When shopping for an Android phone, people often ask about software version. Google keeps this easy for us to remember by naming them after desserts and in alphabetical order. For example: Android 6.0 is Marshmallow, 7.0 is Nougat, and now we have Oreo for version 8.0, which is the latest publicly available version. Android P (no dessert name as of writing) is still in the works, so let’s not worry about it for now.

Most Android phones don’t get the latest version, though. Usually, only the expensive flagship phones receive them, leaving other affordable devices in the dust. This is where Android One comes into the picture.

What is Android One?

Android One is not new; it was announced by Google back in 2014 as a platform to bring a smooth Android experience to emerging markets. Android One was made for low-cost, low-spec devices that get major OS updates for two years, security updates for three years, have the core Google services, and a stock Android interface.

The introduction of Android One was a relief since manufacturers had been pre-installing bloatware on their phones. Android One phones were known as the “poor man’s Nexus” since they were priced around US$ 150 — you practically got the software support and lag-free performance of Nexus phones for cheap.

The program started to lose its momentum after a couple of years and we barely saw any new devices. Only a few countries got fresh releases.

Android One came back to the spotlight with the announcement of the Xiaomi Mi A1 last year. Google’s newfound partnership with Xiaomi gave us hope for the Android One program. But, this was also when we noticed that Android One isn’t focused on affordable devices anymore.

Android One became a platform for manufacturers to give consumers a pure and fresh Android experience. Nokia made the smart move to make all their new phones — midrange or high-end — embrace Android One. We honestly hope others will follow.

So, what happens with cheap devices now? That’s what Android Go is for.

What about Android Go?

Android Go was originally announced in May 2017, although we didn’t get to see any device running it until Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona. Now referred to as Android Oreo (Go edition), it picks up where Android One left off — well, kind of. It’s a stripped-down version of Android (specifically Android Oreo) built to run on devices with 1GB of memory or even less.

The goal now is to make really cheap devices. Expect them to be priced under US$ 100 or less than US$ 50, in some cases. Examples of the smartphones with Android Oreo (Go edition) are the ZTE Tempo Go, Nokia 1, and Alcatel 1X — all entry-level devices.

How can Google make sure Android works okay despite the limited hardware?

Every core Android app, from Gmail to Maps to Assistant, has been rebuilt and stripped of extra features. They’re streamlined and now labeled with “Go” (e.g. Gmail Go and Maps Go). To highlight apps that’ll work best with 1GB of memory or less, the Play Store for Android Oreo (Go edition) is tweaked to showcase such apps like Facebook Lite.

Since Android Oreo (Go edition) is designed for truly low-cost phones, it features data management tools for both internal storage and mobile data. To help aid with limited storage, Android Go is nearly half the size of “stock” Android which means there’s more room for apps, especially if the phone only has 8GB of storage. Also, Go and Lite apps are 50 percent smaller in file size — some even need just 1MB to install. Moreover, the OS helps users save data by restricting background data access.

One thing to note about Android Oreo (Go edition) is that it has no promised updates, hence the specific Oreo label. Perhaps when Android P gets announced, we’ll then have Android P (Go edition).

Conclusion

Let’s be clear: Android Go is not necessarily a replacement for Android One.

Android One is a line of phones defined and managed by Google. Android Go is just software that can run on entry-level devices. Android Go stretches the original purpose of Android One by making sure that the Android OS can run even if your phone is very basic.

Android Go bridges the gap between feature phones and smartphones. Hopefully, if pricing is right, consumers in developing markets will just buy Android Go-powered phones instead of feature phones.

Illustrations by MJ Jucutan

SEE ALSO: What will Android P be called?