Google’s Project Ara Revealed

There have been many rumors about Google’s new gadget Project Ara. The new phone is made out of modules, like lighters and cameras which can be assembled into a metal frame and held together by magnets. Google says that it will be a modular smartphone which will include hardware modules like a blood-sugar monitor and different cameras. All these will be available in an app store just like the popular Google Play store is for software apps.

All the modules fit into a metal skeleton designed especially for the new smartphone Google calls Project Ara. The designers say that flat rectangular modules are slotted into the main frame and are held together by magnets. The developer of the Project Ara, Kaigham Gabriel said that the way smartphones are being made at the moment is a mature one but there are other new ways of making them, referring to the new Google phone in a conference on Tuesday. The developer also said that each of the modules will perform a particular task. One could be the battery while others could be the camera and the wireless antenna. Google will be in charge of the main “endoskeleton” while other developers will take care of the modules design.

Google hopes to inspire the creativity of thousands of developers and build a large system of hardware modules. The plan is to start with an entry-level smartphone that will have basic functions and will cost somewhere around $50. Google also plans to develop an online marketplace for consumers to buy additional modules, depending on what they need for their phone.

Kaigham Gabriel said that they plan to make it just like an app store. If one needs a blood-sugar monitor or a cigarette lighter on their phone, they can have that.

Some believe that for Project Ara to be a success, hardware developers need to embrace this platform and create their own modules. Some say that there is a risk of people not being interested in adding and changing their phone with so many components. The creators of Project Ara have thought about this and they are working on an app that makes it easier for users to choose the modules they like. They are also considering installing a heart-rate monitor to check if the users are stressed out by the choices.

Google Project Ara – could this be the future of smartphones?

What do you think of the new smartphone from Google? Would you buy one? Do the modules seem useful? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.