South Asia is the next region Google has chosen to launch its Android One platform in its quest to make affordable smartphones available in growing markets.
The search giant announced Monday that Android One smartphones will be available in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, possibly covering over 200 million extra people worldwide, according to CNET. While no specific data was give, Google said the launch will take place sometime in the next several weeks.
The move comes three months after Google released Android One phones, which run an unmodified version of Google's mobile operating system, in India.
With Android One, smartphone owners and carriers can add local apps to their devices, PC Magazine reported.
Indian companies that partnered with Google to sell the phones include Micromax, Karbonn, Spice and MediaTalk, all of which sold them for 6,399 Rupees ($105).
"With more hardware and carriers launching Android One phones in more countries, we're excited to see the diverse array of devices our partners will offer in 2015 and beyond," Ceasar Sengupta, vice president of product management at Google, wrote in a blog post.
Several Indian cities now have Android One devices, with Spice launching a device specifically for Hindi speakers last week, CNET reported.
Google is among several companies looking to allow people in developing countries get online with mobile devices, with others including Facebook and Qualcomm.
Several Asian countries, such as Japan and South Korea, were unable to get their hands on Android One phones because of different issues, such as limited reach, affordability and a lack of network support, PC Magazine reported. Areas Google plans on launching the platform in include Indonesia and the Philippines.
Google is expected to bring Android One to other parts of the world in 2015.
