Developed by Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP), the Ara project is a modular smartphone that is economical, ecological and customizable.
The idea is to create a smartphone made up of several pieces, each corresponding to one of the components of the phone: processor, memory, camera, microphone, 3G chip, etc. Each of these elements, starting with the screen, can be replaced in the event of a malfunction or damage, or even just to improve the phone's performance. Beyond the savings this could represent for users, the project is also trying to fight against the planned obsolescence of smartphones.
A prototype to fine-tune
In early 2015, a prototype referred to as Spiral 2 was presented that was supposed to soon be perfected and sold in several test markets before the end of the year.
The heads of the project ultimately decided to push the launch of this new type of smartphone back to 2016, explaining via Twitter that it required more tests and simulations than expected. Despite all of this, several partners are already working on compatible modules for the phone.
Google ATAP is already responsible for many more or less completed projects, such as Tango (3D mapping) and Soli (radar capable of capturing finger movements and interpreting them in order to interact with a connected device).
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