Google's Project Ara, an ambitious project which involves swapping modules of a smartphone similar to upgrading components of a desktop or laptop computer, will provide users with more than just the ability to change inferior modules for superior ones. Now, according to Google, the company is currently immersed in its first ever Project Ara device, the Spiral 2.
The Spiral 2, as explained by Extreme Tech, is expected to possess multiple modules, allowing smartphone owners to swap them with greater flexibility as well as the option to change the battery when the mobile device enters its low power state. In addition, the device will also be featuring the capabilities to change its antennas to allow for better wireless and multiple carrier connectivity performance. According to the website, it will also be shifted from FPGAs to ASICs. Field Programmable Gate Arrays or FPGAs will be replaced with application-specific integrated circuits or ASICs to deliver better performance and low energy consumption across all devices.
However, the Spiral 2 is reportedly still resonating problems, with signal loss and application framework issues being the core problems. The application framework is responsible for disengaging the modules to allow them to be swapped with a better one. It can be surmised that Google is still exerting a significant amount of effort in ensuring that these problems do not occur on a consumer level.
Extreme Tech also mentioned that the Google's answer to a better device will no doubt be the Spiral 2's successor, the Spiral 3, which will come accompanied with radio frequency field improvements. The Spiral 3 will feature "out of the box" 4G LTE connectivity along with an improved interface that will make the process of swapping every single component in the mobile device effortless.
Google has not stated the initial price tag of the Spiral 2 and its successor, the Spiral 3, but earlier reports suggest that the starting price of Project Ara's smartphones will be $50, and will increase depending on what kind of module is being swapped with the existing one.
