google just entered the subsided device game!
just like microsoft tried to kill competition by taking a loss on xbox. google via the acquired motorola mobility is probably taking a loss to sell you a 720p screen phone with NO SD CARD. the info site tells you in 7 different places that you get 50GB of free google drive.
google wants your data pretty bad.
The Moto-G is nice except for the lack of LTE and micro-SD. Meanwhile the $150 Galaxy Light has both LTE and micro-SD but a low res screen. Trade-offs hmmm....
you can't install swype, firefox, google voice and skype on the same phone! and that is a 2 year old model.
As a Galaxy Nexus owner (it was my first Android phone) it was never an issue, as it has 16 GB of internal storage. I could install plenty of apps (including the four you mentioned) and cached a decent amount of music from Spotify.
I now own a Moto X, which doesn't have an SD card slot either.