NEW DELHI: India is the first country where the Google’s Android One devices have been launched. The California-based firm launched their Android One handsets—inexpensive with desirable specifications— in partnership with home grown players. . 

The Android One initiative was expected to be an instant hit and their manufacturers were expected to make huge profits on the ‘exceptional’ handsets. They also got good reviews and Micromax’s Android One handset was called the best handset that the company had ever launched.

“Despite significant marketing spend already in evidence on Android One; IDC believes India will be a tough crucible for Google. Blocked out of China, Google has no choice but to make a large downstream investment in the Next Billion consumer segment in India,” the research firm said.

Success in this segment will greatly enhance their ability to leverage Android to drive adoption by the next billion of the Google consumer cloud, it added.

"IDC believes that Android One is crucial for Google to execute on its strategy to leverage the fast-growing Android user base to drive engagement for its increasing portfolio of essential Google services, including search, Maps, Google Now and others," it said. “A consistent user experience, or at least a vastly improved one, will greatly increase engagement and ultimately revenues,” IDC added.

The research firm said it expects Android One will attract significant sales and redefine the affordable smartphone segment by reshaping the mid-tier with a range of devices that feature good enough device specifications for a fraction of the price compared to flagship devices.

It added that Android One will go further and effectively create a bipolar pear shaped environment where the high end will be dominated by the likes of Apple and Samsung with their iPhone and Galaxy flagship devices and the low end will increasingly converge around $100 Average Selling Price (ASP) benchmark.