“Google’s mission is to organize all the world’s information and make it universally accessible,” he said. “For Motorola, one of the things we’re trying to do is create a very high-quality mobile Internet experience over time for hundreds of millions of people.”

Smartphones have surpassed the traditional cellphone in sales in the United States and some parts of Europe, and many manufacturers are looking overseas for growth. While Apple and Samsung make most of the profit in the worldwide smartphone market, the makers of cheaper phones — including Huawei, Yulong and ZTE of China, and Micromax and Karbonn of India — are selling well in emerging markets where high-end smartphones are not popular.

However, like other American companies, Motorola will most likely face tough competition overseas, where many manufacturers have been selling low-end smartphones for years for less than the Moto G. Details about the Moto G leaked online ahead of Motorola’s official announcement, and some analysts who looked at the specifications did not find it very compelling.

“It’s heavy, thick and it’s pretty expensive,” said Tero Kuittinen, an analyst for Alekstra, a mobile trends research firm.

Along with the bulkier size, the $180 price tag is still not as aggressive as what some other manufacturers have released in the low end of the market, Mr. Kuittinen added. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy Young, which weighs 3.4 ounces and has a 3-inch screen, costs $100 on Amazon.com. Chinese handset makers like Huawei and ZTE also make Android phones that cost as little as $100.

Motorola says it will sell the Moto G at a profit. The device will go on sale Wednesday in Brazil and parts of Europe, and then in January in other parts of the world like India and Southeast Asia. The phone will also go on sale in January in the United States, where the company thinks the device could appeal to people who cannot afford a fancy smartphone, particularly children.