New Delhi: Betting big on growing market of low-cost smartphones, Google-owned Motorola has announced its 'premium' yet affordable smartphone, the Moto G, priced at $179 (Rs 11,311). The phone, which will be available without a wireless service contract, is about one third of the price of Apple Inc's new iPhone 5C.
The Moto G, aimed at consumers in developing countries like Brazil and India as well as budget-buyers in Western countries, is the second major new product that Motorola has developed since it was bought by Google in 2012.
During the launch event, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside said given that most people can't afford a $500 or $600 phone today, the average range worldwide is more around the $200 mark. “But these phone can't offer the best experience. We believe half a billion people deserve better,” Woodside said, before announcing the Moto G.
The Moto G offers an experience that can even rival the Galaxy S4 and other modern top-end superphones according to Woodside.
The device, which has a nearly identical design as Moto X, offers the same 1,280x720-pixel resolution as the Moto X, with a slightly better pixel density of 329 pixels per inch, edging out the Moto X's 312ppi.
The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2 GHz processor with 1GB of RAM, and offers “all-day” battery life. Moto G offers around 14 hours of talk time on 3G networks, vs. 10 claimed for the iPhone 5s. It runs Android 4.3, which can be upgraded to Android 4.4.
The Moto G has a 5-megapixel camera, which is far less as compared to the top-end smartphones, but considering the massively lower price, that's probably a fair tradeoff. There's also a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling over Google Hangouts or Skype.
There's no LTE on board, which makes sense given the target market.
Motorola allows users to make customization on the phone offering custom shells along with new flip shells that protect the screen and back.
Motorola VP of Product Management at Motorola Mobility Punit Soni said the Moto G outperforms the Galaxy S4 on boot time, browser launch, return home, making calls and more.
The Moto G will be available in a variety of garish colors, including turquoise and purple. Moto G buyers will also get an additional 50GB of Google Drive storage free with the phone (in addition to the 15 that comes with the service). There's also an FM receiver in the phone for “access to free music,” and dual-SIM support in select markets.
While the 8GB version in the U.S., unlocked and contract free costs $179, the 16GB version is priced at $199 unlocked.
The Moto G will be available in Brazil and parts of Europe on Wednesday, with availability across Latin America, Europe and Canada in the coming weeks, and in the United States, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East in the first quarter.
Overall, given the hardware and software, the Moto G seems to be a good buy for anyone not wanting the biggest, best hardware in their pocket.
