Google's modular smartphone concept is called Project Ara, and it is still a "crazy" at the moment. The main trend of current mobile smart devices is as small as possible, performance as powerful, and Google is trying to do a completely opposite. Google believes that people should be interested in DIY's own mobile phones and can be interested in free of which any part of the components.
However, in order to provide consumers with highly customizable power, Google also discards such as high configuration, compact design, and attractive attractions to ordinary, these are the costs that must be paid.
Project ARA is based on modular concept, making consumers to assemble through small single parts, not only speeds up the speed of replacement, but also shorten the development cycle of the product. Project Ara team member Kaigham Gabriel said that relative to software development, the hardware development cycle of smartphones is very long, and the general smartphone manufacturers are launching an upgraded holy grain every year, but it takes longer to take ahead of time. Prepare. Gabriel Any modular Project Ara mobile phone can not only be upgraded, but also effectively shorten the update cycle, only a new product can be born in only a few months.
The so-called modular mobile phone is that the user can choose part of the part to assemble, including processors, display, batteries, keyboards and other components. For ARA, it is initially only one skeleton, which is a motherboard, and users need to purchase other modules separately, and put them onto the skeleton and assemble into a complete mobile phone. These modules are divided into preamp blocks and post modules. The former refers to a part that affects the user's interaction, such as screen, speaker, microphone, etc .; the rear module is a function, but does not directly face the user's module.
Google provides a large, medium and small hardware platform for users to choose, and three dimensions are targeted for different levels of smartphone products on the market. The smallest dimension faces ordinary functional machines, and medium and large frames face opponents such as Nexus 5 and Galaxy Note 3. The size of each size is determined by the skeleton size, that is, the aluminum block, which is designed by Google, which is responsible for manufacturing by Taiwanese manufacturers. The thickness of each frame is 9 mm. Each skeleton has a positive opposite side. The front is a groove reserved for the display, and there is also a speaker, a front camera, and other components such as a minimum of 400 mA when it comes with a minimum of 400 mA. In a medium-sized skeleton, 10 components can be plugged, including preset communication modules and a backup battery. It is worth mentioning that in addition to the antenna, there must be a fixed location, the other components support hot swap, such as when the phone is running out, you can remove the camera module and put a battery.
In addition to the battery, each frame only provides a circuit board, so consumers must purchase all parts of the part for their own Project Ara mobile phone. The price of these parts also determine the cost of modular mobile phones in the hand of consumers. If you want a high-pixel camera and a better processor, you need to pay additional purchase.
Of course, the entire Project Ara team is still facing some challenges, and these are enough to affect their development. First, there is no operating system on the market to develop a modular mobile phone. Therefore, you need to make the Project Ara product work through the easiest way, you need a lot necessary to make a lot of necessary modifications to the software interface; in addition, Project Ara team must develop A physical interface suitable for modules is connected to each other, because Project Ara smartphones are not like ordinary products, which can be connected by welding, and both to ensure the speed of data transmission and ensure the stability of the product.
Stability is also very important for Project Ara products. When it refers to the modular mobile phone, many people first think that they will fall to the ground, they will fall from seven zero. However, good news is that the Project Ara team has said that each module connected by electromagnetic mode can withstand the force of up to 30 Newton, while ordinary falls cannot be separated from each other.
If you want to break down or add a new module, the user must turn off the electromagnetic connection and additional 5 Newton can be separated. This intensity is sufficient to deal with damage due to accidents.
Project ARA is the future trend of smartphones, or is it just a selection?
The above introduction allows Project Ara to look omnably, it seems that everyone has a successful grasp of success, but everyone is concerned about whether Project Ara will develop into a smart phone, at least in the current modular mobile phone and 2014 The phone is still completely different. Many of the current smartphone manufacturers have adopted a highly integrated design, and even the batteries cannot be replaced, and Google wants consumers to assemble mobile phones themselves. The advantage of doing this is that many consumers can select some modules based on their needs and interests. Therefore, the future Project ARA is very likely to evolve into some people, but not all.
Project Ara phones seem to be difficult to do like HTC One M8 and iPhone 5s. The current mainstream aesthetics is still dominated by integration. At this time, if you want users to go to use the appearance, the cumbersome mobile phones are not easy, after all, the Hi and mobile phone enthusiasts are still a small number. Google also acknowledges that future Project Ara products will have a large phase of the modern mobile phone style.
There may be some people who prefer the upgradeability of Project Ara, and these people will definitely discover the same pleasure with the assembly PC on Project Ara. It is very interesting to upgrade your smartphone like upgrading your PC, but the interest of ordinary consumption is never here.
Gabriel expects Project Ara products to be 25% higher than that of ordinary smartphones. In addition to prices, Project Ara smartphones will also be more powerful, therefore requires a larger capacity battery. Google proves that the only way to value the value of Project Ara is to speed up product upgrade cycle and reduce upgrade costs. And those who like to toss have not far from Project Ara, but for consumers who like to enjoy simple life, the highly customizable of Project Ara does not seem to attractive.
The other advantage of Project Ara is that it can be used as a platform, allowing any manufacturer to produce the modules available for Project Ara projects under Google. This means that a Project ARA device may not be like a traditional smartphone, but only some of the mobile device design, and the manufacturer specializes in launching a special module such as medical, education, etc., nor is it possible.
Project ARA makes mobile phone hardware to play like apps, allowing users to give full play to creativity. However, taking into account the current level of the highly integrated mobile phone today, in a short time, Project Ara products will still be a threat to traditional smartphones, just a fresh thing for the niche market.
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