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October 29, 2013

Motorola Mobility Doubles Down on Customization with Project Ara

It seems that Motorola Mobility is doubling down on customizability in its smartphones. When the handset maker launched the Moto X earlier this year, the device attracted a lot of attention for its accompanying Moto Maker customization site, which allows potential Moto X buyers to select the primary and accent colors of phone, as well as the rear cover’s material. At the time, many wondered if the device would set a new standard for smartphones.

After a few months, it’s debateable whether this will be the case — although the iPhone 5C’s range of colors could serve as a passable argument in the Moto X’s ability to affect the market — but Motorola Mobility hasn’t given up. Indeed, with its newly unveiled Project Ara, the company is making it clear that it believes customization is integral to the future of smartphones.

Project Ara is an open source initiative for modular smartphones that aims to “do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software,” according to Motorola Mobility. The company will create an ecosystem capable of supporting third-party hardware development for individual phone components. This isn’t limited to merely cosmetic alterations, either; phone owners could even upgrade their phone’s processor or display.

To accomplish this, Motorola has teamed up with Phonebloks, which recently embarked on a similar concept for module smartphones. Motorola said it plans to tap into the Phonebloks community throughout the Project Ara development process. Meanwhile, the company will also be reaching out to developers to begin creation of Ara modules soon, with the developer’s kit expected for release in alpha by the winter. Other interested individuals, meanwhile, can sign up to be an Ara Scout now.

The Project Ara design is based around an “endo” — also known as an endoskeleton, the basic structure of the device — which can be customized with modules.




Edited by Blaise McNamee


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