There's also the Xiaomi Mi A2, which launched about a month ago. It's a follow-up to last year's Mi A1, which Google's Laurenson said was a successful launch between the two companies. The Mi A2 uses a Snapdragon 660 processor, features dual-cameras and a 6-inch full HD+ display. It even has a 20-megapixel front camera, if you fancy some super sharp selfies. And, unlike the rest of Xiaomi's phones, these One devices run clean Android, without the MiUI skin that annoys so many people

At this point, there are 15 Android One devices -- well, that were launched in the past two years, anyway. These more-recent releases will all see updates to Android 9 Pie by the end of 2018, according to Google, which is another benefit of the Android One program. You'll get similar update cycles to the Pixel phones, and see timely security updates from Google itself. Plus, there's very little bloatware on them, if any at all, so your phone's storage is maximized for your the apps and data you actually want.

What you're ultimately getting from the Android One program, is an endorsement from Google. It's a guarantee that One-branded phones are secure, bloatware-free and have relatively modern specs. When you go out to buy your next phone, you're likely to see Android One branding in stores, and it'll be an indicator that those devices run up-to-date, clean Android software. The new features from latest releases, like Pie, will be available on these phones quickly, too. "It's really about Google's project to bring AI to everyone," Laurenson said.

You may also find a surprisingly diverse range of devices within the Android One portfolio that would suit the taste of almost everyone, except perhaps someone who really likes Samsung's software, for example. Sure, there aren't many truly "flagship" Android One phones (just the Nokia 8 Sirocco and the LG G7 for now) but I wouldn't rule out higher-specced options in the future. We'll see more new devices as soon as Q4 this year.