Google's self-made smartphone "Ara" will be released in January 2015 at a discount price starting from 5000 yen

Project on which Google is promoting development "AraIs a "self-made smartphone" that can incorporate modules with the desired functions in the base frame and create an original smartphone. The first developer conference on Ara "Ara Developers Conference (ADC)" was held in California on 15th and 16th April 2014, and the first Ara smartphone "Gray PhoneIt was declared that it will be released in January 2015 at a discount price starting from $ 50 (about 5000 yen).

Project Ara
http://www.projectara.com/

Google targeting project Ara modular phone for January 2015 - CNET
http://www.cnet.com/news/google-targeting-project-ara-phone-for-january-2015/

Paul Elemenko, head of the Ara project, told 200 participants at the ADC venue that "1st piece of Ara smartphone" Gray Phone "in January 2015, about $ 50 ( We plan to release it from about 5000 yen) ". So farAra plans to sell at a discount price from $ 50 (about 5000 yen)It was the first time that information was issued, but it was declared by Google to sell at a super-discount price.


Gray Phone is named gray (gray) in the meaning of Ara's basic 'no-character' base model that users can freely customize. Elemenko says, "Ara is not just a smartphone, but a tool that users can express themselves freely by customizing them like smartphone applications."


The base frame called "endoskeleton" that incorporates the module of Ara smartphone has high durability that can be used for a long period of 5 to 6 years. By doing this, you can always update the smartphone's functionality by replacing the module with the latest one, so you do not have to bother to replace the device all the time. For that reason endoskeleton requires the adoption of long-term standards for the future, Ara has high-speed communication standardsUniProWill be adopted.


Ara is 3 types. Modules are sized based on squares about 2 centimeters square.


The biggest module is that this maximum size is used for modules with SoC and memory mounted at 4.3 centimeters square.


Ara plans to adopt Android for OS, but at present it does not support drivers that can control modular components. "It is true that Android does not yet support Ara hardware, but fortunately we are Google," Elemenko said, and promised to offer Android's Ara driver by December 2014 doing.

Also, Ara smartphones are being considered for selling directly to users from an online store like Google Play in the future. As specified by Google's Ara official website, "Ara is designed for 6 billion people", low price smartphones that cost $ 100 (about 10,000 yen), which is said to have a worldwide demand for a great deal We plan to introduce Ara to the market as well.


The first Ara smartphone "Gray Phone" will be released in January 2015, but Mr. Elemenk admits that the schedule is very strict. It is noteworthy whether Gray Phone will appear in January 2015 as planned.

In addition, the latest video of the remarkable homebrew smartphone Ara can be confirmed below.

Project Ara: building the modular smartphone - YouTube