Sao Paulo ( CNN ) -- Motorola unveiled its new relatively low-cost smart phone on Wednesday , aimed at consumers in emerging markets and those on a tight budget everywhere . But the one country noticeably missing from the rollout of Moto G was China , thanks to the unfriendly relations with Motorola 's parent company Google . The Moto G will cost just $ 179 without a contract in the United States , about a third the cost of an iPhone 5c and about half the cost of a Galaxy S4 Mini . Motorola launched the new device in Sao Paulo , Brazil , in a presentation beamed around the globe . CEO Dennis Woodside said Moto G has set its sights on the whole world . `` It 's really designed to serve the half a billion in the world who next year will buy a smart phone for under $ 200 , '' he told CNN ahead of the launch . Many of those people are in emerging markets , like Brazil , the world 's sixth largest economy with a rising middle class and a major smart phone market . The Moto G wo n't be offered in the U.S. until January and it will eventually go on sale in about 30 countries . In Brazil , sales began Wednesday . The phone starts at 649 reais or about $ 280 , compared to about $ 600 for the cheapest new iPhone without a contract . It 's aimed at the country 's emerging middle class -- people who often do n't have computers at home . `` Brazil is an incredibly vibrant market , '' Woodside said . `` People are coming on to the mobile internet for the first time . '' Industry observers at the launch said it should be a hot ticket heading into Christmas , with its price and features making it competitive . Those features include a big , high-resolution screen , the latest Android software a long-life battery , 8 GB of internal storage and a 5 megapixel camera . `` Most people in the world ca n't afford $ 500 , $ 600 for a smartphone , '' said Woodside during the launch . `` We think the industry should provide more for the consumer dollar . '' In the U.S. , Moto G is being targeted at the pre-paid market , especially students and children . As for China , it is the world 's biggest market for low-end mobile phones , but the government blocks many of the Google services -- like Gmail and Google Search -- that Motorola says will make Moto G the new smart phone of choice .
Motorola launches new phone to attract new markets . The Moto G will be about a third of the cost of an iPhone 5c . The new phone was launched in Sao Paulo . Comment: