Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group is getting set to release their Project Ara modular smartphone system at some stage next year. When it does, we now know that the phone will run Android L, but it will be a modified version which will allow for extra functionality specifically for the modular platform.
With a modular phone the ability to swap modules in and out is a big plus, and according to Google’s Paul Eremenko, when launched the phone will be able to do just that. The phone will run a modified version of the upcoming Android L version of Android which will allow owners to hot-swap a camera module, or Wi-Fi module in or out at will, without having to power down the phone.
Components on Project Ara are held in place by electropermanent magnets, which will allow for secure mounting of the components, but also the ability to swap them out. All the components on Project Ara will be hot-swappable, except for the display and processor according to Google, with new components being made available for sale through places such as Google Play.
Project Ara is quite exciting, but the big question on everybodys lips is ‘Will it be on-sale outside the US?’ We’ll have to wait and see, but perhaps more details on availability will be made known at the 2nd Developer conference coming up in December.
Very excited about this. Well have to wait a number of iterations before it’s closer to consumer grade sizes I imagine