Google has unveiled the Moto G Google Play Edition running stock Android. The unlocked smartphone is now available for $179 8GB and $199 16GB via the Google Play Store.
Motorola launched the Moto G as a less expensive version of its flagship Moto X, which is currently only available in the U.S. The Moto G has been available as an unlocked smartphone through various retailers and Motorola most recently launched a Verizon variant of the budget smartphone. Motorola and Google were able to keep its next variant a secret without any leaks, with Google surprising everyone by posting a Google Play Edition of the Moto G via the Play Store on Tuesday.
The Moto G Google Play Edition is identical in terms of hardware to the original, but has a stock Android experience. It is also running Android 4.4 KitKat and since it's a Google Play Edition, it's guaranteed to get fast updates whenever Google releases an Android update. The smartphone is available in 8GB for $179.99 and 16GB for $199. The Moto G Google Play Edition is sold unlocked and is capable of running on both AT&T and T-Mobile's 3G networks.
As a reminder, the Moto G features a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 LCD display with a pixel density of 329 pixels per inch (ppi). It's powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with MSM 8x26, an Adreno 305 graphics processing unit (GPU), and 1GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly. It's packing a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 4x digital zoom, slow motion video, panorama, and tap-to-focus, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and selfies.
The Moto G is available with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage (no microSD expansion slot) and ships with Android 4.4 KitKat. As previously mentioned, the handset's wireless connectivity options consist of a 3G GSM radio, which will support AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS. The smartphone includes a 2,070 mAh non-removable battery.
If you're interested in purchasing the Moto G Google Play Edition, head over to the Google Play Store and choose between the 8GB $179 or 16GB $199. Google currently lists both smartphones as in stock and ready to ship.
