Project Ara isn't turning out the way Phoneblok's creator had hoped for when it joined forces with Motorola and Google to work on a modular mobile device.
Dave Hakkens has been working on his own concept for a modular phone, an idea in which users can upgrade various parts of their mobile devices by swapping out parts, such as a camera or fingerprint scanner module, instead of purchasing a new phone or tablet.
In 2013, Hakkens' announcement of his Phonebloks concept brought Motorola out of hiding. Motorola had been working on its own design for a modular phone, so the two parties joined forces.
But now, nearly three years later, Hakkens expressed his frustrations with the direction in which Project Ara is heading.
Alright, Break It Up
Hakkens has three major complaints about Project Ara. First, he said that the phone's build is not modular enough.
His vision of a modular phone entails the mass availability of a device in which all of the key parts are upgradable. This cuts down the cost of upgrading to new technology and reduces e-waste.
With its most recent update, the Project Ara prototype has had many of its core components pushed into its torso. The phone's display, CPU, sensors, battery and antennas have all been built into one module.
Now the add-on modules only cover non-essential components such as speakers and cameras, things that let users customize their phones "for fun."
"It means your phone still gets obsolete after a while," said Hakkens. "What if your screen breaks? Well you still need to replace the entire phone. And after a couple of years it gets slow and you need to replace your entire skeleton."
While pleased that Project Ara has taken on a simplified design that is comparable to the original Phonebloks, he said this simplification could shorten the phone's life span.
"They got rid of the 'pebble look' and made it very basic, stripped it down to the essentials," Hakkens said. "I believe this is a key thing when you want to make something that lasts, make sure the design won't be in the way after a while."
Finally, Hakkens wants Google to be more open with Project Ara.
With Google in charge of every facet of the modular phone's development, Project Ara isn't completely open, according to Hakkens. Should the phone be released under the current structure, third-party module developers would be subject to Google's sole discretion of future builds and compatibility.
"It's a powerful ecosystem which shouldn't be in the hands of one organization," Hakkens said.
While being highly critical of Project Ara's current state, Hakkens acknowledged that Google has a sack full of courage, so to speak, and it is proving that by undertaking the modular phone project. It's just that he thinks the company can do better.
Role Modules
Google may be going the deepest, but what it's doing has already been done. LG recently launched its G5 flagship phone along with "LG Friends," modules that add extra functionality to the new smartphone.
The G5 can be upgraded with modules that can be inserted into the base of the handset, offering new abilities such as an extended battery life and finer control over the phone's camera.
Motorola might also be working on similar modules, called MotoMods or "Amps," for its upcoming Moto Z series.
Check out Hakkens' vision of what he wanted Phonebloks to be:
