Google Project Ara modular smartphones expected at MWC 2015
Working Google Project Ara modular smartphones are expected to be on show at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015. But what would a modular smartphone be with its modules? Not to worry because 50 or so modular components ranging from cameras and GPUs to various sensors are also expected to accompany the modular ‘endo’ smartphone frame at the show.
Google Project Ara, smartphone slots together
Project Ara is proposed to be to mobile computing what PCs are to desktop computing – allowing the users to selectively upgrade and enhance certain aspects of the device to make it particularly suited to their needs. Additional benefits of modularity are; easy upgrading, easy swapping out of damaged or broken components and a diverse choice components from competitors bringing prices down.
Tech Assimilate has previously covered various module making and supply announcements from the likes of Toshiba, Einfochips and Lapka. We also recently heard that a firm called Yezz is beavering away on a range of modules for Project Ara. This Latin American firm is a maker of Android, Windows and Firefox phones. Unfortunately Yezz doesn’t divulge what its range of modular components will offer to Ara users but does feature a large countdown confirming its own presence at the MWC (at Booth 5C51).
Toshiba camera modules for Project Ara smartphone
As a reminder, we don’t expect to see the Project Ara smartphones on sale here in the west. Google will be implementing a trial launch in Puerto Rico later this year when it launches the ‘Spiral Two‘ model there. Depending upon this model’s success we will see influences upon the Ara offerings to the rest of the world. Google hopes to find the answer of the tricky marketing conundrum where customers demand choice but often when they get the choice just stick with all the default component offerings. Let’s hope that the Peurto Rican market really is representative and doesn’t mess up the Project Ara idea for the rest of the world!
MWC 2015 takes place in Barcelona between 2nd and 5th March 2015.
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