few interesting devices and Android wearable gadgets as well.

Below are all major announcements Google made at Google I/O event:

Android One

The annual developer conference started with the announcement of the Android One initiative. It is a program that aims at providing guidelines to those manufacturing Smartphones for the developing market so as to give a unified Android experience.

This initiative allows the internet giant the right to dictate some minimum hardware requirements for manufacturers all around the globe.

Under this initiative, Google has decided to partner with Indian handset-makers Spice, Micromax and Karbonn to launch $100 (Rs.6,000) Smartphones. Some of these Smartphones are expected to be launched in early September.

Android Auto

Android Auto is completely voice enabled and has been manufactured so as to help the developers. It does so by creating a seamless and safe solution for using connected devices while driving.

Android Auto works by connecting the driver’s Smartphone to a compatible car, its UI then displays on the car’s screen with quick shortcuts to location searches, navigation and suggestions. It also has a feature which enables the driver to send and receive text messages while driving by using the voice command features.

The Android Auto will be made available to the masses later this year. For this, the tech giant has partnered with over 40 companies which include Porsche and Hyundai.

Bringing work and play together

The tech giant also announced Android for Work program at the I/O event. It is a unique program which lets the app live in one place. It gives a wonderful opportunity to the user to connect his or her work with personal life into one single device.

Microsoft Office editing has become possible in the Google Docs due to Android from Work. Google in addition to this also announced a premium Google Drive for enterprise customers which will offer unlimited storage for $10 per month per use.

L Developer Preview  

The upcoming Android L release supports Material Design which is a new cross platform User Interface. It makes available the app developers with more precise tools so as to make customized typography, color and grid changes.

Material Design makes it possible for designers to add smooth animations at 60 fps using a prototyping tool, Polymer. Further, in order to help the designers in building a consistent feel and look, it has added a guideline.

In order to make developers learn a thing or two about battery life, Google also launched Project Volta. It will help them in identifying battery discharge patterns so as to increase the overall consumption.

With a 64-bit compatibility and a new Android Extension Pack to back 3D graphics, Google openly boosted about the L’s enhanced performance. Google has also ensured the best of security for L.

Android Wear

Google demonstrated its Android Wear at the Google I/O event. Users can swipe across Google Now Cards and supported applications from the paired Smartphone by using its touchscreen User Interface.

In order to create reminders, notes, alarms and more, the users can make use of the “Ok Google” prompt. Material design is also in attendance in this wearable platform.

A wearable counterpart is installed on the Smartwatch whenever the user installs an app from the Play store on their Smartphone. This is ensures that all the features are synced immediately.

The Moto360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live are some of the Android Wear equipped products. Out of these, Samsung and LG are currently available in the Play store.

Google Cloud



Google also announced improvements to its Google Cloud engine. Developers can debug a live application which is running on hundred of servers using this platform. In addition, they can also set alerts or reminders to monitor performance of various events.

Appurify, which is a mobile test automation service, has been acquired by Google in order to optimize app testing and building.

The tech giant also introduced Cloud Dataflow, which will let the user create data pipelines for ingesting large data sets.

Android TV



Putting all the rumors to rest, Google finally unveiled its Android TV. Google with its Android TV has tried to combine all entertainment into one device. The TV lets the user watch live TV or stream content like cast information and related YouTube clips. The TV also promises a fluid search experience to the user.

The Android TV will be a joyride for casual gamers. Google supports games on the new TV and this gives the gamers a great chance to engage in their favorite mobile games on the big television screen.

Chromebook gets Android Apps

Now you can unlock Chromebooks with the help of your phone, this feature is similar to the new L update which permits the user to unlock their phone when using context and location.

To provide its users with a continuous experience, Android will now be sending notifications directly to the Chromebooks. Some selected Android apps have been made compatible on the Chromebook.

Google Play

Google Play now has a Games Profile feature with the saved games section. The section will have a screencap of the user’s game progress and leader boards. In order to encourage the gamers to set goals, it now has “Quests”.

Users will now be able to have a direct carrier billing for tablets which will let them charge everything at one place.

Chromecast Update

The much needed Chromecast update is here. Now, you no longer have to be on the same Wi-Fi network to cast content to Chromecast. You can search the nearby devices and connect via the cloud.

A backdrop feature has also been added which permits background photo customization by drawing photos from the user’s library.

Google Fit

The conference also saw the launch of Google Fit. It is an open, multi-OS API platform for fitness related apps and devices. Google Fit is very similar to the recently announced Apple’s HealthKit.

Google Fit assembles all of the user’s fitness data into one single place. Google Fit has partners in  Withings, Adidas and Nike.

Google to tie up with Micromax, Karbonn and Spice to launch smartphones under $100 (Rs 6,000)

Google, the internet giant has decided to partner with Indian handset-makers Spice, Micromax and Karbonn to launch $100 (Rs.6,000) Smartphones. Some of these Smartphones are expected to be launched in early September.

This news was announced in Google’s annual developer conference on Wednesday by the company’s senior vice-president Sundar Pichai. If experts are to be believed, this move by Google will shoot up the Indian brands popularity and credibility all over the world. It will also increase the already stiff competition in the entry-level Smartphone market of the country.

This initiative by Google has been named the Android One initiative. Under this initiative, the Indian handset-makers will be provided with hardware reference models so as to create high quality Smartphones that too at low cost.

According to Sundar, the Smartphones will be first unveiled in India and then launched globally. These phones can be expected to run a standardized version of Android which will permit faster updates.

Pichai while showcasing a 4.5 inch Micromax device with dual SIM slots, FM radio and expandable memory also added that Google is also currently working with Indian carriers so as to make these Smartphone users available with affordable data packs.

The first batch of these Smartphones can be expected to hit the Indian markets in somewhere around early September. In all possibility, these phones can be co-branded as the tech giant may not want to venture into the hardware business again after no additional follow ups on Nexus and selling off Motorola.

These Smartphones will take the low end phone market competition, where Samsung and Nokia are already functioning to an all new level.

Whatever may be the case, the customers are expected to gain considerably from the tech giants this move. The customers are expected to get more value and the overall experience is set to become better and faster as with the standard Google platform, the updates will be quicker.

Google’s this initiative has not come as a surprise, as everyone wants to reap in the fruits of the booming Indian Smartphone market. According to the data made available by IDC, the Smartphone market in India tripled itself in the first quarter of this year with 17.59 million devices being shipped compared to 6.4 million during the same time interval last year.

Top Image - [Flickr]

Google to tie up with Micromax, Karbonn and Spice to launch smartphones under $100 (Rs 6,000)

Google, the internet giant has decided to partner with Indian handset-makers Spice, Micromax and Karbonn to launch $100 (Rs.6,000) Smartphones. Some of these Smartphones are expected to be launched in early September.

This news was announced in Google’s annual developer conference on Wednesday by the company’s senior vice-president Sundar Pichai. If experts are to be believed, this move by Google will shoot up the Indian brands popularity and credibility all over the world. It will also increase the already stiff competition in the entry-level Smartphone market of the country.

This initiative by Google has been named the Android One initiative. Under this initiative, the Indian handset-makers will be provided with hardware reference models so as to create high quality Smartphones that too at low cost.

According to Sundar, the Smartphones will be first unveiled in India and then launched globally. These phones can be expected to run a standardized version of Android which will permit faster updates.

Pichai while showcasing a 4.5 inch Micromax device with dual SIM slots, FM radio and expandable memory also added that Google is also currently working with Indian carriers so as to make these Smartphone users available with affordable data packs.

The first batch of these Smartphones can be expected to hit the Indian markets in somewhere around early September. In all possibility, these phones can be co-branded as the tech giant may not want to venture into the hardware business again after no additional follow ups on Nexus and selling off Motorola.

These Smartphones will take the low end phone market competition, where Samsung and Nokia are already functioning to an all new level.

Whatever may be the case, the customers are expected to gain considerably from the tech giants this move. The customers are expected to get more value and the overall experience is set to become better and faster as with the standard Google platform, the updates will be quicker.

Google’s this initiative has not come as a surprise, as everyone wants to reap in the fruits of the booming Indian Smartphone market. According to the data made available by IDC, the Smartphone market in India tripled itself in the first quarter of this year with 17.59 million devices being shipped compared to 6.4 million during the same time interval last year.

Top Image - [Flickr]