The project motorola ara It is one of the most ambitious that has been known for some time in the segment of mobile phones. With it, the North American company seeks to achieve modular designs in the manufacture of these devices and, therefore, achieve that parts can be replaced at will.
Therefore, the idea is to be able change components of a phone with great simplicity ... not as much as installing an application, but the general idea is that. So at least they come off the statements that have been published from Motorola: "we want to do with hardware what Android has achieved with software”. As an idea, it's not bad at all.
The project is of open source, which is very interesting since anyone who wants to participate will not have problems with patents and the like and, in addition, this fits into the policy of Google (current owner of the manufacturer). In addition, it has announced that it will support the development of hardware that fits the Motorola Ara project, which is an attempt to attract different manufacturers. The goal is to create a broad ecosystem of interoperable modules where the base or endo act as the terminal's chassis and internal network.
With a great collaboration with Phonebloks
This company, and more specifically its community, will be one of the major players in the project. This is only natural, as it recently presented a project terminal in conceptual form -as you can see in the video that we leave below-, and has some experience when working on getting devices that are modular. His vision directly influenced the definition of modules and the endoskeleton..
The truth is that, capturing the idea more than the conceptual designs that are seen in the video, it is interesting to be able to create phones in which you can change components at will such as processors, displays, and even connections. All this, obviously, held by a casing (skeleton) called "endo". The endo not only supports, it also interconnects the modules and manages energy.
Ara Architecture: Endos, Frames and Modules
Ara phones are built on endoskeletal frames (“endos”) with front slots for the display and other modules, and additional standardized rear slots. The frame acts as a backbone and internal data switch., joining all the modules together.
There will be several frame sizes: mini, medium and large. The measurements considered for the prototypes were as a reference: mini (45 × 118 × 9,7 mm, rear 2 × 5 slots), medium (68 × 141 × 9,7 mm, 3 × 6) and large (91 × 164 × 9,7 mm, 4 × 7). On the front, the slots occupy the entire width allowing different module heights; behind, the sizes are standard 1×1, 1×2 and 2×2 to combine functions. Each slot accepts any module of the correct size.
To ensure the hot swappability, the endo integrates a small backup battery, so that the main battery can be removed or a component replaced without turning off the phone. The modules are secured by electropermanent magnets which provide security and allow for a slim design (the total thickness of the lens was around 9,7 mm). The housings of the modules were designed using 3D printing. for aesthetic customization and rapid iteration.
The plan included a affordable starter kit with a frame, a display, a battery, a low-cost CPU and Wi-Fi, and frames that were estimated to cost little to manufacture. The idea was for the frame to be the only component produced by Google, opening the rest of the hardware to third parties.
Open ecosystem, development and module store
The project was promoted by aTAP (Advanced Technology and Projects). Its development and leadership fell to profiles with experience in accelerated innovation, such as Paul Eremenko, with clear vision: drastically lower the barrier to entry for hardware so that millions of developers could create modules, not just a few companies.
Initiatives such as the community of Ara Scouts and a traveling co-creation program to gather ideas and measure real interest in personalization. The route included workshops, functional prototypes and direct contact with makers..
Technically, the first kits used a AraMIPI UniPro implementation on FPGAs running on the LVDS physical layer to validate communication between modules. The following revisions planned to make the jump to ASIC UniPro higher performance over M‑PHY, with efficiency and latency improvements. Android incorporated a module manager to view, activate or deactivate each piece via software.
The distribution contemplated a official module store and support for third-party stores. By default, the phone would accept certified modules, although the user could enable unofficial modules, similar to side loading of apps on Android. A range of modules was considered ranging from cameras, speakers or sensors to specialized functions such as pico projectors, receipt printers, night vision, gaming buttons or medical devices.
Technical, regulatory and product challenges
Modularity involves compromises in volume, weight and consumptionAn additional cost of less than 25% was estimated compared to integrated designs, which was considered acceptable if flexibility and extended service life were achieved. Thermal dissipation and signal integrity between modules were critical areas.
In regulation, doubts arose about the homologation of combinations: Agencies typically certify closed configurations. However, discussions with regulators were positive. Logistics and after-sales support added complexity: managing inventory of multiple modules, compatibility and heterogeneous update cycles.
In public demonstration scenarios they were seen prototypes close to production, although not always free of incidents (such as boot freezes in early stages). All of this served to refine the approach and prioritize the “plug and play” experience.
Project status, alternatives and legacy
Although the initiative was stopped before its mass commercialization, its legacy permeated proposals such as the Moto Mods (magnetic accessories on Pogo pins that added battery, speaker, camera or projector), the modules LG Friends of the G5 or the approach focused on Fairphone repairability. The key learning: Users value simple upgrades that don’t compromise the phone’s core functionality.
The current context favors a return to modularity: European regulations promoting replaceable batteries, greater pressure for sustainability and commitments to long periods of software updatesWith more efficient technology and cheaper components, the idea of a phone that adapts, repairs, and evolves takes on new meaning.
Vía: SmartZone.
Now we just have to wait how is the evolution of this Motorola Ara, that the truth is interesting and that, in reality, heavily dependent on the involvement of hardware manufacturers, since without them putting compatible components on the market there is nothing to do. But if you do, it could be a very important step in the future. Ara's vision continues to shape the conversation about how to extend the life of mobile phones and make them truly personal..