Motorola Mobility, the company Google bought last year in a $12.5 billion purchase, is gearing up to launch its highly anticipated, first ever flagship smartphone - The Moto X.
As if purchasing the company for such a high price tag wasn't enough, Google reportedly plans to spend another small fortune on marketing the device by dropping $500 million into promoting the smartphone in the U.S. and Europe to ensure its failure due to lack of exposure is not an option.
Needless to say, that's quite a lot of money for an add campaign. DigitalTrends points out that the money should buy Google more than a few bus adds and a poster in the sales papers. A 30 second add during the Super Bowl is said to cost $4 million, leaving the company with $496 million to play around with and promote the Moto X as it sees fit. The ad for the device, which isn't shown but is replaced by two people jumping into a lake, boasts the phone as "Designed by you. Assembled in the USA," two likely selling points that Google will lean heavily on until the phone's expected fall release date.
The Wall Street Journal cites sources familiar with the matter who say the Moto X will launch with all four major U.S. wireless carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile) and will have a price that is comparable to its high-end competitors like the iPhone, Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
While a major marketing strategy and a phone made by Google all seem like very appealing qualities in a smartphone, it's important to note how much Google has riding on the success of this device. Potentially interested users will likely want more information on the phone's specifications and hardware, as well as the ability to hold it in their hands, before deciding to go with the Moto X over rivals like Samsung and Apple.
