(CNN Business) Google is taking a page from Apple's book.

The company announced Tuesday at its annual Google I/O developer conference in Mountain View, California, it is making a more affordable version of its flagship Pixel smartphone.

The move is part of a larger effort to enter more global markets and appeal to new customers.

The new Pixel 3a phones are half the price of their fancier forebearers. The 5.6-inch Pixel 3a will cost $399, while the 6-inch Pixel 3a XL will cost $479. The regular, higher end Pixel devices start at $799.

"We need to ensure that technology benefits the many, not just the few. But there's been a really troubling trend in the smartphone industry," said the head of Google's hardware division, Rick Osterloh. "To support the latest technologies, everyone's high-end phones are getting more and more expensive."

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