Android One Lava Pixel V1 now official

Following yesterday’s leak, the Lava Pixel V1 smartphone has now been made official. The handset is the latest phone in the Android One line-up and boasts some rather decent specifications that should help Android One compete with new low-cost handsets arriving in countries like India.

One of the biggest features is the handset’s metal back and sides, along with a rather sleek looking design, which is a marked improvement in build quality over Android One’s previous range of low cost smartphones. The Lava Pixel V1’s specifications match up with yesterday’s leaks, including a 5.5-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, and a quad-core processor. Here is the full list of specifications:

• 5.5” HD IPS display
• 13 MP rear camera images (software-enhanced 8 MP sensor)
• 8 MP front camera images (software-enhanced 5 MP sensor)
• 1.3 GHz quad-core processor (MediaTek MT6582)
• Full HD (1080p) recording and playback
• 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage (expandable to 32GB)
• 2650 mAh Li-Polymer battery
• 3G dual-SIM
• Android 5.1 Lollipop

The lack of 4G LTE support is a little disappointing. The camera specifications are also a little interesting. It’s an 8 megapixel rear sensor and 5 megapixel front camera, but a software implementation seems to be placing two frames over one another for a higher resolution image. We will have to wait and see how the actual quality turns out. Of course, the big selling point is fast updates directly from Google as soon as a new version of Android become available.

Google also has a new ad to go along with the launch of the Lava Pixel V1, check it out below.

The Lava Pixel V1 is now available from a selection of retailers in India, including FlipKart and The Mobile Store. The retail price is Rs. 11,349 ($175), which puts the handsets right up against the likes of the popular Moto G and handsets from Xiaomi. Time will tell if the Pixel V1 has done enough to stand out from the pack.

Is anyone buying one?