Are electropermanent magnets to blame for Project Ara’s delay?
The future of Project Ara is slightly unclear but at least we know it is not going away. Even after canceling the market pilot in Puerto Rico, Google’s Advanced Technology & Projects (ATAP) group remains set on debuting the modular phone in the United States sometime in 2016. The delay to next year may have to do with the way Project Ara handles drop tests.
We are testing a signature experience to attach/detach modules. #ProjectAra #HopeYouLikeIt
— Project Ara (@ProjectAra) August 19, 2015
Project Ara uses electropermanent magnets in order to attach and detach modules; however, based on the tweets above, they are not capable of managing drops. What happens when a Project Ara phone is dropped? That hasn’t been specified. Either the modules get severely damaged or they are knocked out of place completely. So now the team has to find a way for modules to be locked into place yet easily interchangeable.
Source: Project Ara (Twitter)
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