Few people can actually say that they regularly use all of the hardware and cool apps their smartphones offer. Let’s face it, you probably use the typical social networking apps, plus a few more for business and gaming needs. As such, Google has taken it upon themselves to do what they do best and innovate a phone that is truly unique to its user. Introducing the first do-it-yourself smartphone.
Google’s Project Ara dev boards will be available to developers by the end of the month. The tech giant wants to launch a DIY smartphone by 2015 and is now accepting applications from developers to test the technology. The concept behind the project is that users will finally be able to customize their smartphones with hardware that they actually need.
Smartphones that are sold today come with a vast amount of preset hardware and applications that users simply don’t use. Now, thanks to Google, users will be able to switch out pieces of hardware from the mainboard that connects everything together. Things such as the camera, RAM, processors, batteries, and other parts of your phone will all be customizable. Think about it, you can finally have a phone that doesn’t die every two hours!
The concept behind the project is that users will finally be able to customize their smartphones with hardware that they actually need.
Google plans to send out the dev boards to developers after the first round of applications ceases on July 17th. The second round of applications starts on July 18th and ends on August 17th. Due to the limited number of dev boards available, only the most innovative applications will move forward.
According to VentureBeat, analyst Brad Shimmin from research firm Current Analysis pointed out that the Ara phone is a step in the opposite direction from the development of smartphones thus far, which have been designed to be "a blank slate" on which an app could impost any function. But complete Ara phones are intended to become highly specialized—although adaptable—devices.
As exciting as it is to hear of the newest phones coming out, Ara may create an entire new wave of technology for consumers to get giddy about.
[via Forbes]
