Android One is the company’s attempt to ensure that even low-cost smartphones offer users a consistent experience, with the search giant presenting manufacturers with a list of minimum specification and recommended hardware.These minimum specs (a 4.5-inch display, 1GB of RAM, a quad-core processor and a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera) might sound lacklustre to Western consumers, but ensure that customers in emerging markets will be able to buy a more-than-functional smartphone for around £65 that runs the latest version of Android (4.4 KitKat).“We want to deliver a consistent experience on these devices," Android head Sundar Pichai told the BBC ahead of the launch of the first Android One phones in India.Google is hoping that this experience will help persuade customers to use more internet services  in the country, and has customized its apps (eg adding cricket scores and railway bookings to Google Now and introducing local papers to Play Newsstand) to appeal to local consumers.Three new handsets have been launched in India as part of the scheme – the Karbonn Sparkle V, the Micromax Canvas A1 and the Spice Dream Uno. All three devices go on sale for Rs 6,399 (£65, $105) and also come with “features particular important to Indians” – an FM radio, microSD slot and dual-SIM functionality.“While 1.75 billion people around the world already have a smartphone, the vast majority of the world's population - over five billion more - do not,” said Mr Pichai, noting that the scheme will also soon extend to other large emerging markets including Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.Ian Fogg, senior mobile analyst for market researchers IHS, says the launch of Android One has many benefits for Google, including consolidating their presence in emerging markets (where Windows Phone may soon become a threat) and boosting advertising revenues - where the majority of the company's mobile profit comes from."That's really a scale business," Mr Fogg told The Independent, "The more consumers you have using Google's services, the greater market is for Google.""What Google is aiming to do here is simplify and standardize the experience at cheap price points, making it easier for handset makers to bring Android smartphones to market and still deliver a good experience."However, although Android dominates in terms of market share in the mobile market (85 per cent as of Q2 2014) Apple is still the undisputed champion when it comes to actual money making, with the iPhone maker’s high margins allow it take home between roughly 60 and 70 per cent of the industry’s profit.(independent.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az