What exactly is a "modular phone" and why would you want one? Project ARA

If you've ever wished you could pick from a pile of parts and make your own smartphone, Project Ara is your Android wish come true.

What a Project Ara phone looks like

In the prototype stage so far, Ara looks like a basic rectangular frame (they call it the Endoskeleton) that's subdivided into smaller rectangular buckets. On the back are circuit boards and contacts. It's here that you snap in rectangular bricks for each module, say one block for an 8-megapixel camera, and another block for the processor.

You can also slide in the screen you want and add other, more specialized equipment, say a medical or gaming add-on, that's far too niche for mainstream phones. There are different-size frames for smaller or larger handsets.

Project Ara features: why would I want a Project Ara phone?

The customization options are almost infinite. / © Slash Gear

Project Ara is the ultimate form of customization. You choose every module, pick where its placed, select the color and visual design. That brings tremendous flexibility to phone owners, both in terms of getting the specs they want, and in terms of cost.

Higher-end parts will cost more, but for those shopping on a budget, picking the specs you want will also give you your choice of what you spend your money on, and where you save. Maybe you like a high-resolution screen, but you aren't much of a shutterbug. That could potentially save you money over a phone with all-around high-end parts.

One of the most exciting possibilities with an Ara phone is swapping in specialized components, say a mini telephoto lens, or a heart-rate monitor. The temporary nature of these interchangeable parts means you could pack in different modules for different activities.

Project Ara's modular nature also means you can upgrade on your own schedule, which can benefit early adopters as well as people who hold onto their technology longer. Ara could be cheaper in the long run if you keep the same body and only swap certain parts, or it could fast-track you to the latest and greatest processor or camera if you're hot to get the next best thing as soon as it arrives.

How did Project Ara get its name?

The project’s lead mechanical designer’s name is Ara. Just as well he isn’t called Sammy Crap-phone.

When it's launching

Google announced in January that it'll launch a Project Ara pilot program in Puerto Rico later in 2015, though we don't have exact dates, or even much of a time frame. Google has signed two carrier partners for the launch, Claro and Open Mobile.

Paul Eremenko, who heads Project Ara, said Puerto Rico is a good choice for its tremendous volume of Internet traffic on mobile phones: 75 percent. The country also has the right blend of smartphone and feature-phone owners.

What is the Project Ara module marketplace? 

The Project Ara module marketplace is where the modules (components) for the device will be bought and sold. It has been compared to the Google Play Store, with similar user-reviews and recommendations, but instead of apps it will contain batteries, cameras, speakers etc. 

Phonebloks, the team behind Project Ara, has recently written a blog post which clarifies the workings of this space, saying 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. 

How much an Ara phone will cost

The price tag on an Ara phone will depend on a lot of things, like how big it is and the cost of the parts you choose. Also, carriers will have their own pricing if they sell you an Ara-phone package.

That said, Project Ara's FAQ does say this:

We have set engineering and manufacturing goals for the bill-of-materials cost of a basic, entry-level Ara device to be in the $50-100 range. It's important to note that this is just the cost of the components and says nothing about how it will be priced--it could be more or less than that (e.g., with a carrier contract). In the end, we expect that module developers will be able to set the prices for their modules sold in the Ara Module Marketplace, much like mobile app developers do in app stores today.

There is some concern that by the time you're done, the phone could wind up costing more than a typical handset with the same specs, depending on carrier deals and sales.