Flashback: Project Ara promised easy to upgrade modular phones but never delivered
- G
- Gary
- jAJ
- 28 Jul 2019
Prior to dying, Ara changed over to what was basically a moto mod model. The "endo" wuld be a complete phone, complete with a non removable battery, and the modules were gimicky accessories. I was super excited when Google first announced they were picking up phoneblocks, but they killed it like they kill everything else.
https://killedbygoogle.com/
- ?
- Anonymous
- bam
- 28 Jul 2019
Carol, 28 Jul 2019What phone works for more then 2 years without problems #ba... moreCarol, I still run my Galaxy S6 from release date, had some battery issues and software problems, both issues got resolved with a factory reset. Battery is now not the same but I can last a whole day with my type of usage which includes watching some live streams throughout the day.
Do you leave your phone charging overnigth? Do you let it run out of battery? Are you turning your phone off at all? All these factors can affect, phones are pretty reliable but people use it like if they were toys and then claim them not lasting... These are delicate devices, not meant to receive any impacts.
- ?
- Anonymous
- LQv
- 28 Jul 2019
It would never work like desktop PC.
Every year the pieces inside phones have different sizes.
You cant just take out your 1/3" camera sensor and insert 1/2" ..
Different connections all over the phone etc ....
- ?
- Anonymous
- JEF
- 28 Jul 2019
Wish to become true...
- Me a few years ago
- C
- Carol
- mgK
- 28 Jul 2019
Anonymous, 28 Jul 2019Because recently many people stopped doing that, the phones... moreWhat phone works for more then 2 years without problems #battery would be the first, and ups is sealed... nope, nothing compares with a good modular device that can actually help to produce less garbage and in the same time would have still bring money to companies.
- C
- Carol
- mgK
- 28 Jul 2019
geekacontra, 28 Jul 2019modular smartphone? a pretty much deceased at the birth ide... moreWow, you don't say, because the devices this times are quite small, and fit your pocket perfektly.... announcing the sarcams.
- ?
- Anonymous
- mqu
- 28 Jul 2019
They should try again.
- ?
- Anonymous
- 7tV
- 28 Jul 2019
I personally think that a huge conspiracy could be the force behind the demise of Project Ara.
For one, it would have resulted in huge revenue losses for hardware based companies like Samsung,HTC,LG etc who don’t have a saoftware ecosystem for revenue.
They might have threatened Google with dire consequences (eg siding with Microsoft).
Ultimately, Google, which needed hardware partners to ensure Android’s success, has to probably bow down to this pressure.
Alternately, Google sensed that Motorola’s Ara might mean that the total number of handsets produced would drop, and this could potentially affect Android’s grasp on the smartphone market. They bought Moto, kept the patents, got sufficient proprietary stuff to ensure Android is safe from patent sharks and then slowly and secretly killed Ara, while feeding media outlets and customers fake stories about potential development and progess of the project.
All speculation of course, but its fun to think :) and I wouldn’t put it above Google to implement such tactics.
- ?
- Anonymous
- M{3
- 28 Jul 2019
Simon, 28 Jul 2019Why would any hardware manufacturer want to miss out on sel... moreBecause recently many people stopped doing that, the phones are great today, why buy a new one when the current one will work for 3-5 years? only planned obsolescence may force people to upgrade, some people are sick of that and move back to so called "dumbphone".
- ?
- Anonymous
- 38E
- 28 Jul 2019
I think google should focus first on easy generic software upgrade like Microsoft does with PCs.
- Galaxy Note 10 Pro
- YM3
- 28 Jul 2019
But global spying government and supportive enterprises (though they create smoke screens on privacy, security etc) never like any Mobile device with removable battery, that is needed for spying your speeches, geo location tags etc....I am sure they would never allow this to succeed!!
- P
- PRoArtsy
- X{W
- 28 Jul 2019
Wrong article... We failed to choose Modular over slim and bezel less phones!
- Galaxy Note 10 Pro
- YM3
- 28 Jul 2019
The real problem could be the OS and software with incompatible configuration.....to support upgrades, security nightmare, many other unforeseen, unlimited scenarios... Windows did its it's best with components adding/modif hardware to the system...I am not sure with mobiles this can be adopted in a big way like desktops...but it's a fantastic idea, hope it is relaunched with some more focus
- R
- Ravi Kumar
- t1}
- 28 Jul 2019
very innovative everyone gonna love this feature
- S
- Simon
- JxP
- 28 Jul 2019
Why would any hardware manufacturer want to miss out on selling almost bi-yearly minor upgrades of the entire phone, versus selling just a battery or camera module...
Strange...
- ?
- Anonymous
- HJD
- 28 Jul 2019
Google has so much money, if they would have invested a little more Ara would have been a success. Maybe not in the mainstream, but there are a lot of users that care about this kind of stuff.
- L
- Love the Community
- Fv4
- 28 Jul 2019
I even won a debate with thinking that Project Ara is the future.
Here's a meme. If this phone gets to be released, it's gonna be meant for older sisters and mothers. Ara Ara!
- f
- funkboy
- 0Ja
- 28 Jul 2019
Fairphone2 is about as close as you're going to get...
- g
- geekacontra
- JEF
- 28 Jul 2019
modular smartphone? a pretty much deceased at the birth idea. simply: such a device cannot keep up with the development of the technology. unless you like to walk with a brick sized phone in your shirt pocket... modular device (by definition...) = well defined fixed dimensions modules and positions in order to ensure connections compatibility and assembling => a large enough casing capable to house all the devices, no way to increase the size of the display if you decide that, for instance, 4" is not anymore sufficient and decided to go for a 5" or a 6"-er... standardized sizes for the modules, thus wasting space with smaller sized modules (technology advances...), no room enough for larger camera rigs, no room for (physically) larger battery, cooling and water ingress protection issues, no optimization possibilities for the individual components as the individual casings have to follow the predefined dimensions and configuration, and so on, and so on.... no conspiracy there, just a designers' and manufacturers' nightmare.
- A
- Arol
- mVu
- 28 Jul 2019
stoopie, 28 Jul 2019Project Ara was bought by Google for google wanted it to fa... moreSad but true.