Motorola adds LTE to Moto G, introduces an even cheaper Moto E

The Moto G is the best selling smartphone in Motorola history. Combining good-enough specs with solid build quality at an especially low price, it's achieved that feat in less than six months. The one thing the G was lacking, however, was LTE, and today Motorola is rectifying that omission by introducing a new 4G-capable version of the Android handset, which will be sold alongside the original. The LTE-capable Moto G will cost $219 (£149 in the UK) without contract and the original will continue on at $179 / £119.

"Smartphones haven't always come at smart prices."

Pushing the price down even further will be a new member of the Moto family, the Moto E, which trims down the specs to their bare minimum to reach a price of $129 / £89. With the addition of these two new phones, Motorola is building a comprehensive offering for the entry-level Android market: the E opens it up to an even broader audience, the original G continues to be a great value, and the Moto G with LTE matches the connectivity speed of the latest and most expensive smartphone alternatives. Both new handsets will also include microSD card slots, a welcome addition for the frugal market Moto is targeting. They'll be available in more than 40 countries and from over 80 carriers in the coming weeks.

Moto E hands-on photos

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On the software front, Motorola stresses that it's building on a platform of "pure Android." It's shipping its new phones out with Android KitKat (4.4.2) on board and guarantees to upgrade them to the next major revision of the operating system when it comes out.

Motorola's making a big marketing push around the idea of ridding the world of its featurephone dependancy. Saying that "smartphones haven't always come at smart prices," the formerly Google-owned company is going cheap to try and tempt people to finally upgrade away from their old basic phones. It's also maintaining some of the features that make dumbphones convenient, including interchangeable back covers and splash-proof water protection. To learn more about the Moto E, you can visit the "Goodbye, dumbphone" website that Motorola has set up especially for its launch.

Read next: The Moto E is shockingly cheap and surprisingly good

• SourceGoodbye, dumbphone (Motorola)
• Related Items release cheap official android specs announced smartphone lte launch moto Moto E Moto G (LTE) Motorola Cellphones