Google will launch a Project Ara modular phone for consumers in 2017
Google made one hell of an announcement, on the very last day of its I/O 2016 developer conference: Project Ara i finally coming to life! The tech giant made the announcement earlier today that developer versions for the modular smartphone will be shipping to developers later this year, and a consumer version will be ready for launch in 2017. Why is this a big deal you ask? Well, for the uninitiated, Project Ara has been a vision for Google’s experimental division for a few years now. The Advanced Technology and Products division, ATAP for short, has been on a mission to build the world’s first modular smartphone. Basically a Lego-like customisable phone, where you can swap out parts on the fly. Have to catch your child’s part in the school play on camera? Swap in a telephoto lens. Need something to do on a long trip? Maybe consider and e-ink display, or perhaps just a larger battery and a better loudspeaker module. The end-vision is that Google’s device will essentially be a sk