We’ve been hearing news and rumours about Google’s Project Ara for months now, and back at its I/O conference in June, the company showed the world its first Project Ara prototype, which, although technically functional, froze moments after starting up. In addition to that, it was much more bulkier than what we’ve seen in photos prior to the unveiling. A couple of days ago, Google shared a new video of another prototype of its modular smartphone, and this one seems to function well enough.
In the video, you can see the prototype – Spiral One – being turned on, its display unlocked, and an app launched. Out of the three minutes of the video, only 15 seconds actually show off the device when it’s turned on, but hey, that’s something, too. Google said that it is going to reveal its upcoming prototype, Spiral 2, at a developer conference in January, and that it will be even better thanks to new Toshiba chips.
For those of you unfamiliar with Project Ara, here’s the gist of it: Google’s planning to make modular smartphones with interchangeable pieces a part of our everyday lives. This means that the phones will come with individual components (processor, display, camera, etc.) which you’ll be able to switch with new ones whenever you need to, without having to replace your whole phone. This will give smartphone users more ways to customize their devices at lower prices.
What are your thoughts on Project Ara?