Vsenn thinks the concept underneath Google's Project Ara is a compelling idea and the startup is now working on its own modular phone.
The concept of modular smartphones follows the conventions of traditional desktop computing. Instead of buying a new PC when the current PC begins to show its age, users can swap out a couple of stick of RAM or slide a faster CPU under a heatsink.
With modular phones, all of the devices' components are serviceable. Swap out a bit of memory to run the latest mobile OS, replace the camera when the budget allows or even reassemble of the devices parts around a larger screen when the idea of a phablet becomes too hard to resist.
Vsenn is starting off by providing the pieces for consumers to upgrade processing power batteries and cameras. At least for the prototype, the CPU and RAM are contained in a singular module.
The newly launched startup was founded by a former Nokia and Android X project manager. The company promises to create a global device that'll fall well below the prices set by competitors.
As a global device, the components of Vsenn's modular smartphone will be the same across every regions. Consumers in emerging markets shouldn't have to fear they'll be offered inferior parts to those shipped to the U.S.
Vsenn is also looking at the information that will flow between its modules, as the company plans to support virtual private networking (VPN) and untouched versions of Google's Android. The modular phone will make use of triple-layer encryption and free access to a VPN network.
As far as Android, Vsenn promised to support its modular phone with regular updates to its OS.
"We know how it is important to take care of our customers, that is why we offer pure Vanilla Android with guaranteed updates for the next 4 years," states Vsenn.
The details on Vsenn's modular phone are sparse and the company hasn't committed to even a broad release window for the device. Meanwhile, Google is preparing to host its second developer's conference for Project Ara and says it expects to launch the phone's pilot at some point in 2015 -- the modular phone has been showing peeks of promise lately.
Google hasn't set a price for Project Ara handsets, going only as far as indicating that the handsets could cost more or less than a smartphone on a carrier contract. The search engine company ultimately hopes to the let the market set the price of the phone and its modules.
"In the end, we expect that module developers will be able to set the prices for their modules sold in the Ara Module Marketplace, much like mobile app developers do in app stores today," states Google.
