Micromax launches smartphone with Google

Third from left, Amit Mathur, international business head of Micromax, poses with a Canvas A1 smartphone at the local launch of the handset at a programme in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: MicromaX

Indian handset vendor Micromax Informatics yesterday launched the Android One smartphone in partnership with Google Inc for the Bangladesh market.
Consumers in Bangladesh will get the new device for Tk 10,000.
Android's 4.4 KitKat operating system handset features front and rear-facing cameras, 1 gigabit RAM and a 1.3 gigahertz quad-core processor with dual SIM options.
The Canvas A1 device will have access to many apps that allow people to send messages, make video calls, socialise, check the news and weather, and play games.
Google applications such as Gmail, Google Search and Google Translate will come preloaded on the phone, Micromax said in a statement.
“Canvas A1 is a high quality smartphone for the people of Bangladesh, which brings together unique solutions around hardware, software, and connectivity,” Amit Mathur, international business head of Micromax, said at the launch of the device at the Westin hotel in Dhaka.
“Consumers today are looking for smartphones that offer advanced and seamless functionality with regular operating system updates. Our partnership with Google will ensure that the device will get guaranteed updates for the next two years, directly from Google.”
Micromax is one of the top 10 global handset players, while it aims to stand among the top five or six, he added. Micromax is among the top three names in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
He said feature phones are highly popular in Bangladesh, though smartphone penetration in the country is the highest in terms of global trend.