14 DAY TRIAL // Android fans and enthusiasts in the UK who are still looking to purchase an affordable handset but did not wish to grab the Moto G just yet due to the lack of microSD card slot will be thrilled to know that this issue has been fixed by Motorola.
The US-based handset maker has just announced an updated version of the Moto G, which now comes with microSD card slot and, more importantly, it offers LTE support.
The Verge reports that the new Moto G with LTE and microSD card slot will be available for purchase in the UK for only £149 ($250 / €180) outright.
The standard version of Motorola Moto G continues to sell for around £120 ($200 / €145) off contract, but the 16GB model is slightly more expensive.
The LTE-enabled Moto G will be available in the UK beginning this week via most major retailers across the country. Some carriers will certainly add it to their portfolios as well, but for the time being, we only know that it will be available on PAYG (pay as you go).
Apart from adding LTE and microSD, Motorola did not include other software and hardware to the new Moto G, but for those unfamiliar with the handset, here is a quick recap.
Previously the cheapest Android smartphone launched by Motorola, the Moto G ships with the latest version of Android, namely KitKat 4.4.2. It will also be among the first smartphones to receive future updates from Google, according to Motorola Mobility.
The Moto G is equipped with a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, an Adreno 305 graphics processing unit and 1GB of RAM.
It only packs either 8GB or 16GB of internal memory, but the new model of Moto G now features microSD card slot, so users will be able to further expand storage up to 32GB.
Motorola Moto G sports a 4.5-inch HD (720p) edge-to-edge capacitive touchscreen display that features Corning Gorilla Glass coating. On the back, there’s a 5-megapixel photo snapper with LED flash, autofocus and HD (720p) video recording, while in the front, there’s a secondary 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls.
The smartphone offers LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support. It’s also powered by a 2070 mAh battery, which has yet to be rated by Motorola.
It will be interesting to see if those who already own the older Moto G model that doesn’t come with LTE and microSD card slot will be offered the chance to upgrade to the new variant for a lower price. Stay tuned for more on this one.