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Here’s why Android One is great for the budget smartphone market

One of the many significant announcements at the recent Google I/O developers conference was Android One. The program was formally unveiled with one central goal in mind, reaching the next 5 billion people in the world. These are the ones without a smartphone, mostly in emerging markets like India, China and so on. Google will be partnering with companies in the supply chain to provide a turnkey solution for many OEMs that are currently driving the budget smartphone segment in emerging markets. Android One involves a combination of affordable reference hardware, handpicked by Google, and stock Android software, with updates directly from Mountain View. The first three OEMs to sign up for this program are from India, which has familiar, but rather important, implications for the budget smartphone market.

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Micromax, Karbonn and Spice are the first Android One program members

Google just unveiled its new program called “Android One” at their I/O developer event today, in San Francisco. This program, which involved creating attractive low cost Android smartphones using reference hardware and stock software, already has three members. The three OEMs who are the first companies to sign up for Android One are Karbonn, Micromax and Spice, all Indian smartphone manufacturers well versed in making budget smartphones running Android.

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Android One unveiled: Reference hardware and stock Android for cheap Smartphones

Google’s Android and Chrome chief took to the stage to unveil “Android One”, a new program for developing markets, using which OEMs can produce really simple low cost Android smartphones. Sundar Pichai detailed this effort to convert the masses of feature phone users to smartphones in developing markets, at the Google I/O developer event today. The program will include a set of hardware reference platforms, with stock Android being the default experience that will reach the consumers. This is certainly a bold move by Google to tackle OEM skinning and is actually taking over from the process that is currently been going on in the Mediatek space.

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Micromax teases upcoming Windows Phone handset, set to launch on 16th June

Micromax just sent over an invite signalling the launch of its upcoming Windows Phone handset. The phone will be a part of the Canvas range of products as expected. The event invitation also indicates that the phone will be based on a Qualcomm chipset. If rumors are to be believed, two handsets will be launched at the event slated for 16th June.

The devices are expected to straddle the lower to mid range spectrum. Over at BUILD, Microsoft unveiled an updated edition of Windows Phone that was further tuned for lower cost handsets despite adding much needed features. Additionally, the company has removed the licensing fee for Windows Phone handsets making it a viable alternative for local cost smartphone manufacturers.The two handsets are expected to be priced at between Rs. 6,000 – 7,000 for the lower end model and Rs. 10,000 – 11,000 for the mid range phone. Continue reading “Micromax teases upcoming Windows Phone handset, set to launch on 16th June”

Micromax to reportedly foray into wearable devices

Micromax is considering to enter the growing wearables market, according to the Times of India. The company’s newly appointed Chairman Sanjay Kapoor stated that Micromax could expand its offerings beyond smartphones and tablets and foray into wearable devices and machine-to-machine products.

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Micromax to begin manufacturing handsets at Uttarakhand facility in India

Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini Camera

Following televisions and tablets, Micromax has now started manufacturing handsets at their facility in Uttarakhand. Based in Rudraprayag, mobile phone production is at an initial stage. The same facility also produces the company’s LED displays and tablets. Continue reading “Micromax to begin manufacturing handsets at Uttarakhand facility in India”

Micromax joins the Windows Phone party, devices coming soon

Micromax, one of the top smartphone players in the Indian market, was rumoured to get into the Windows Phone game for a long time. We had expected the name to pop up when Microsoft announced new partners in India like Xolo, Lava and Karbonn, but it didn’t until now, when Microsoft revealed additional two partners, Micromax and Prestigio, at their Build 2014 keynote. Micromax now joins a big list of partners who are committed to bring Windows Phone 8.1 devices into the market. Bringing a seismic change of sorts to the ecosystem, the Windows Phone 8.1 update enables better hardware compatibility, with which a reference device from Qualcomm was developed. Adding on-screen button support and increased chipset compatibility has enabled players like Micromax to join the Windows Phone ecosystem.

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Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini A200 Unboxing and First Impressions

Among many other trends, Samsung also started this “mini” variant trend, of its single flagship device in its portfolio. The idea was to offer a small screened version of the much loved flagship, at a lesser price that everyone can afford. This trend was followed by HTC with their One mini and even Sony, with their Z1 compact, which is possibly the best implementation without compromises till date. In that line of “mini” devices, we now have our own Micromax with their “mini” version of the popular flagship – Canvas Turbo. Appropriately named the Micromax Canvas Turbo mini A200, the phone takes its screen size and the specs a notch down, to compete with devices in a different price segment. Announced some time back for a price of Rs. 14,490, how does the Canvas Turbo look and what does it bring? Lets find out in our unboxing video –

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAFpI2IJQgU

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Micromax LapTab dual boot Android and Windows 8.1 device announced

Popular budget smartphone brand, Micromax, just announced its entry into a brand new product category. At the Consumer Electronics Show, The company has announced a dual boot tablet that will join its line of products which includes smartphones, tablets and HDTVs.

Called the LapTab, the Micromax product will be powered by an Intel Atom processor. The device will run both Windows 8.1 and Android Jelly Bean so that you can switch between the two depending on your usage requirement. The rest of the specifications are fairly mid range. The processor is clocked at 1.46Ghz and is paired with 2GB of RAM. You also get 32GB of built in storage. Continue reading “Micromax LapTab dual boot Android and Windows 8.1 device announced”

Micromax to assemble phones in India starting next year

Micromax is looking to start assembling its phones in India starting next year, according to reports. The company might be the second largest smartphone vendor in India, it still imports all of its devices from China to sell it here. The original device manufacturers in China who do contract manufacturing for companies like Micromax, Karbonn and so many others, have enabled the influx of cheap and powerful smartphones for our market. With the ever expanding growth of the smartphone market in India, Micromax, which boasts 21 percent of the Indian market, might surely find that the logistics of import is definitely an issue, and the company is looking to fix it.

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Micromax Canvas Turbo Unboxing

Today, we bring you the unboxing of Micromax Canvas Turbo, the latest and greatest from Micromax in the highly popular canvas series of devices. Hugh Jackman was a huge score for the company as it plans to push its limits beyond the Indian borders. Announced in October for a price of Rs. 19,990, the phones marquee features are its full HD display, its quad core 1.5 GHz MediaTek MTK6589T processor with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM. With quick successions to the flagship range, how does the Canvas Turbo differ from the Canvas 4 and the Canvas HD? Ideally, we will be able to talk about it in our review, but here’s a quick unboxing video for a quick overview of the box contents and the device itself –

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9PUuASZOYk

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Micromax Windows Phones to arrive mid of next year, says co-founder

Is Micromax working on a Windows Phone? Well, the second largest smartphone manufacturer in India by volume recently made big news when it unleashed a series of promotions featuring Hugh Jackman for the Micromax Canvas Turbo, and also announced its plans to enter the European markets like Russia and Romania, but a Windows Phone that is currently dominated by Nokia? The company’s co-founder Rahul Sharma has admitted in an interview that they are indeed working on them, and claims to have them ready for a launch mid next year. Above image is just a mock up we did to see how Windows Phone might look on the recently launched Micromax Canvas Turbo.

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Micromax CEO Deepak Mehrotra quits, to join Pearson as MD

Deepak Mehrotra

Deepak Mehrotra, CEO of Micromax India has quit to join Pearson as the new Managing Director for its India business, reports The Hindu Business Line. Deepak joined Micromax back in December 2011 as the Chief Executive Officer. Prior joining Micromax he served as Operations Director for North, West and South regions at Bharti Airtel, where he was also involved in the deployment of the MNP strategy and 3G rollout plan. Continue reading “Micromax CEO Deepak Mehrotra quits, to join Pearson as MD”

Micromax ropes in Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador

Micromax Canvas Turbo Hugh Jackman

Micromax has announced that they have singed up Hollywood star Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador. Micromax has also teased their upcoming smartphone, the Canvas Turbo in a video, which would be launched soon. He will also be seen endorsing Canvas series of smartphones for Micromax. The Micromax Canvas Turbo is rumored to pack a 1080p full HD display and powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor. You can see the phone in the image above. Continue reading “Micromax ropes in Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador”

Micromax ties up with Aircel for bundled offers on Smartphones and 3G Dongles

Micormax and Aircel event

In a surprising move, Micromax, the second leading Smartphone vendor in India has tied up with Aircel, one of the leading network providers in India for bundled offers on its Smartphones and 3G dongles. What you see above is the image that details all the benefits of the bundling. The event has just started and we will try to bring all the details about the Micromax-Aircel bundling offers. Till then, you can watch the webcast here, of the event –

Click to watch the Webcast

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