Motorola has launched low-cost smartphone Moto G that includes features more commonly found in higher-priced models.
The Moto G will be sold contract-free from $179 in the US.
The handset has a 4.5 in (11.4 cm) 720p high-definition screen, a five megapixel rear camera, a 1.3MP front one, and runs the latest versions of the Android operating system.
Analysts suggest the budget end of the market is set to enjoy huge growth.
The Moto G is being launched in 30 countries including the US, UK, France, Germany and parts of Latin America and Asia. That contrasts with Motorola’s last model – the Moto X – which is currently only available in the US.
Motorola has launched low-cost smartphone Moto G that includes features more commonly found in higher-priced models
Its price makes it slightly cheaper than Samsung’s Galaxy S3 Mini, HTC’s Desire X and Sony’s Xperia M but still more expensive than Huawei’s Ascend G510.
However, Motorola’s device is the only one of these to come preinstalled with the Android Jelly Bean operating system. The firm is also promising to release an upgrade to the newest version of its Android platform, KitKat, in the near future.
It also has the highest resolution display and is the only one to feature a quad-core, rather than dual-core, CPU (central processing unit). This should in theory allow it to offer superior processing power while minimizing the toll on battery life.
Motorola representatives revealed the handset would be targeted at three groups:
- People in developing countries who wanted to move from a basic “feature phone” to one that could run a wide range of apps
- Students and children in richer nations, for whom price was still an issue
- Existing smartphone owners frustrated by the prospect of spending $800 every couple of years to upgrade to another top-end model [youtube DljaASvRUIA 650]
Urus, the first Lamborghini SUV, will officially be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show shortly.
The first few photos of the Lamborghini SUV have been leaked online.
It looks pretty similar to all of the renderings we’ve seen in the past, albeit with sleeker headlamps and a more low-slung appearance.
The Urus is expected to share its platform with the next-generation Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 and upcoming Bentley SUV, but is tipped to be about 220 pounds lighter than all of those. Power is expected to be provided by a 5.2-liter V10 that produces around 584 horsepower.
The concept SUV would be Lamborghini’s bid to cash in on the booming global market for high-end luxury SUVs – if customers can accept the strange blend of supercar angles and racing tires on a high-riding hatchback.
Urus, the first Lamborghini SUV, will officially be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show
While Lamborghini has flourished with new models under its ownership by Volkswagen, profits have remained elusive. With Porsche thriving thanks to its Cayenne SUV, other automakers now wonder just how big the market for people movers with some off-road capability might be; BMW keeps adding to its already full range of luxury SUVs, while Lamborghini stable mate Bentley’s idea of the EXP 9F concept shows the dangers inherent in the concept. Lamborghini execs have said they have yet to win approval to build it – but given demand for big vehicles in China and the Middle East, that seems like a formality ahead of a 2017 arrival.
Lamborghini Urus inside
Unlike Bentley, Lamborghini has a history with trucks; the LM002 SUV set the mold that the Hummer H2 would attempt to fill two decades later. The Urus – named for the ancestor of modern bulls in Spain – looks nothing like the LM002, drawing its styling from what a four-door Aventador might look like and its underpinnings from either the Cayenne or corporate cousin Audi. Many details such as specific engine choices remain under embargo; we’ll have the full story on the Urus this weekend, but until then you can debate whether a Lamborghini SUV stands as a savvy move or just a lot of bull.
