Just recently we told you about the upcoming modular smartphone from Google and about the upcoming April conference for developers. But while we are waiting for this event, Jason Calacanis, an American Internet entrepreneur and blogger, at their conference LAUNCH, dedicated to all sorts of start-ups, talk with representatives of the project development team Ara. And thanks to this conversation, we learned a lot of new items! What awaits us codenamed Ara?
The device is a framework and a set of different kinds of modules that the buyer chooses. The main advantage of the project is that any company can make a module for the device, whether the dynamics of the camera or even different antennas for consumers who spend a lot of time on the road between the two countries.
Each module is mounted to a metal “base” with a magnet, it can be placed on it as desired and may be of any size. This means that you can, for example, use two large batteries, or one large and one small, with a dozen or small, so if you want. And this, of course, applies not only batteries, but also any other module. In addition, there is a battery in the same “base” to maintain the efficiency of the device when replacing or permutation modules. With the “front” of the unit, in addition to the contacts screen, there is also the contact for the front of the module, whether the speaker, camera, or anything else. This opens up tremendous opportunities truly user customization!
Development of modules is free for developers, ie there are no licensing fees. Google will certify modules to ensure that they conform to its standards. But, just as in the case with the applications, the manufacturer is free to sell the modules store Google, the buyer directly.
Each module may be easily removed by the user from his “cover” and inserted into the other. And, of course, no one forbids manufacturers to produce simple cases without technical stuffing. Thus, the user can not only change the filling smartphone, based on their needs at the moment, but the appearance of the device according to your taste or mood.
Besides all this, Google has taken into account the fact that consumers are differentiated by size of prehensile organs, ie hands. Or, if you prefer, by partiality to the diagonal of the screen. So we have three options platforms for each of them: mini, standard and fablet.
The device is expected to cost about $ 50 for the minimum configuration, which includes the most important modules that it might work: Ara-platform, display, operating system, battery, Wi-Fi and low-productivity processor. But it is interesting, of course, not because of its affordable base price. People at all times happy to stand out from the crowd, and this was proved recently implemented service Motorola for customizing the appearance of the smartphone before buying – Moto Maker. Ara project makes another big step forward. And if a year ago, when it appeared on the first rumors, it seemed unrealizable fantasy, now before us is a working prototype! And next year, and all the apparatus, and more specifically its Circuits expected in retail. For this we love Google: it makes the future closer.
In the meantime, it’s time to prove to everyone in the comments that you have selected a set of modules – the coolest!
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