A Project Ara (A8A01) developer smartphone unit gets in the spotlight
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- Anonymous
- 6jr
- 12 Nov 2016
Apart from ram (the needs are always getting bigger as OS generations pass by) and battery (they start losing charge) everything else is simply not worth it to be upgradable.
I mean sure cameras and CPUs get better as well but not in a pace that is worth it to upgrade them any faster than once every 4 years.
Only problem is that the SoC does hold back the maximum amount of ram, which is what makes upgrading RAM impractical as well.
Which leaves battery alone. But batteries can only remain/be replaceable using removable backs. Storage can also be upgraded (using fast SDs). So project ARA tries to solve sth that is mostly solved anyway. Of course many companies (including Google) moved away from said solution, but it *is* out there (the solution I mean)...
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- Anonymous
- tPG
- 12 Nov 2016
Ara will come back when smartphone batteries are as thin as an sd card.
- I love Qnovo
- ibj
- 12 Nov 2016
noone, 11 Nov 2016LG already done this kind of phone.. the LG G5 a modular phoneThe LG G5 use a big size camera modular, but the design is tacky, even the ads also.
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- Anonymous
- RIE
- 11 Nov 2016
That bulging camera seriously 2.1mp?
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- AnonD-234645
- Hxp
- 11 Nov 2016
AnonD-546724, 11 Nov 2016It could be great to do it in the PC way : You choose yo... moreAnd preferably in 3 sizes: small (allows up to 5 inch screens. For the small-phone lovers), medium (5.3-5.8) and Large (6 and up. Topping at 6.8)
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- AnonD-234645
- Hxp
- 11 Nov 2016
AnonD-322352, 11 Nov 2016If only the chipset and RAM were swappable...The original idea included a swappable chipset and Ram.
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- AnonD-546724
- 08w
- 11 Nov 2016
It could be great to do it in the PC way :
You choose you frame, screen, chip, ram, camera, put it all together and you build you very own phone !!
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- FromChinaWithLove
- I0u
- 11 Nov 2016
AnonD-375713, 11 Nov 2016I would say it's a financial problem for both consumer and ... moreWell, as I already mentioned that it is waste money and time, so it is financial problem at the end.
And then, it is not a PC so it isn't gonna work that work( at least not practical in such a way like desktop PC).
Just imagine, if someone buy a cheap one( whole modular phone) to begin with, and later one he/she want to switch the part(s) for a better one. And here comes the problem, are modules size fixed? Or that it come with all shapes and sizes? If you have a small screen phone and switch to a bigger one, does all the modules on the back of your small phone work with the bigger screen? Will it fit? Cause this problem goes for the whole phone and each and every modules part.
A much simple example is Lego. Is is like Lego, the front piece match the back piece so that there's no extra.
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- Ghostwolf
- 4Mx
- 11 Nov 2016
But...but...OMG...12.5mm thick...that's almost 1/2". And 190 grams??? I don't know if I can lift something that heavy.
Ok, sarcasm off. Just trying to point out how funny some of the specs are treated on these new phones. 1/2" huh? Big deal. Would rather have that than some skinny thing with no battery life and it cramps my hand trying to hold on to the glass/slick metal scrawny frame.
Actually, that does look pretty interesting, but the reason it will never see the light of day is because there is no inherent designed obsolescence to it. You wouldn't be forced to buy a complete new phone like you are now if you want to upgrade anything on it.
Follow the money folks, till people's mindset changes and they realize they are just being fleeced every time they pay 75 to 100 times what the devices actually cost to make just to make these companies richer, nothing will improve in the long run.
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- noone
- vx6
- 11 Nov 2016
LG already done this kind of phone.. the LG G5 a modular phone
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- Shazzy B
- pJw
- 11 Nov 2016
I love the look of this, despite the thickness. if I had the money, I'd probably buy one of these over any phone out right now, if I could.
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- AnonD-322352
- KZ8
- 11 Nov 2016
If only the chipset and RAM were swappable...
- AzureLord
- nYT
- 11 Nov 2016
troy5890, 11 Nov 2016Oh my goodness, this looks quite intriguing, but I would l... moreCAMERA is replacable. I think the chipset is embedded into the exoskeleton. and considering you could swap it. you'd place snapdragon 821 with 4 GB ram perhaps?
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- Kenny
- Yde
- 11 Nov 2016
AnonD-607331, 11 Nov 2016Very nice phone, futuristic.The Brick
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- Anonymous
- qNh
- 11 Nov 2016
I think FairPhone 2 was a better execution than this, it allows the more familiar layout of parts to be used in design and engineering while not not being locked in a quadrant (square).
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- AnonD-375713
- Pkp
- 11 Nov 2016
AnonD-404798, 11 Nov 2016it looks better than expected ... it's the first model and ... moreGotta say I agree. This phone does look cool, the thickness doesn't bother me one bit (in fact thin phones bother me), the looks are better than many stuff currently in the market with their "clean simple" bland and boring looks.
Specially looks way better than the older concept dummies of the Ara we've seen a year or two ago.
- k
- krystian
- kx$
- 11 Nov 2016
The problem is phones already last pretty long anyways. Users all want great design. Users want simplicity. So this only really appeals to the enthusiasts, but it ruins it by making the changes external and ruining the look of phones. The best would be to allow sockets like in PC world where a chip can be taken out and put in. This would only be done by enthusiasts so they wouldn't be your typical customer who doesn't know anything about tech. And of course in these cases the back cover would be removable which already has existed in phones for a while.
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- AnonD-375713
- Pkp
- 11 Nov 2016
FromChinaWithLove, 11 Nov 2016I believe that the reason it got cancelled is because it is... moreI would say it's a financial problem for both consumer and manufacturer.
On the consumer side, you would buy a way more expensive phone for it's specs, in hopes of it lasting long enough for it to be upgraded cheaper than getting another one. If that time frame is too short tho, you lost money on the process.
For the manufacturer, having lots of modules that may or may not sell because of the above mentioned, and a phone that's expensive for what it offers to begin with, is a gamble too big to take.
Honestly I don't see future on this concept, albeit really cool. Think of how modular our PCs are, and how we upgrade them, no big modules on a "snap here" box (albeit quite simple if you just follow the basics), but the concept is solid and has been working that way for decades now, in fact my soundcard is more than 10 years old and working fine with the rest of the stuff.
I would see future on a modular phone with less "dumbing down" on the process, just internal boards and such that are standardized.
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- AnonD-285870
- 4As
- 11 Nov 2016
why it looks so bulky?
hardware frame style and color can not be changed :( boring!.
who can use the same looking phone for over a year? boring!
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- FromChinaWithLove
- jes
- 11 Nov 2016
Gilda, 11 Nov 2016A modular smartphone would be very practical but ugly. I believe that the reason it got cancelled is because it is not practical enough. I meant however they've thought of it a few years and now it is just not the same. Just think about all the individual modules, sizes, functions,etc etc. Would manufacturers really wanted to make all kind of modules in different shapes and sizes just to wait for some customer(s) to buy them? That's already sounds like a big waste of time and money.