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Ever imagined if LEGO would make mobile phones how cool would they be? Well, if they did make phones, they would probably get closest to Project Ara. Ara proposes that you buy a modular design instead. When one part gets old or a better version appears, you’d just swap the old component for a new one. It sounds great, but will it work?
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| PhoneBloks now known as Project Ara. |
Project Ara : What's so unique?
Phonebloks, the team behind Project Ara, has recently written a blog post which clarifies the workings of the Ara Module Marketplace, where the actual components will be bought on sold. It says the Ara Module Marketplace is:
"an e-commerce portal that enables a two-sided market between module developers and consumers. Google will help module manufacturers with the sale, the payment processing and will verify that the modules are safe and that they respect all the technical specifications. A third party logistic provider will manage the storage, shipping and all trade issues."
If it works, it could provide a great space for both consumers and creators to interact. It has already been compared to the Google Play Store, and noted for its plans to include similar user reviews and recommendations.
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| PhoneBloks's Project Ara. |
Who is Project Ara For?
At the moment it’s for hardware and software developers, but the ultimate aim is to bring Ara to the next 5 billion people, the people who don’t currently have mobile internet access.
Project Ara Price and Release Date
There is no information which Google has given out regarding Project Ara neither about its price or its release date.
Why to buy Project Ara Phone?
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| Unlimited customization | (C) SLASHGEAR |
Lack of built-in obsolescence is a major selling point here. If you’ve ever binned a perfectly good phone because you wanted better battery life, a better camera sensor or a better mobile data experience you’ll know that in many cases you’re sacrificing perfectly good components for the one or two extra features you want.
With a Project Ara phone you’d be able to replace just the bits you want to replace. You wouldn't even have to turn your phone off. It’d save you money, save the environment, make people find you even more sexually attractive… you get the idea. In the long term you might even be able to 3D-print the components to make a smartphone that’s completely and utterly unique. Another key selling point is repairability. If something goes wrong with the innards of your smartphone it’s often new-device time; with an Ara device you’d just replace the broken bit and keep on computing. That helps cut down on unnecessary electronic waste too.