Project Ara brings the modular smartphone from concept to a reality

The night before Google Advanced Technology and Projects supposed (ATAP ) division to show the prototype and Ara project is only functional to a room full of eager developers, someone dropped the phone and broke the screen . In any other product reveals , this worst-case scenario would be a nightmare come true . Not Google : The company made lemonade from a lemon to make it a selling point for the modular smartphone. Within a year , the painful situations like this could be easily solved by simply buying a new screen and redemption of the creek.

Not that it would have made much difference if last night fiasco never happened. Those attending the developer conference Ara Project this week would not have been able to start the prototype and play around with it , like any typical smartphone - in this case, "functional " is not the same as " work " - but at least it would have made ​​for a better presentation. Regardless of how it looked , however , have been able to handle the prototype briefly Ara Project and some of the first modules . To be clear , this is a very early model and there is a long way to go before it sees the light of day , but at least you can get a good picture of what is to come in the coming years as Ara continues to prepare to launch .

Ara Project brings modular smartphone concept to reality ; almost looks like it should have done a cameo in the movie Lego . The Ara include a metal endoskeleton , which is essentially the backbone of the phone, and slots for replaceable components known as modules , which are much like tiles . ( If you remember from Windows Phone when looking at the back , it will not be the first. ) Tiles These modules can include anything that makes your phone tick (CPU , RAM , WiFi, power connector, band base, screen and battery, for example), as well as lots of other features like the camera , speakers and storage space . Each module is connected to the other parts working through capacitive interconnections , which are essentially wireless pads that are smaller than standard pins . Electro magnets not only hold the modules in place, but also act as a toggle switch that allows you to easily turn the element on and off. As you can already imagine, all modules can be exchanged at your convenience. ATAP Ara plans to offer three different sizes, ranging from a choice of six smaller modules for a widescreen model with more modules.

At first glance, it almost sounds like this project only attract the same consumers who enjoy building their own computers from scratch , but insists that ATAP will transform emerging markets - more specifically , the five billion people on Earth who own feature phones , but can not afford to get something more expensive. Today, the division announced plans to send a " Grey Cell " which is simply a device that comes pre-packaged with only one screen , processor and Wi -Fi module. From there , users can easily add and remove components as they see fit . It will be relatively cheap - the product cost $ 50 for Google , but the retail price has not yet been determined - and users on a tight budget can easily add or upgrade modules provided they can afford to do so.

Longevity is another important factor ; While most smartphones today can barely make it through a two-year contract , Ara is intended to last for several years. This means it will probably be much less expensive in the long run , and fewer phones will end up in dumpsters .
According ATAP , a device such as Ara also bring the power of choice to the consumer. A matter of sacrificing some features for others - Buying a smartphone often feels like a game of chance. With Ara , you will finally be able to determine exactly what kind of things you want on your phone. In essence , it appears that Google is hoping to " disrupt " the traditional phone manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and LG ( and carriers ) , as the average consumer would not have to go through these companies to buy a phone more .

When it comes to what kind of modules would be available , the sky is the limit. ATAP has already begun to offer a development kit for everyone who wants to build own modules , so there are a lot of possible use cases. One example shown was a pulse oximeter , which appears in a long module extending beyond the rest of the chassis of the phone; there was a thin camera module that could easily be exchanged with various lenses ; until we heard developers since launched the idea of a card reader like a backpack Square credit. Starting this week, is now up these partners and developers to explore space and find ways to make Ara success.

This all sounds fine and dandy , but not without a setback or two. Despite the efforts of the ATAP is even bigger , heavier and thicker than the smartphone run-of -the -mill, and there are some concerns with the efficiency of the battery (though the battery capacity exchange hot certainly helps ) . Naturally, the team understands that these issues could be a turnoff for potential buyers, so we hope to solve these problems by the time the next prototype, returns later this year.

Ara Project is halfway through a two-year mission . The deadline is a driving motivation for the handful of full-time employees and contractors involved in the project, and that the time limit was raised several times during today's conference . No time for delays , which makes this project even more exciting - if it 's going to happen , you have to be ready to go next year . ATAP is not only facing a ticking clock , but it is also doing the same with a pretty strong do list : You attract developers , convincing demonstrations to scale and get consumers interested in running the risk of a completely new type of smartphone. It will not be easy, but the road is fascinating to watch.

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