Google Ara: In 2017 Smartphones WILL Go Modular

Google Ara: In 2017 Smartphones WILL Go Modular

Google's Project Ara is a modular smartphone which could re-define the market

It's been a while since we heard anything about Ara - Google's modular smartphone concept. A good long while. In fact, everything went a bit tits up with Google's failed and retracted "launch" in Peurto Rico, and because that was all a bit embarassing the firm has been quiet ever since.

Now though, modular technology is back in the news with the LG G5's modular component and rumours that the revamped Moto X (aka Moto Z) for 2016 will feature a modular capability. Google's even released a promotional video, check it out...

So now Ara is back, or at least it is for developers. Yes, it's fair to say that Google's pace has slowed recently, but this appears to be a very deliberate decision, as if it is one born out of a series of internal meetings and big board-level decisions. Previously Google has launched new Android builds at its annual Google I/O conference, where it would also usually announce a new set of Nexus phones running the software - there would then be a period of time - like a few months - for developers to get used to the changes in Android and create new apps or new versions of existing apps for it. Then the new Nexus phones would launch, and Android would be released publicly, rolling out gradually to existing phones.

The tone is different this year, Google I/O 2016 is just winding down and there's been no announcement of new Nexus hardware - in fact Google hasn't even done its usual I/O move of giving the new build a confectionery-based alphabetic moniker like Marshmallow, Lollipop and so on.

Essentially, Google revealed more projects and initiatives, and some more details of what's new in Android N, then released another dev build. So while we can still expect more Nexus hardware and a proper release of Android N later in the year, the old schedule is gone in favour of something more cautious. It seems Google would now prefer to let things cook to perfection before serving, so to speak.

And that's probably true of Ara too. The original plan was for Ara to go to public launch in 2015, but of course that never happened.

Now the firm has revealed a developer model will be released in "fall" (ie: Autumn) of 2016 with the goal of a consumer-facing version arriving inside 2017. Reports circulating as of May 23 indicate that as many as 30 Google insiders are currently using Ara phones, while Google itself claims it has "all the key components of the platform," in some kind of working order.

We don't yet know a great deal about the developer model, but it has been revealed it will pack a 5.3in display and, of course, it's Android based. There are six module slots on the developer module, although we do know from earlier reveals that there are plans for multiple size "cores" which can handle different numbers of modules; however, whether this plan has been scrapped by now isn't known.

A shortlist of confirmed OEMs working on modules includes Panasonic, TDK, iHealth, E Ink, Toshiba, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and Samsung. The module connectors are universal so you're not restricted in how you attach them, and attachment is software-locked so you can't accidentally pull one out. This even opens up voice control, allegedly, so you could tell the phone by voice command to eject a camera or speaker module, for instance.

What is Ara?

The concept is a simple one –– you buy a basic model Ara phone and all the bits can be pulled off and swapped as you see fit. Fancy a more powerful camera module? You'll be able to buy one through Google's dedicated store - a treasure trove of hardware modules populated by components made by third-party manufacturers, from the likes of Samsung and its ilk, right down to little independent devs working out of their basements - just like Google Play for apps, in fact. The same will be true of many other components, including things like memory, display panels, physical keyboards, sensors and scanners, ports, modems and wireless modules, and much, much more.

The Verge got a look at some Ara prototypes at Google HQ. Here's an extract from their report: "This very early version of the phone we played was functional, although we weren't allowed to turn it on and use it, in part because the touch features aren't up and running, Google said. The company showed it booting up on stage, but not working. The hardware itself feels very solid, thanks to its aluminum and steel frame, which looks like a ribcage when all the modules are popped out. The modules on the other hand feel light and plasticky, and made holding the phone feel a bit strange. If you're used to the smooth corners you'd find on most smartphones, the ribbed channels on the Spiral 2 feel bizarre. Nothing rattled or slid out while we were playing around with it, though it's hard to tell how it will really work without the magnets."

Google provided some details about what it has been up to since announcing some prior details about Ara at I/O 2014. The Big G has been busy working with Marvell and NVIDIA in order to get some reference CPUs made for Ara. Below is an extract from Google’s G+ update on the subject and what progress has been made. 

“For the AP modules, we have been working with our friends at Marvell and NVIDIA to create two separate reference designs and form factor module prototypes around their PXA1928 and Tegra K1 processors, respectively, using a Toshiba UniPro bridge ASIC to connect to the on-device network. You can anticipate seeing these as part of the reference designs in our upcoming MDK v0.20 release. (The Rockchip AP with native UniPro that we blogged about previously is coming along nicely and will be ready in time for our Spiral 3 prototype in the Spring.),” said Google in a post on Google+.