The Android One project in India was introduced last September by Google to make easy to use and affordable smartphones available to people who are not that tech inclined or updated with the latest mobile phone news. Since then, Android One smartphones have been launched in various other markets experiencing transition towards smartphones. Though the first set of Android One handsets came with a minimalist design, the second generation of it introduced recently in India by home grown brand Lava Mobiles, is appealing enough both in terms of looks and features if you compare mobile phones specifications.
Dubbed as Lava Pixel V1, the device rocks a 5.5 inch display, which is a big thing for a mid-range category phone, keeping in mind the present desire of smartphone users to enjoy large displays to watch videos and play games. Design wise, the phone is a winner as well with its metallic finish on its white plastic chassis. In fact, in terms of looks it is quite reminiscent of the Vivo V1 with the same kind of sleek and smooth matte metal combo. It is a big device but the rounded edges and corners enable for a good grip.
Pixel V1 runs a very bloat free vanilla version of Android’s latest 5.1 Lollipop with an interface similar to the Nexus devices. This means it does not have unnecessary tweaks and redundant customizations or those flashy looking icons added by smartphone manufacturers which tend to make the device pretty tardy in the long run. And with Lollipop on board, the device runs smooth and seamless. So, this is a huge plus point for users who stick to basic usage like calling, messaging, sending mails or maybe a bit of playing YouTube videos.
As a matter of fact, the internal specs of the device would allow you to do only that much lag free. To power up functions, the CPU has four cores with a clock speed of 1.3GHz with a surprising 2GB of RAM. And the memory is good enough at 32GB along with an additional 32GB which can be added with MicroSD storage card, which means plenty of space to install apps and media files, however, the speed of the device may have to be compromised there in.
The 13 megapixel camera with F2.0 Aperture ensures decent shots though it takes time to adjust the focus. And the 8 Megapixel front camera is a satisfying leap over the 2 Megapixel snapper offered by the first generation Android One smartphone.
To sum up, Lava Pixel V1, priced at Rs. 11,349 (around $177) is definitely a smart looking Android One device which has taken a commendable leap from its earlier generation with rather unimpressive specs. Not to forget the other contenders in the same price range namely Lenovo K3 Note, Yu Yureka and the more recent Moto G 3rd Gen, all of which can give tough competition to the Pixel V1. And also there are other phones in the market at a much lower price. However, Lava Pixel V1 scors points on the vanilla software, even more with Google’s promise to update with latest builds till two years from the date of purchase.
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