5 ms·

The thing is that Android smartphones are getting really cheap. In Kenya, the Huawei Ideos is about $80 and is getting huge traction because of it. It's a bit

The thing is that Android smartphones are getting really cheap. In Kenya, the Huawei Ideos is about $80 and is getting huge traction because of it. It's a bit more here in Rwanda but not much. The ZTE Blade is also pretty affordable. I would bet we'll start seeing $50 Android phones (unlocked prices here of course) within the next year or two.

mrsebastian 15y ago
Is Android designed for such cheap phones, tho'? Is there a minimum hardware spec that's capable of keeping the phone responsive? I just wonder if there's much difference between Android and Symbian once you get down to the $50 point. It's not like you're going to have any amazing hardware features at that point, so it more comes down to software, and how well that software is tailored for the device.
- kijin 15y ago
  Well, if a $25 Raspberrry Pi can run Linux and play HD videos, there's no reason a $50 phone shouldn't be able to run Android at a reasonable speed.
  - stdbrouw 15y ago
    Sure, if you don't care about zero battery life and a phone the size of a brick.
    - kijin 15y ago
      Raspberry Pi is smaller than many of today's smartphones, and there's plenty of room to put an antenna, battery, and camera in there.
      - stdbrouw 15y ago
        ... and a screen :-)
- nicpottier 15y ago
  I carried an Ideos for a few months, it was perfectly useable. Not my Galaxy Nexus by a long shot, but the important stuff of email, texting, Facebook all worked just fine.
- dagw 15y ago
  I know a few people who have ZTE Blades and they're happy enough with their phones.
- keeperofdakeys 15y ago
  Most of these low-end phones end up running an older version of Android (2.2), two major phone releases behind now that 4.0 has been released (not including 3.0, as that was tablets only). From what I have seen, one of the problems with running newer versions is ram and memory sizes; low-end phones simply don't have enough to run the newer versions of Android. I've got a Nexus S, one of the more powerful phones before the dual-core generation started. If you compare its specifications to the galaxy ace, one of the current generation low-end phones, they are actually quite similar. When you consider the Nexus S can even run 4.0 (officially too), something might be changing. Although, the galaxy ace probably lacks in the gpu area.
technoslut 15y ago
What you say is more than likely true but I think people underestimate just how many really do like Nokia and Symbian. The 6300 series was always popular, especially in Africa, because they were pretty rugged. This is still a problem with touchscreen phones. While many people have a problem with the hideousness of the Symbian UI, there are a lot who don't have this problem. They've learned how to use it and are comfortable with it. The iPhone, Android and WP7 don't necessarily improve their experience and there are also new things to learn.
vasundhar 15y ago
I am not sure if you heard of another cheap mobile maker called Micromax, Manufactured mainly in Chaina and marketed in India,Brazil, and many more countries under the brand name Micromax. Its just matter of time before they reach nearest store.
daliusd 15y ago
Two years is a lot of time in mobile industry. E.g.: * Angry Birds released for the Apple's iOS in December 2009 (two year ago) * iPhone itself is 4.5 years old. I can completely see $50 Android after two years but Nokia is not sleeping either.
beagle3 15y ago
Newegg has the Huawei Ideos for $85 on sale every other week or so.
rapind 15y ago
I'm sure I belong to a minority here, but I do not want smart phone features. All I want is 1) voice, 2) text, 3) email (text only), 4) Long battery life, 5) reliability. I don't want web on my phone. I don't want a camera on my phone. I don't want an MP3 player on my phone. I don't want a GPS or a tip calculator or a thousand other pointless (to me) apps on my phone. I don't even want to play angry birds on my phone. * gasp * I had an iPhone. I got rid of it. I now own a Nokia, and other than coming with a useless camera, it fits my requirements perfectly and it's way cheaper and the battery lasts forever.

mrsebastian 15y ago

Is Android designed for such cheap phones, tho'? Is there a minimum hardware spec that's capable of keeping the phone responsive? I just wonder if there's much difference between Android and Symbian once you get down to the $50 point. It's not like you're going to have any amazing hardware features at that point, so it more comes down to software, and how well that software is tailored for the device.

kijin 15y ago
Well, if a $25 Raspberrry Pi can run Linux and play HD videos, there's no reason a $50 phone shouldn't be able to run Android at a reasonable speed.
- stdbrouw 15y ago
  Sure, if you don't care about zero battery life and a phone the size of a brick.
  - kijin 15y ago
    Raspberry Pi is smaller than many of today's smartphones, and there's plenty of room to put an antenna, battery, and camera in there.
    - stdbrouw 15y ago
      ... and a screen :-)
nicpottier 15y ago
I carried an Ideos for a few months, it was perfectly useable. Not my Galaxy Nexus by a long shot, but the important stuff of email, texting, Facebook all worked just fine.
dagw 15y ago
I know a few people who have ZTE Blades and they're happy enough with their phones.
keeperofdakeys 15y ago
Most of these low-end phones end up running an older version of Android (2.2), two major phone releases behind now that 4.0 has been released (not including 3.0, as that was tablets only). From what I have seen, one of the problems with running newer versions is ram and memory sizes; low-end phones simply don't have enough to run the newer versions of Android. I've got a Nexus S, one of the more powerful phones before the dual-core generation started. If you compare its specifications to the galaxy ace, one of the current generation low-end phones, they are actually quite similar. When you consider the Nexus S can even run 4.0 (officially too), something might be changing. Although, the galaxy ace probably lacks in the gpu area.

technoslut 15y ago

What you say is more than likely true but I think people underestimate just how many really do like Nokia and Symbian. The 6300 series was always popular, especially in Africa, because they were pretty rugged. This is still a problem with touchscreen phones. While many people have a problem with the hideousness of the Symbian UI, there are a lot who don't have this problem. They've learned how to use it and are comfortable with it. The iPhone, Android and WP7 don't necessarily improve their experience and there are also new things to learn.

vasundhar 15y ago

I am not sure if you heard of another cheap mobile maker called Micromax, Manufactured mainly in Chaina and marketed in India,Brazil, and many more countries under the brand name Micromax. Its just matter of time before they reach nearest store.

daliusd 15y ago

Two years is a lot of time in mobile industry. E.g.: * Angry Birds released for the Apple's iOS in December 2009 (two year ago) * iPhone itself is 4.5 years old. I can completely see $50 Android after two years but Nokia is not sleeping either.

beagle3 15y ago

Newegg has the Huawei Ideos for $85 on sale every other week or so.

rapind 15y ago

I'm sure I belong to a minority here, but I do not want smart phone features. All I want is 1) voice, 2) text, 3) email (text only), 4) Long battery life, 5) reliability. I don't want web on my phone. I don't want a camera on my phone. I don't want an MP3 player on my phone. I don't want a GPS or a tip calculator or a thousand other pointless (to me) apps on my phone. I don't even want to play angry birds on my phone. * gasp * I had an iPhone. I got rid of it. I now own a Nokia, and other than coming with a useless camera, it fits my requirements perfectly and it's way cheaper and the battery lasts forever.