Project Ara has competition: meet the Puzzlephone

Project Ara isn't the only modular smartphone concept in town anymore as Finland's Circular Devices has created an alternative modular device called ‘the Puzzlephone', which breaks the device down in to three main areas- the first of which is the spine, holding the LCD screen, speakers and structure.

The second customization area holds the battery and secondary electronics while the third holds the CPU and camera modules. It's a much simpler take on the concept, which was first popularized thanks to the Phonebloks viral campaign, which led to the birth of Project Ara. The original concept provides freedom through options, with separate modules for every part of the device. [yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pinSMFFGuUU']

However, The Puzzlephone looks to simplify the process by combining certain parts in to the same module, making for a more elegant design and easier process.

The company behind the Puzzlephone has been working on the project since last year and is currently nearing the stage where it will be able to produce working prototypes. Much like Project Ara, the Puzzlephone is slated to release during the second half of 2015 and will run Android for the OS. However, the company is hoping to support more operating systems in the future.

Not much else is known about the device currently but the concept images do look very nice. You can see more on the official website, HERE.

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KitGuru Says: It was only a matter of time before we saw another company adopt the modular smartphone concept. We already know a fair bit about how Project Ara will work while we don't know quite as much about the Puzzlephone. However, considering the company is aiming for a 2015 release, we will likely see more of this device fairly soon. What do you guys think of the Puzzlephone? If Circular Devices can pull it off, do you think it could give Ara a run for its money?

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