MANILA, Philippines – Google recently handed out invitations for an event in India on September 15, leading to speculation that the launch of Android One smartphones is imminent.

Previously announced in the June Google I/O conference, the Android One smartphone lineup would presumably follow a set of guidelines allowing for faster building time and lower prices overall.

The first Android One units – with Indian companies Karbonn, Micromax, and Spice at the forefront – are expected to be sub-US$100 quality smartphones meant for emerging markets. These units are meant to have fewer pre-installed applications at the onset.

NDTV adds that Sundar Pichai, Senior Vice President overseeing Android, Chrome and Apps at Google, is expected to appear and make the announcement himself. – Rappler.com