The biggest problem with many entry-level phones is an operating system that quickly becomes out-of-date and obsolete. But sometimes the opposite is just as bad: a reasonably up-to-date operating system on old, slow hardware.
Android Go is hoping to be the solution to both of these problems.
Devices running on Go use a less power-hungry variant of the mobile operating system, optimised for devices with only one gigabyte of RAM or less.
In addition, major Google apps like Maps or Gmail also come in custom Go versions. Despite being a simpler operating system, all apps from the Play Store can still be installed with Android Go.
The first smartphones in a so-called Go version of Android are set to come to market soon and were already unveiled by Nokia manufacturer HMD Global and Alcatel manufacturer TCL at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (until March 1).
HMD Global's first entry-level device with Android 8 (Oreo) in a Go version is the Nokia 1 with a 4.5-inch display and interchangeable backs. It's set to go on sale in red and blue at a price of around US$100 (RM392).
Another example is the Android 8 Go device Alcatel 1X from manufacturer TCL, which offers a 5.3-inch display and also costs around US$100. Both smartphones use the LTE network and should be available from April. — dpa
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