Moto G Google Play edition with KitKat arrives in the US
Motorola's low-cost Moto G is now available in a Google Play edition (GPE), but for now, only US customers are able puchase it.
The Moto G joins the Google Play editions of the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One which, as GPE branded products, contain pared-back 'pure' versions of Android and generally get OS updates ahead of variants that come directly from OEMs.
The unlocked device, which is compatitable with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US, is available in 8GB and 16GB models, which cost $179 and $199 respectively. Both versions are available from the Play store.
The GPE Moto G comes with Of course, Google owns Motorola, and the device maker has been quicker than others to rollout KitKat to its devices, in particular the Moto G's higher-end sibling, the Moto X, which arrived in the UK this week.
The Moto G, however, which launched with Jelly Bean, only got Android 4.4.2 last week in the US as well as the UK. The GPE version should get future updates in line with other GPE devices.
The 3G device has a 4.5 inch-HD display with a 1,280x720 resolution and is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz processor with 1GB RAM.
Though Motorola skipped LTE support for the the device, the Moto G has been widely praised for the quality of its build and price. The Moto G launched in the UK late last year SIM-free for around £135, but quickly got discounted to £120, putting it on par with the popular low-end Nokia smartphones, the Lumias 520 and 620.
Sadly for European customers, Google Play Edition devices aren't available yet. The non-Play version of the Moto G is now available in a handful of European countries, however.