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Google Plans Cheaper Smartphone To Draw Users Into Internet Empire (nikkei.com)
Google plans to unveil its first lower-priced smartphone this year as part of an aggressive push into hardware that it hopes will draw more users into its ecosystem, Nikkei Asian Review reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. From a report: The U.S. internet giant is moving quickly to exploit the troubles currently besetting Apple, which has suffered disappointing sales of its new premium iPhone as consumers migrate to cheaper models and global smartphone sales tumble, industry sources say. Google's new smartphone will be its first non-premium model aimed at price-sensitive customers and those in emerging markets.
It is expected to be priced lower than Apple's cheapest iPhone, the XR, which starts at $749. The latest model in Google's own Pixel range, released last October, started at $799. Midrange to highend phones are priced at between $150 and $700, while low end models sell for less than $150, industry sources said. The new phone will be the spearhead of Google's drive to expand the hardware using its operating systems. New products planned for this year include smart speakers, wearables and web cameras, sources familiar with the company's plans told the Nikkei Asian Review. Google also plans to launch a new premium phone in its Pixel range, as usual.
It is expected to be priced lower than Apple's cheapest iPhone, the XR, which starts at $749. The latest model in Google's own Pixel range, released last October, started at $799. Midrange to highend phones are priced at between $150 and $700, while low end models sell for less than $150, industry sources said. The new phone will be the spearhead of Google's drive to expand the hardware using its operating systems. New products planned for this year include smart speakers, wearables and web cameras, sources familiar with the company's plans told the Nikkei Asian Review. Google also plans to launch a new premium phone in its Pixel range, as usual.
It is expected to be priced lower than Apple's cheapest iPhone, the XR, which starts at $749.
If this is the stick they measure "midrange phone" instead of the better Chinese models that sell for less than $200, I'll go out on a limb and predict that Google won't be getting too many customers.
I'm sure I'm not alone in that I don't need a phone in my pocket that costs as much as a low-to-mid-tier laptop.
Mostly what I care about in an Android phone is, that there isn't a bunch of uninstallable crapware on the device.
I bought a bunch of these phones for the kids, wife, and my personal phone. Got everything you need for 300 bucks in the Android ecosystem.
This is how I got stuck with a Pixel 2. I loved the Nexus 5. No bloatware, just Android. But the hardware choices to keep plain Android keep getting more and more limited and more expensive. I think they dropped the name Nexus so people wouldn't complain about how expensive their new phones are in comparison.
Back when LG's flagship G4 was released, I got one a few months later and overpaid for it (unlocked) and it was still under $700 I believe. AND it had a removable battery, SD card slot, headphone jack, just about everything I wanted in a phone (except updates from LG). Yes, it did bootloop after a while but LG replaced it and it's been fine ever since.
12:50 - press return.
I'm not sure where this article is coming from, Google already had a nice low end phone called the Moto-G, though Motorola was since sold off. So this isn't a new strategy of Google's in an attempt to take advantage of Apple's price mis-step.
This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
Nexus phones never had a microSD card slot.
It is expected to be priced lower than Apple's cheapest iPhone, the XR, which starts at $749.
That's odd. I bought a bottom-end unlocked iPhone SE at Target in December for about $200. Required that I buy one month of pay-as-you-go service for an additional $30. Have they gone up that much since?
a quick search tells me retail is $399, but I can get one for $125: https://www.digitaltrends.com/...
I buy second-hand smartphones, usually for under $100. They're carrier-free and I can put whatever sim I want in there.
And turn off all Google tools.
Good luck beating that!
Here is the problem.
Premium phones can cost about $1,000
a budget phone costs about $100
The problem is even though a premium cost about twice as much as a mid-ranges and ten times as much as a budget. The fact that for many peoples lives, these phones are integrated into their lives, they are going to splurge on the premium, because they can afford it, 1k may be an expensive purchase, but for the use out of it, it may be worth it to them.
The people who don't have phones integrated into their live would spring for the budget model. Calls, Text, Emails, and Simple browsing, is more then enough for their use in 2019.
Mid-Range is tough, because it would be mostly for the people who just need a more advanced phone for work, but would be happy with a budget phone. Because their life style doesn't demand a premium phone, however there are practical reasons, where a budget just will not do.
There were phones that were more expandable. Like the Moto Z. However they never really caught on. Wireless technology, availability and speed, have skyrocketed lately, so getting such expansion modules, like your SD card slot soon become a wasted investment.
Now as a tech guy, I would love to be able to tweak my phone, take a safe backup of the factory condition. Mess with my device until it is broke and restore back. But in reality that isn't going to happen, unless we want to live like in the 1990's where every phone is getting infected with viruses and spyware. Sure google is spying on us. But at least we have some degree of trust they will not blackmail us with the data they collect.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
You can give away smartphones for free, it wouldn't make much difference.
It's the damn carriers that are expensive, especially in Canada.
Here are the data-only plans from the three major carriers:
Rogers: $25/400MB
Bell: $30/500MB
Telus: $30/500MB
Yes, those are megabytes caps, in 2019. Not a typo.
#DeleteFacebook
It might be defensive against Amazon. They tried to push hard with the Fire phone (and failed), but maybe they (or MS) plan to try again with another Android variant? Because both of those companies are willing to lose billions in subsidized hardware to try to get a piece of the smartphone market. I mean, they already spent billions, and I see no reason why (assuming they think they have a better plan) they wouldn't try again.
Your ad here. Ask me how!
I'm still using my Nexus 5, though it's definitely showing its age by now: LineageOS updates have slowed to monthly releases, and they're still based on the 14.x series; and a few weeks ago, my power button got stuck and had to be replaced.
I'm holding out for a new phone that will give me the same benefits my Nexus 5 has -- namely, a low price, custom firmware support, and access to the Sprint network. If this new phone can give me those things, then I'll definitely consider buying it. (A headphone jack would be nice too.)
I am sure some people do, they just want to show off their fancy new phones, to make them seem special. Much like how some people drive fancy cars.
However the difference between a Phone and a Car is the degree of price from Premium Luxary and low end.
We still have the same factors as with smart phones 10x budget cars, 2x mid range, 1 for premium. But the issue is how much paying for the cost will affect someones life.
Paying thousands per month for car, to have a premium car, will mean that a middle class or lower middle class person will need to make long term sacrifices.
A premium phone vs a budget phone, is just short term sacrifices.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Check the Android One Moto x4. $149 (32GB) or $199 (64GB). https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Android-Factory-Unlocked-Phone/dp/B074VFRKZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550075604&sr=8-1&keywords=moto%2Bx4%2Bandroid%2Bone&th=1
Bought through Google FI, the $199 version gives $50 in service credit as well. Both myself and my wife have the X4 and it works great. Now includes Android PI as well (despite the page saying Oreo). As a full Google FI phone, it supports all major US carriers, so you can use whatever carrier you want, Verizon, TMobile, Sprint, or ATT (or others).
No argument here. I've told people for years that the Nexus 5 hit the sweet spot. Big enough, but not too big for 1-handed use. Square sides which pretend to look like a thinner phone but made it easier to grip. While newer phones have some cute gimmicks, If I had a chance to get a Nexus 5 today with an updated processor and such so it ran the latest Android well I'd jump on it.
Removable battery.
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
Couldn't agree more. You can buy a LG Stylo 4 which has a fingerprint scanner, MicroSD card, and (IIRC) a 3.5mm jack... and an unlockable bootloader. It doesn't have NFC, which would be a nice feature... but for a smartphone, it works decently. Add Nova Launcher, a root based firewall via Magisk, and disable bloated apps, and it works extremely well.
Why can't Google come out with a phone in this price range? Not every needs five rear cameras and 3 front ones. With a recession looming around the corner, Google's best bet would be to not just focus on flagship stuff, but midrange stuff.
Oh, and contrary to belief, don't just sell the entry level phones in India. The US desperately needs phones at those price points. Not everyone can or will pony up $1800 or so for a high end phone, and there is plenty of money to be made in the other categories. If Google doesn't understand this, there are other companies who will, like Blu Mobile.
Their Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 lines weren't too expensive. Except they didn't make enough to satisfy demand. Then they decided it would be more fun to make phone that cost $600 to $1000. Somewhere in there they got rid of Motorola, who now makes decent phones like the X4 selling for decent prices like $300 (oops, $250, oops, $200, oops, $150).
I was working there when they acquired Android, and I remember being really chuffed that they'd be able to bring decent software to the masses rather than skimming off the top - so I was pretty salty about it when they decided they're rather join the feeding frenzy at the top. Making an amazing $1k phone isn't rocket science, you just need to avoid errors, the existing companies like Samsung and Sony can push the boundaries there. Making a great phone for $200 is where the real challenge is, and it bothers me that Google simply abdicated that position. Instead of co-evolving hardware and software to make a tight fit at $200, they're off bloating things up with elaborate camera systems and voice recognition for the high end, then getting upset that the low-end devices ship with an older Android version.
Also, don't rule out good, old-fashioned conspicuous consumption as a contributor to the proliferation of premium phones.
The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
Can't get more data unless you 'recruit' more cattle, er, I mean customers for your phones.
Well, another problem is that even four and five year old smartphones can do pretty much everything most people need - even people whose smartphone is “integrated into their lives”.
So spending large amounts of money on a new, “premium” phone amounts to a large bling factor... and perhaps being able to play a handful (at best) of demanding games which might stutter a bit on older hardware.
Really, it’s very analogous to the laptop/computer market nowadays.
#DeleteChrome
This is not Google's first lower priced smartphone. Before there was Pixel, there was Nexus. The Nexus 4 debuted at $299/349. Its timely competition, the iPhone 5, cost literally $300 more.
Article == hot garbage
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The difference between a Cell phone which a Premium model peaks at around 1k vs a Laptop which could peak at around 10k, Desktops the sky is really the limit.
At high prices, there is a personal cost choosing Premium vs middle of the road.
If at the grocery store, they had the world best tasting Orange for $10 a piece, vs the OK ones at $1 a piece. And I was in a mood for an Orange, Chances are I may decide to splurge to buy the expensive one, at least once to know how the world best tasting orange taste like.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I'm still using my Nexus 5. Works great. I can't see any reason to "upgrade". Runs all the latest protocols and the speed is just fine. I can watch movies, etc.
I just replace screens and batteries as necessary. It's cheap to fix.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Because the Stylo probably never gets updates - and Google's big advantage is as the only Android vendor that reliably provides them on a timely basis.
Google doesn't need to compete with Blu Mobile. They get the advantage of all those Blu Mobile users anyway. They need a mid-ranger to enhance their brand. They're not Apple, and so they can't charge fanboi prices and expect to be a major player. But they don't need to be everywhere just to be viable as a brand. Competing with Blu would probably hurt their brand more than help it.
Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...
Why not give the phone away for free? Or as a part of some Google subscription?
Google has the power to get rid of carriers and banks, I wonder why they don't take this step into Cyberpunk Megacorp land. Right now I'd rather be ruled by Google than by some Chinese single party government.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
draws people to its approved ad empire.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
We all knew he was talking about current releases. The Iphone 7 is 2 years past release and the Iphone SE is positively ancient.
I'm sure I can get a Pixel 2 for about $200 from some back room seller too. Being disingenious only makes you look like an idiot.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
One word: LineageOS.