For years, Google’s intriguing Project Ara has languished internally, a perpetual dream that was never quite ready for prime time. Project Ara was an attempt at creating a modular phone, one where components and hardware could be mixed and matched to suit a user’s unique preferences. It was an intriguing idea, and now it’s dead.
Reuters is reporting that Google has killed Project Ara, just months after a May conference in which it had announced plans to ship a developer version this fall. The move is part of a larger attempt at restructuring Google’s hardware efforts, which include Android phones and Chromebook laptops.
For all of the pros of Ara phones — prolonging technology lifespan, reducing waste — there were also cons, such as their bulky form factor.
It’s possible that Google may still work with other companies to bring the tech to market, but they are no longer planning to release the devices themselves.
