Project Ara modular smartphone Developer Edition coming in Q4 2016, consumer version in 2017

Google's Project Ara modular smartphone have been in development for about three years ago but got delayed. After much delay Google has finally announced that it will release a developer version of Project Ara in Q4 2016, and the consumer edition will be available in 2017.

Project Ara allows you to swap out modular components to change camera, add extra battery, insert speakers or add storage to the device. All this can be done without rebooting the device, because the Ara platform will eventually expand to form factors other than smartphone.

The developer version of Ara, will have all the base components including display, processor, storage, antennas, sensor and battery built into it, so you will not be able to swap these components, however there is room in each of the module so that you can add camera, speaker or other hardware such as fingerprint reader, Glucometer and more. The developer edition has a 5.3-inch display and has space for six module that you can swap to change the functionality and design of the device. 

The modules can be added just by snapping it in place, and to eject the module, users will have to open a manager app on the device, and choose which module they want to remove. It will not only be disabled in the phone's software for safe removal, but automatically pop out as well.

The modules communicate over Greybus system that offers data transfer rates of up to 11.9gbps, which is speed enough for 4K video and other tasks. Google said that the modules released for current devices will work on future phones, and modules released in the future will work with current Ara devices, since there will be an unified standard for modules. 

Google has partnered with Panasonic, TDK, iHealth, E Ink, Toshiba, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and Samsung for the modules. Developers can signup for the Google Project Ara Developer Edition on the ATAP website.  

Via