Well, this is a surprise. A Google Play edition of the Moto G just appeared on the Play Store's virtual shelves in both 8GB and 16GB capacities. The unit looks to be the same as the GSM Moto G that's been available from Motorola and other retailers since late November, but with one big difference: This unit, like other Google Play edition hardware, is running a bare bones version of Android 4.4 KitKat.
Just in case you're curious, Google lists the Moto G GPe as having a 4.5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 5-megapixel rear and 1.3-megapixel front cameras and a 2070mAh battery. The unlocked device includes support for GSM/EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900MHz and 21Mbps HSPA+ 850/900/1900/21000MHz connectivity, which means that it'll play nicely with GSM providers in the U.S. like T-Mobile and AT&T.
It's kind of strange to see a Google Play edition of the Moto G hit the Play Store since the regular Moto G features a pretty stock version of Android, but hey, I'm not going to complain about having another GPe device to choose from. The launch of the Moto G Google Play edition is sure to stir up speculation that the Moto X could get the same treatment, and while there's certainly no guarantee that it will, today's release could improve our odds of getting such a device by just a hair.
The Moto G Google Play edition is now available for purchase, with pricing set at $179 for the 8GB model and $199 for the 16GB variant. New orders will leave Google's warehouse in 1-2 business days, so if you order today, you could have yourself a new toy to play with this weekend. Just sayin'.
Via Google Play Store: Moto G Google Play edition
