The Lego set is Google’s vision of the future smartphone: choose the features that matter, connect them to a basic frame, and swap parts at will. Broken screen? Pop in a new one and keep the rest of the phone. Drooling over a new camera? Buy the upgrade and snap it in place. The device is flexible, customizable, adaptable to any user, easy to upgrade and maintain.
The last part should sound familiar—it’s the same core idea behind the Android operating system, it’s innovation in the stagnant smartphone market, and most importantly, it’s the future of Android.
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| ©2014 Motorola Mobility LLC |
Originally announced by Motorola in 2013 (then a subsidiary of Google), Project Ara is designed around a simple frame called the "endo," with magnetized slots designed to hold modules, single-function units like batteries, health sensors, fitness trackers, and fingerprint scanners that can be slotted into and out of the device at any time, even when the phone is still on. Manufacturers and even individuals can make modules, democratizing Android and giving it an advantage over traditional, single-unit devices like the iPhone.
More importantly, Project Ara echoes the philosophy behind Android: a flexible core that can be customized and adapted to suit the needs of nearly any user. Recent versions of Android have become more modular, breaking core applications like Calendar, Contacts, and even the keyboard into individual apps, letting users enjoy upgraded features without the need to update the entire operating system. Project Ara takes this existing paradigm and extends it to the physical device.
The heavy push behind Ara makes a lot of sense: Kodak, Sony, and more recently, Olympus have all launched detachable camera lenses that snap onto the backs of existing mobile phones. Square Inc. makes a credit card reader that plugs into any smartphone with a headphone jack. iPhone cases like the Mophie juice pack help extend battery life. But the niche appeal of these accessories shows that like building a computer, any direct descendant of Project Ara will probably be a niche device that appeals to the hacker and the tinkerer, not the everyday user.
What really matters is the technology it helps develop, which may see use on future Android devices. Most alluring is the potential for an "Ara Slot," allowing phones to take advantage of the flexibility of Ara modules without the micromanagement. Including just a single slot would let new phones reap the benefits of Ara modules without forcing a compromise on quality and durability. A strong ecosystem of modules to choose from and effortless insertion and removal could create a de facto standard ubiquitous among Android devices, allowing for integrated cases, expandability, even the potential to hook into a more powerful machine when needed.
Ara is more than just another vanity project. It’s the future of Android, applied to the phone.
------ Originally drafted 2 March 2015
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