What are the unresolved challenges of modular handsets from Project Ara?

We are in an age of intelligence, and mobile phones are almost the closest tool we have. But there is not much to say about how this gadget should be made, what to do, how to design it. If there is a smart phone that you can design and tailor, you can describe your story as a canvas, does this sound cool?

Google Project Ara is keenly aware of the potential needs of users to pursue personalization, and is committed to creating a modular mobile phone. Its unique is that the user can be independent of the battery, camera, display and other components to match, you can individually upgrade each module, in this smart phone rapid iteration of the era, no longer because of the configuration behind the replacement of mobile phones.

That is, by using this modular platform, you can choose a camera for your phone without having to have a built-in camera, you can configure a battery pack that lasts a lot of days, a great speaker, a scanner to monitor your heartbeat, or a blood-sugar monitoring component.

Of course, if you are not satisfied with some of the modules, you can unlock any of the modules at any time. For example, the display resolution is a bit low, no problem can be replaced, think the camera is not high-end, you can replace it, you can also join to share a module, or with friends to exchange different modules. These modules are also relatively simple to replace, lightweight and easy to carry.

These options are not limited, the key is to see a person's preferences, as in the Google Play store to choose Apps, you can choose to gradually buy modules to upgrade their smartphones, reduce a lot of unnecessary costs and waste. Eventually assembled into a modular mobile phone will have unlimited possibilities, to meet some of the user's deep customization and DIY personalized needs.

Paul Ermenko, director of Google Project Ara program, said consumers were eager to have their own options, and when there were multiple options, they would just hold on to them, but afterwards they would feel that their original choice was a bit inappropriate.

"Modular mobile phone Project Ara is full of choices, but it allows you to experience the options, validate them in reality, and pick the one that best suits you." "Ermenko said.

Google Project Ara second generation prototype

In the recent Google's "Modular Equipment Developers Conference", Google Project Ara launched the second generation of prototype machine Spiral 2, the previous Spiral 1 was upgraded. For example, Spiral2 joined the 3G modem and the RF wireless bus; Spiral 2 's core skeleton is an electro-magnet system that can be fixed on the phone, leaving more room for additional modules.

In terms of design, Google had hoped to customize project Ara with 3D printing, but this was a little idealistic. At present, Google's approach is to users can be their favorite high-resolution full-color graphics, through the dye sublimation technology printed on the polycarbonate shell, such advantages are usually like small cat users can directly build their favorite image, like basketball can be the shell screen to play the image of their idols.

From the configuration, the second generation of prototype machine Spiral 2 has 11 operating modules, Google is expected to increase to 20-30 in the future. Spiral2 will launch pilot sales in the second half of this year in the United States of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico).

The concept of modular mobile phones has a long history, what are the challenges that prevent it from being published?

The concept of modular mobile phones has a long history. For example, in 2012, Israeli designers developed a modular cell phone called Mobikoma, and in 2013 Sony designers also launched a modular cell phone called Xtrud, which supports the split and customization of modules.

In the same year, ZTE's design team also launched a modular mobile phone called Eco-mobius phones, which allows users to assemble and upgrade parts of the phone easily.

But at present, there are some influence and the attention of the outside two products, one is from the Finnish team circular devices developed modular mobile phone brand Puzzlephone, its hardware and software easy to repair and upgrade, with a lot of flexibility.

The other is the above mentioned Google Project Ara. According to Wired magazine, the novel design of the Project ARA module originated in Lapka, a sensor-driven hardware company. Their team met with the Google team to envision Project Ara.

In Lapka's official blog, we found that the design was inspired by high-end sneakers, combining unique materials and textures. Vadik Marmeladov, co-founder and creative director of Lapka, believes design style is critical, saying that the flip side of Project Ara is that fashion and technology can blend together.

"All of these companies, such as Zara, H&m, work with brands like Margiela or Alexander Wang to create limited-edition products for global sales," Marmeladov said, "which is also true in the scientific community, Lapka can be high-end fashion brands, We work with Google to create a particularly design-specific products, the introduction of our brand unique ideas. ”

Perhaps the real potential of Project Ara modular mobile phones is that it creates unlimited possibilities to extend the phone to all dimensions. The second-generation prototypes are still being iterated.

But why are these high-profile modular phones so slow to come out? What challenges does it need to address in the process of iterative?

The first is hardware standardization. Modular mobile phone components are made by different brands of mobile phone manufacturers to complete, these manufacturers need to work together to establish a unified set of hardware standards, otherwise the hardware performance matching can not meet the requirements of each module is not compatible with each other, can not ensure the stable operation of the mobile phone.

The second is durability. The above mentioned Google Project Ara is through the electric permanent magnet to the various modules tightly together, this result is very large power consumption, only to maintain the connection between the modules will have to account for 20% of the electricity. The user has to complete the hot plug process of the battery in 30 seconds, otherwise the cell phone will lose power. Ermenko, the project director, hopes that the next generation of SPIRAL3 will extend the time to 1-2 minutes.

Third, the design requirements. Google Project Ara because it is assembled from various modules, and its space is much larger than the integration of the smart phone. Then how to ensure that the modular mobile phone is not bulky, to meet consumer demand for thin cell phones, but also a major technical difficulties.

Finally, the target customer base. Modular mobile phone has not really come out, the current ordinary users of its attitude is not very clear, but at least now, the modular mobile phone is full of expectations of users mainly to the geek, but also includes some pursuit of cost-effective users, ordinary users do not seem to have too much attention.

Regardless of the usefulness of modular handsets, the real potential is to create an infinite number of possibilities. In today's global smartphone competition in the Red Sea market, such differentiation is not a good attempt.

(Responsible editor: Mengyishan)