Following a string of leaks that've popped up in the past week or so, today Motorola held the official coming out party for its new Moto G smartphone in Brazil. As expected, the Moto G is being positioned as a device that offers the performance of a high-end smartphone at a price that's more affordable than the $600 or $700 cost that those high-end handsets typically carry. Motorola will sell the unlocked 8GB version of the Moto G in the U.S. for $179, while a 16GB model will be available for $199.
When it comes to specs, the Moto G features a 4.5-inch 720p display and 1.3-megapixel camera on its face as well as a 5-megapixel camera around back. Packed inside of its Moto X-like frame is a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB or 16GB storage, 21Mbps HSPA+ or CDMA/EVDO Rev. A connectivity and a 2070mAh battery. The Moto G comes preloaded with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, and Motorola says that an update to Android 4.4 KitKat will be made available in January 2014.
Motorola today also announced Shells, which are interchangeable rear covers that will be available in a range of colors to give Moto G owners the opportunity to personalize their handset. The Shells will also offer varying levels of protection for the Moto G, ranging from a simple battery door to an active grip case that protects its sides and back, as well as a flip cover-style case that has protection for the front of the G as well.
So when can you get your hands on one? Motorola says that the Moto G will be launching in Brazil and parts of Europe as early as this week, with releases in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Canada planning for the following weeks. The Moto G will then make its way to the U.S., India, the Middle East and additional Asian locales in January 2014. In all, Motorola expects the Moto G to hit 30 countries by 2014. While you wait for the Moto G to make its way to your neck of the woods, you can check out a gallery of images showing off Motorola's newest handset below.
UPDATE: Verizon has confirmed that it will sell the Moto G with prepaid service starting in Q1 2014.
