Project Ara phones consist of a series of individual user-assembled components. The model allows a user to buy a relatively cheap device off the shelf and then upgrade it with the parts that matter most to them.
A photographer may opt to add a sophisticated camera and lots of storage, things that may not matter so much to a business user on the go. That person may benefit more from a high-resolution, accurate display and a larger battery, deciding to pay for the premium in those parts instead.
The project was set to see its formal launch in Puerto Rico later this year. The plan has now been delayed until 2016 and the announcement will be taking place in the US instead. Although there has been no official explanation of why, a tweet from the Project Ara team appears to indicate that it is likely connected to how the phones are held together.
Electropermanent magnets keep the modules tightly seated, or so it has been thought. Google has said that using these magnets makes it easy for modules to be easily swapped out and replaced while still keeping them secure in their places when connected. It seems as though that may not always apply.
A tweet from the team states “No more electropermanent magnets #FailedTheDropTest”, followed by “We are testing a signature experience to attach/detach modules.”
It’s strongly suggestive of a weak construction overall that allowed the phones to crumble to their individual modules when dropped on a hard surface. The team has not elaborated on what will be used instead of the magnets although a “signature experience” certainly sounds interesting.
There’s now no timeframe on when Project Ara will get to see the light of day. The project’s development has drawn a long line of patient fans waiting to build their own phones and it has seemed as though the time has started to come closer. The team returning to the drawing board may seem unfortunate at first but in the long run it should make for a stronger, more enjoyable product.
