KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
Project Ara is happening and its happening fast, Google has taken charge of the modular smartphone project and is aiming for a January 2015 release- it won't cost much either, with the standard price coming in at $50. That said, new modules and customisation options will likely bulk up the smartphone's price a bit.
Google's plans were revealed yesterday at the first Ara's developers conference, project leader, Paul Eremenko explained that consumers would be able to buy the ‘Grey Phone' as early as next year and is called the grey phone in order to encourage people to customise it. The $50 phone will start off as a basic device, it will then be up to the user to buy new modules to swap in and out.
One cool feature that was revealed was that the battery inside the phone is hot-swappable, so your phone will stay on in-between switching out the battery and some other components such as the WiFi module or the speaker. Between now and next year, Eremenko and the other two full time members of the team have their work cut out for them, they are currently working with all sorts of partners and arranging for modules to be made, they even have a 3D printing company building them a printer to create the modules on a mass scale.
At the conference, Eremenko did comment on Android's lack of dynamic hardware support: “It's true that Android does not support dynamic hardware today,” he said. “The good news is that we're Google.” Right now users are used to swapping out their device every year or two for a shiny new one but that may become a thing of the past as Ara's endoskeleton will last five or six years and those looking for a new look or more power can simply swap out the modules to get their fix.
Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.
KitGuru Says: When we first reported on Phonebloks and then later, Project Ara, many were sceptical about the idea of a modular smartphone but Google has cracked down on the idea faster than we thought. Next year we will have buildable and customisable phones with better control over things like price to performance ratio and features, but will it catch on? Would you guys like to build your own smartphone?
i have been a loyal windows phone user since about for aslong as i can remember, either brand new or second hand from my dad, and i can say right now i would leave my lumia 820 on the desk if i could get my hands on one of these…
@timothy that is because your Lumia 820 is just as shitty as this is going to be:)
Wow, this is so stupid… Google just copied this idea from Phonebloks.
They didn’t copyed … They are working together
Wow this is it, the phoneblocks are going to be a reality.. cool man haha
If Google live up to there standards in the phone technology this will be mega shit the nexus Google what a flop couldn’t of picked a crapper phone gorilla glass Lol the screen always breaks and the phone always crashes so I wouldn’t even rate this
@terry, I’m not sure what nexus you are talking about, but I own and use my LG Nexus 4 on a daily basis. with even a cheap case, the screen doesn’t crack, even with my 2-year old dropping it alot, and It has NEVER crashed on me. Maybe you had a lemon?
On another note, I think this is a good start for phones. I don’t have the money to buy a new phone every time they come out, but might be able to afford upgraded hardware for it (and I’m a customization junkie) This kind of reminds me of Razer’s project Christine(?) modular PC. Something anyone with a TINY bit of technical skill can build. Hopefully the android fragmentation on this thing isn’t so bad the phone sucks.
If you can add physical keyboard, good camera, and it’s delivered with gorilla glass , definitively YES !!!
Phoneblocks wasn’t even a thing. It was the idea of one man and he did that campaign to get the attention of companies so that they would make it.
“Ara’s endoskeleton will last five or six years (…)”, so little? :)))
And as for the “gray phone”, $50 just for a screen and frame? You’re kidding me right? =))
I doubt it’ll just be a screen and frame, will more likely be a bog standard everything. Small hard disk, no camera, small battery etc, a fully working phone, just not a very good one. From there you sepnd the extra money as you see fit to make it in to the phone you desire.
Personally, I’m gonna be watching this with a lot of interest…
ever since i read about phonebloks, i’ve been hoping google or one of they’re affiliates would pick it up and make good in what potentially is a superb idea and one many people including my self would happily jump on board with.
This is fab, about time too 🙂
Get a real smartphone scrubs.
you’ve got me google, i just wanted to buy a nokia but i can wait. this will definitely worth buying for me. i even signed the phoneblock idea back during the campaign, i love that is gonna be reality