Motorola plans lower-cost phone amid weak sales of Moto X

Google Inc's Motorola unit is expected to unveil a relatively low-cost phone on Wednesday, amid weak sales of its flagship Moto X model, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Details of the new, cheaper Moto G leaked out over the weekend, when a version appeared on Amazon.com's UK website at a price of 160 pounds, without a contract from a cellphone carrier. In the United States, the phone would be cheaper, the journal reported.

The Moto G, which will be formally introduced at an event in Brazil on Wednesday, arrives amid disappointing early sales data for the Moto X, the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, Motorola on Monday cut the U.S. price of its high-end Moto X with a two-year carrier contract to $100 from $200, as sales of that device have proven disappointing, the journal said.

Motorola could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside of regular U.S. business hours.