Expect the budget Moto G smartphone from Google and Motorola on 13 November

Low-end handset rumoured to sell for £135 off- contract with a 1.2GHz processor, 8GB of internal storage and 4.7-inch screen

Google’s acquisition of Motorola hasn’t made much of an impact in the UK yet (the premium Moto X handset only hit American stores) but this looks set to change with the forthcoming release of the Moto G.

Recent leaks of promotional material of the Moto G suggest that the handset will be aimed at the lower-end of the market that will provide, like the Nexus 5, a relatively pure Android experience.

Although it won’t be running the latest version of Google’s OS (that’s 4.4 KitKat) it will be running Android 4.3 Jellybean. The leaks suggest that the Moto G will include 4.5-inch screen with a 1280x720 resolution, a 1.2GHz processor and 8GB of internal storage.

There’s a 5-megapixel camera on the rear, 1.3-megapixel on the front and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, though no 4G.

It’s rumoured that the handset will be selling off-contract for just £135, putting it in the same range handsets like Sony’s Xperia U and Nokia’s Lumia 520. However, it certainly has the edge over its competitors in terms of specs.

The Moto G seems part of Google’s continued push to improve the Android experience in low-end smartphones. The ‘open-source’ OS dominates the global phone market but the software can feel outdated and choppy on older handsets.

The latest version of Android, Google KitKat, has been specially configured to run smoothly on devices with as little as 512MB of RAM and by having a hand in the production of budget phone like the Moto G, Google will certainly be making their position with Android even stronger.

Motorola have since confirmed that the Moto G will be launched 13 November.

Image credit: GSM Arena