Motorola looks to create an open-source hardware modular phone

Motorola’s Project Ara. Building your own smartphone seems like a dream. I hope this catches on. (via Motorola)

Every smartphone has features some users do not want or could do without. It is in that sense that Motorola has turned to designing a modular smartphone, which would allow its users to connect the hardware they prefer for the applications they use. Known as Project Ara, the idea is to design modular pieces that consist of certain hardware elements such as Wi-Fi, connection ports or even keyboards that connect to one another on a basic platform. The idea for the modular phone came from (the now defunct) Phoneblok project that would allow users to pick and choose their own hardware that fastened to a connectable base. Actually, Motorola teamed up with the creators of Phonebloks for their Project Ara and are currently looking to employ what they call ‘Ara Scouts’ to help design the project’s modular pieces.

The possibility of a modular smartphone is certainly incredible. Imagine being able to switch out cameras when a newer version comes along without the need to replace your entire phone or easily replacing a damaged speaker (think the EVO 4G) without the need to get it serviced. Unlike the original Phoneblok design, Ara will use an ‘endoskeleton’ (known as endo) that holds the modules in place, which could include everything from processors, different displays or an extra battery (incredibly convenient). While the prospect of a truly modular phone is only in the planning stages at the moment, Motorola will be releasing a MDK (Mobile Developers Kit) to those who signed up to be an Ara Scout as early as the end of this year. That would mean that a fully modular smartphone could hit the market as early as the middle of next year, however until then we will still have to use our non-modular phones.

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