Google debuts new line of sub-$100 Android One phones

Android phones are ubiquitous in big markets like the U.S. and the U.K., and now Google is making sure the rest of the world can get its hands on them. The company officially launched its Android One initiative, which will bring entry-level, $100 Android devices to India starting Sept. 15.

Developed by Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice, the first line of Android One smartphones are barebones black devices that bring Google's Nexus line to mind. The phones sport front and rear-facing cameras, quad-core MediaTek CPUs, microSD card support and dual SIM card slots. According to Google, we'll eventually see Android One phones from big brands like Acer, Alcatel, ASUS, HTC and Lenovo.

While the aim of Android One is to bring Android to everyone, these low-cost phones don't make sacrifices in the software department. All Android One devices will stay up-to-date with the latest version of Android, and the budget phones will be among the first to receive this fall's Android L update.

Google claims that its manufacturers will continue to improve the quality and aesthetic variety of Android One devices over time, and the company plans to expand the initiative to Indonesia, the Philippines and South Asia by late 2014. The official Android One website states that only one in four people own a smartphone, and, if successful, Android One could easily change that.