Google has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Moto X, set to go on sale this summer.
Manufactured by Motorola, which Google bought back in 2011, the handset will be designed, engineered and – for American-bought devices, at least – assembled in the US.
Devices bought elsewhere will continue to be assembled in factories in China and Brazil, and some components will be manufactured in Asia, but nevertheless, a US-assembled smartphone is a first.
“There were a few reasons why we decided to do this,” said Motorolas statement. “There are several business advantages to having our Illinois and California-based designers and engineers much closer to our factory. For instance, we’ll be able to iterate on design much faster, create a leaner supply chain, respond much more quickly to purchasing trends and demands, and deliver devices to people here much more quickly. And as a part of Google, we’re being encouraged to take big bets on things that make a difference.” 
The effects of being a Google company were underlined by Motorola CEO Dennis Woodsides announcement of the product, at the AllThingsD conference. Of devices from other manufacturers, he said: “Those products earn 50 per cent margins. We don’t necessarily have those constraints. Those [margins] will not persist.”
The Google Nexus 4 defied conventions when it launched at £239 last year – compared to the iPhone 5, which can be bought from Apple for £529 – and, while no price has officially been announced, the Moto X looks set to follow in its footsteps.
