NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Google ( GOOG) unveiled its new smartphone on Thursday and it could be a game-changer. Taking a look at how it could affect other technology companies is TheStreet's Chris Ciaccia and Debra Borchardt.
Google's new smartphone, the Moto X, is being assembled in Texas, and because it's built in America, it will be highly customizable for the consumer. It has options for matching headphones, chargers, speakers and engraving. Ciaccia said that this is actually a pretty big deal for Google, because the company doesn't usually make its own hardware, but instead, just the software. This time, it's doing both, putting it one step closer to catching up to its rival Apple ( AAPL). The company also plans to put about $500 million in marketing behind the Moto X, which means the product will probably sell well, according to Ciaccia, who added that this is going to change the way Google approaches both smartphones and hardware. However, just because it's a great looking product with a lot of marketing, doesn't mean it will take over Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy S4, which Ciaccia said will likely remain the top two models in the U.S. The phone's starting price is $199, for the 16 gigabyte model. -- Written by Bret Kenwell in Petoskey, Mich. Follow @BretKenwell
