Google to add Celkon and Intex to its India Android One partner list

Google’s Android One project could be getting new partners in India as Celkon Mobiles and Intex are said to be in talks with the search giant. So far, Karbonn, Spice and Micromax are scheduled to launch handsets under the program in the coming months and we could see the roster increase as other OEMs are looking to join the bandwagon.

Google announced the Android One initiative during its I/O conference last month with an aim to offer highly affordable smartphones in emerging markets. The search giant is basically aiming at $99 devices and it has partnered with MediaTek to develop reference designs which will be used for these handsets.

ET notes that Celkon Mobiles is a done deal as the fourth partner in the program. However, Intex is yet to secure its position as the fifth member and it’ll disclose the final outcome in the next 15 to 20 days. The former has confirmed that its first smartphones in the series will be out sometime during Diwali which will take place in the month of October.

There are no details about the handset, but we expect it to be similar to the Micromax one which was showcased at the I/O conference. In the Android One project, Google will basically provide OEMs with hardware and software support to reduce the overall production cost of devices. These handsets will offer a pure Android experience like Nexus phones and software updates will be issued directly from the search giant.

The Android One project will materialize in India and will be made available in other locations around the globe in the near future. With Intex and Celkon onboard, the total number of OEMs will increase to 5.

Nexus 5 Android 4.4.4_r2 KitKat firmware update rolling out in India

Google is reportedly rolling out a new update for the Nexus 5 smartphone dubbed Android 4.4.4_r2 KitKat which is said fix certain network issues. The new firmware isn’t a global release since it’s being seeded to devices only on Telsta in Australia, New Zealand’s 2Degrees, and in India.

What’s interesting is that the Android 4.4.4_r2 update for the Nexus 5 is just a mere 2MB in size. A post on XDA Developers notes that the only changes it introduces are radio-related to make the device work better in the said locations.

The new firmware update is being seeded over the air and can be downloaded manually as well, but with a huge 442MB size. The current firmware carries the build number KTU84P, while the new one is KTU84Q. You’ll be able to know if you’re already on the latest release by checking the ‘About phone’ tab in the Settings menu.

If you’re in India or have a Nexus 5 running on Telsta in Australia or 2Degrees in New Zealand, we highly recommend getting the update. Users from other countries, however, can still acquire the firmware through Google, but it wouldn’t be wise to flash it to your device, especially since there’s nothing new to benefit from.

Apart from the new KitKat build, Google has also started rolling out an update for its Glass wearable. The new release brings in various new features including an overhaul of the interface which now flaunts a cleaner appearance. Apart from this, connectivity has been improved along with network handling.

To manually check for the Android 4.4.4_r2 KitKat update on your Nexus 5, head over to the ‘Software update’ tab under ‘About phone’ in the Settings menu.