At its current rate, it looks like Google’s modular handset –
dubbed as Project Ara will hit its target of an early 2015 release. According
to the project’s team leader Paul Eremenko in an interview at the Purdue
University, the smartphone will come with its own store for its modules once
the smartphone launches.
He also added that the store will be very much like Google
Androids Play store with an inventory of components, recommendations and
reviews. Moreover, the MDK (module developer Kit) will be free and accessible
to everyone, which should help improve and diversify the module ecosystem much
like Google Play.
What’s interesting is how Google plans to make all this
happen. Basically, Google wants to give module developers to directly sell
their developed modules directly to consumers. But the question is, who will manufacture
these modules? Will module devs be restricted to only those with manufacturing capabilities
or will there be a third party to facilitate the building process? Well we’ll
just have to wait for Project Ara’s official announcement next year to find
out.
