At Google’s keynote at Mobile World Congress, a member of the press asked the Chairman when Android would be coming to low-cost feature phones. Schmidt immediately answered with, “Why not buy a smartphone?” Schmidt wasn’t being crass, he was pointing out that Android keeps reaching into the lower end, in price if not in power. “Last year’s $400 phone is next year’s $100 phone,” said Schmidt, stating that he hopes and expects Android to enter lower and lower markets as it progresses.

A device needs a basic phone (connection), basic screen and basic browser in order to open up web access to its user, all of which rely on at least a decently powerful processor. Schmidt said that Google’s OEMs were working on sending Android phones into the $100-150 territory, with the eventual goal of reaching the $70 price point. All these figures are for phones sold independently of carriers, with no contracts and an unlocked connection to mobile networks.

Not that that’s necessary:  Schmidt dedicated quite a bit of time to mesh networks, small networks between devices with or without a central connection to the Internet. With local wireless LAN and emerging technology like NFC and Android Beam, combined with electronic access made possible by alternative power, smartphone and tablet technology can change the way that people in isolated locations communicate with each other. Google is focusing on emerging markets in every facet of its Android strategy – not the least of which is getting it to run on cheaper and cheaper hardware.

Schmidt says that Android phones priced competitively with standard phones are coming within the next two years. With networks and end-user devices advancing at a break-neck pace, it’s hard to argue with him. While super devices get the press, it’s the low end of mobile tech that’s breaking down barriers for emerging markets – and Android is a huge and driving part of that.

6 COMMENTS

  1. The one problem with a lot of cheaper Android phones is the fact they’re dodgey. With low CPU + Memory the phones barely hold apps and have lots a lag. Companies need to acknowledge this and not make cheap phones so rubbish.

  2. Eric, we know your name has a huge impact on human society, but how could you stand for your fame without completely clarifiying those accusations listed here? Can you deny any one of them?
    ————————————————————-
    Eric Schmidt had threatened my life with the death of Stanford student May Zhou during his fight with Stanford. Eric Schmidt is part of this plot in May Zhou’s death. He had also conspired my life at a later time, and which had cost his Google CEO position.

    It started from a 2004 Stanford campus assault case, in which a lady named Gabriele Scheler bitterly assaulted me; Police concluded that I am a victim while Scheler is a criminal suspect after serious investigation; However Sebastian Thrun later joined Scheler to false accuse me at Stanford, and Eric Schmidt had joined them to support Sebastian Thrun and Gabriele Scheler against ruling from Stanford and police. During their tough fight with Stanford in the early 2007, Eric Schmidt and Sebasitan Thrun’s side had murderred May Zhou to threaten me, by telling me: “You see May Zhou, she’s an Asian (me too an Asian), … Police might not even find out who did it, what if it happened to you?” , and to terrorize Stanford (because May Zhou is Stanford student), and they did plot a murder on me as well last year when they found I would not compromise but insist on clarifying their crimes

    These accusations had been confirmed by authorities investigation and stand still which Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun dare not deny to the public so far. Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun had not paid for their crimes

    • on http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/02/21/virtual-learning/
      @concernedNetCitizen,About your ARROGANT question “If you think you have evidence (and i mean physical evidence) to the contrary why do you not take it to the police, or at least post what evidence you have (and I mean PHYSICAL evidence like fibres, DNA, fingerprints and the like).”
      —————————————
      I am not physically in America, so I’d rather communicate with the police officer who’s respnosible for May Zhou’s case via email to tell serious stuff, my contact [peter_vista@yahoo.com] , or we could discuss it right here on this board. Before the officer who’s responsible would contact me for a serious discussion, how could you know there is no such PHYSICAL evidence to say May Zhou’s death is definitely a murder but not a suicide? As a matter of fact, such PHYSICAL evidence already exists and that’s what I am going to tell.
      The point at this time is, who is this officer who’s respnosible for May Zhou’s case, whom I should talk to? Could you have me connect with this officer? I have serious stuff to report
      Meanwhile, why don’t you help us to figure out what’s the motivation behind May Zhou’s death

  3. The more my comments were censored, the more peple would believe in me
    ————————————————————————————————————–

    On 2012/02/21 StanfordDaily article “virtual-learning”  [http://www.stanforddaily.com/2012/02/21/virtual-learning/] in Comments part regarding to a murder case about a Stanford student May Zhou with which Eric Schmidt had threatened my life for sake of a stanford professor Sebastian Thrun and a criminal suspect named Gabriele Scheler during their fight with Stanford:
    =========================================

    @concernedNetCitizen,
    About your ARROGANT question “If you think you have evidence (and i mean physical evidence) to the contrary why do you not take it to the police, or at least post what evidence you have (and I mean PHYSICAL evidence like fibres, DNA, fingerprints and the like).”
    —————————————
    I am not physically in America, so I’d rather communicate with the police officer who’s respnosible for May Zhou’s case via email to tell serious stuff, my contact [peter_vista@yahoo.com] , or we could discuss it right here on this board. Before the officer who’s responsible would contact me for a serious discussion, how could you know there is no such PHYSICAL evidence to say May Zhou’s death is definitely a murder but not a suicide? As a matter of fact, such PHYSICAL evidence already exists and that’s what I am going to tell.
    The point at this time is, who is this officer who’s respnosible for May Zhou’s case, whom I should talk to? Could you have me connect with this officer? I have serious stuff to report
    Meanwhile, why don’t you help us to figure out what’s the motivation behind May Zhou’s death

    • Here is how suicide theory in May Zhou’s death has major flaw
      ————————————————————–
      The logic and evidence used in the initial official report to draw the conclusion of May Zhou’s death as suicide are superficial and inconvincible. e.g. the major evidence used to support official conclusion of suicide is on the finding that May Zhou had bought some sleeping pills before her death. But that evidence is too weak (she might as well buy that amount of sleeping pills for use of the whole academic quarter), which could easily be challenged by other evidence, as there is a big gap between buying sleeping pills and committing suicide; at least that would not explain why May Zhou would transfer money to pay off credit card debt before her disappearance

      According to media report, Stanford police had spent hundreds of hours interviewing all of May Zhou’s friends and relatives but found no indication that May Zhou had the tendency to commit suicide. The official conclusion of suicide in May Zhou’s case had not clearly stated the motivation behind May Zhou’s death either. The evidence found on scene like empty sleeping pill bottles, empty water bottle, flash light, etc., these ostentatious evidence are superficial, which could be staged by anyone with average capability and average intelligence to make it look like a suicide. And obviously the criminal intended to stage those evidence to mislead investigators to draw the conclusion of suicide, which the criminals succeed so far. … … … for more serious discussion please discuss it here or contact me peter_vista@yahoo.com
       
      Sebastian Thrun and Eric Schmidt’s side is now depending on such questionable suicide theory to cover up their real crimes.

      I believe the officer who drew suicide theory know my challenges, and I’d expect to have direct discussion with him/her to clarify major suspicious points we all have in mind.

      Proof of real names, dates, photos along with a police case number are listed in my blog link [ http://tysurl.com/BsEnQ4 ]

      • Here is how Eric Schmidt involved into such anti-humanity crimes
        ————————————————————-
        Eric Schmidt had threatened my life with the death of Stanford student May Zhou during his fight with Stanford. Eric Schmidt is part of this plot in May Zhou’s death. He had also conspired my life at a later time, and which had cost his Google CEO position.

        It started from a 2004 Stanford campus assault case, in which a lady named Gabriele Scheler bitterly assaulted me; Police concluded that I am a victim while Scheler is a criminal suspect after serious investigation; However Sebastian Thrun later joined Scheler to false accuse me at Stanford, and Eric Schmidt had joined them to support Sebastian Thrun and Gabriele Scheler against ruling from Stanford and police. During their tough fight with Stanford in the early 2007, Eric Schmidt and Sebasitan Thrun’s side had murderred May Zhou to threaten me, by telling me: “You see May Zhou, she’s an Asian (me too an Asian), … Police might not even find out who did it, what if it happened to you?” , and to terrorize Stanford (because May Zhou is Stanford student), and they did plot a murder on me as well last year when they found I would not compromise but insist on clarifying their crimes

        These accusations had been confirmed by authorities investigation and stand still which Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun dare not deny to the public so far. Eric Schmidt and Sebastian Thrun had not paid for their crimes

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