Google first announced its plans to produce a smartphone with interchangeable hardware modules in February. Today, the company announced that the first version of the phone, which is currently being developed with the name "Project Ara" will go on sale in January 2015.
CNet reports that Google set the launch date as part of its first Project Ara developers conference, which was held today in San Francisco. The price for the base device will be just $50, but the whole idea behind this effort is that consumers will then purchase additional modules for hardware upgrades, such as a bigger display, a faster processor and more.
In fact, the phone will have a dull grey color when it is released. Project Ara leader Paul Eremenko told the audience at the conference that color choice was made in order to encourage people to customize the device.
Project Ara will run on a version of Android and Eremenko said that the OS will be updated to support the smartphone"s modules sometime in December, just before the first product is released. The physical skeleton that it will use to hold each module is supposed to last from five to six years, and each module is attached via electro-permanent magnets. Third party developers will be able to create their own modules and then manufacture them by using a 3D printer.
Source: CNet | Image via Google