If you ask me, stock Android is the perfect form of the software. Although the perfect stock Android experience is yet unavailable in Nepal as of now, there are other devices that are somewhat near to that experience. But before getting to what phones in Nepal have a stock like android, for those who are unfamiliar with the term, let’s first get what stock Android actually is!

In simple words, stock android is the term used to describe the ‘purest’ or the ‘untouched’ form of android. We know that Google is the pioneer of Android; so, stock android is the form of Android that Google provides and has no modifications whatsoever. Smartphone companies add skin to the stock android with what they think their users would want to use and create ‘their’ own form of Android to provide a different experience. For example, Samsung devices come with TouchWiz, HTC offers Sense UI, etc.

Here is the list of top phones that provide stock-like Android experience in Nepal:

1. OnePlus series

Smartphones of the OnePlus series use Oxygen OS. It is not completely stock Android but is nearly stock like. All the phones in the OnePlus series feature Oxygen OS with minimal changes to the stock form.

2. Nokia Series

The Nokia series landed in Nepal few months ago. Not only do these smartphones provide high value for money, they feature stock Android software as well. Currently, Paramount Electronics is selling five different models of Nokia of different price range, namely Nokia 2, Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and the newly launched Nokia 8 which is available for prebooking in the time of writing this article.

If you want to know all about the Nokia smartphones including their specifications and pricing, be sure to read our article on the light of Nokia mobile phones available in Nepal right now.

3. Xiaomi Mi A1

Xiaomi’s latest Mi A1 features Android One, which is indeed stock android for phones other than Google’s flagships. In addition to the stock form, it offers apps like Mi Store, Mi camera, Mi remote, etc.

• Display: 5.5-inch full HD LTPS display, Gorilla Glass, 2.5D curved glass
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC
• CPU: 2.0 GHz Octa-core processor
• Software: Android v7.1.2 Nougat, upgradable to Android v8.0 Oreo and Android P
• GPU: Adreno 506 GPU
• RAM: 4GB RAM
• Storage: 64GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB with microSD
• SIM: Dual Hybrid SIM
• Rear Camera: Dual 12 MP + 12 MP rear-facing cameras
• Front Camera: 5MP front-facing camera
• Sensors: Fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor
• Connectivity: USB Type-C, 4G connectivity
• Battery: 3080mAh Li-ion battery
• Price: Rs. 29,999

4. General Mobile GM5 Plus

Similar is the General Mobile GM5 5 Plus which is Android One like that of Mi A1. Similar to the Mi A1, there are apps in GM5 plus like GM calculator, GM screen, GM alarm, etc. which are additional features it has added to its own.

• Display: 5.5-inch IPS LTPS Full HD (1080×1920 pixels) display; Corning Gorilla Glass 4
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 Octa-Core 64 Bit
• RAM: 3GB LPDDR3
• Storage: 32GB Storage (expandable up to 128GB)
• Rear Camera: 13MP AF with Dual Led Flash
• Selfie Camera: 13MP AF with Fron
• t Flash
• Connectivity: Type-C connector, GM Turbo Charger
• SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM
• Software: Android v7.0 Nougat (upgradable to 7.1.1)
• Battery: Li-Po 3100mAh Battery
• Price: Rs. 19,999

5. Moto E4 plus

Motorola was once owned by Google itself, so this phone in its bucket having stock Android is not a shocker. In addition to what stock Android provides, Motorola features ‘Moto’, for phone customizations. The Moto E4 Plus was recently launched in Nepal along with 3 other smartphones.

• Display: 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS LCD display
• Chipset: MediaTek MT6737
• CPU: Quad-core processor with 1.3 GHz clock speed
• RAM: 3GB
• Storage: 32GB Storage (expandable)
• Software: Android v7.1.1 Nougat
• Rear Camera: 13 MP with LED Flash
• Selfie Camera: 5 MP with LED flash
• SIM: Dual SIM
• Battery: Li-Po 5,000 mAh
• Price: Rs. 20,990

6. Colors P85+ Selfie Pro

Another one in the list is the new Colors phone, the Colors P85+ Selfie Pro, that is thought to be a decent choice below Rs. 15,000 in Nepal. It uses Android in a near stock form, without having adulterated the original version a lot. However, the company has not named their version of Android.

• Display: 5.5-inch HD IPS LCD with 2.5D glass on the top; Dragontrail Glass Protection
• Chipset: MediaTek MT6735
• CPU: Quad-core 1.3GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
• GPU: Mali-T720
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD
• Front Camera: 8 MP (Hynix HI846 COB6 Sensor), f/2.2, LED flash
• Rear Camera: 13 MP (Samsung’s 3L8 Sensor), f/2.0, 1.12µm pixel size, Auto Focus and LED Flash
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS, 3G, 4G LTE, OTG supported
• Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light sensor
• Battery: 3000mAh (non-removable)
• Colors: Golden White
• Price: Rs. 14,999

Stock android certainly has abilities that customized Android skins cannot offer, below listed are a few:

1. Faster security patch and Android version updates: Android has always been criticized for potential security threats and because customized Android software have to develop their brand-specific versions of updates, it takes them more time and users may be exposed to malware and threats. With stock android, you get updates as soon as Google rolls it out. So, patching flaws is faster. Same is with the Android versions. With stock Android, you won’t have to spend months and months waiting for the software update.
2. Less bloatware: Stock android is exactly what Google intends their users to use and doesn’t bring along unnecessary extras. When smartphone companies add their layer of skin to Android, they also add additional applications. For example, while Google provides you with Chrome, others may provide you with a different browser. These apps, moreover, are very difficult to remove.
3. More storage and better battery life: When you don’t have unnecessary apps taking up your storage, you can choose to download whatever you want. The extra load of apps may have an effect on battery performance, so with stock android, your battery life can be optimized.
4. Personalize to your liking: Stock Android gives you the freedom to use whatever launcher you want, while there are very few things you would want to uninstall. Stock android has very few apps, so you can choose to add is up to you. Your device is yours to personalize!

Stock android is not, however, perfect!  Stock android has a lack of customization features and so on. Whether you like a customized or a stock form of Android, it’s purely a matter of choice!