Google gave the audience members of the I/O event a sneak peak of the smartphone prototype from its currently on-going initiative, the Project Ara.
Although the demonstration of the modular handset was brief, it confirms that Google is still serious about the project and is dedicated to bringing it to the public soon, Gizmodo reported.
The Project Ara, which revolves around a fully customizable smartphone that comes with swappable panels and components, began in 2012 shortly after Google acquired Motorola Mobility.
Then, a year later, Project Ara was officially announced to the public. Due to its innovative nature, the program received a lot of hype from the tech industry. However, media coverage on the subject began to dwindle as no new updates were released regarding the initiative.
But then, during the recent I/O event, engineer Rafa Camargo of Google appeared on stage carrying a tray filled with Project Ara parts. He then began assembling the device by inserting the different panels onto the frame.
A few moments later, he turned on the device and opened its camera app. At first, only blank screen with a "no camera detected" icon was displayed. He then took the camera module panel and inserted it in the device which immediately activated the app. With the device and camera app running perfectly, he took a picture of the crowd, according to The Verge.
Although Camargo's presentation was not flashy and did not involve an elaborate speech about the device, the simple demonstration was enough to impress the crowd. In just a few minutes, the engineer was able to assemble a fully functioning smartphone. In the demo, the handset was running on the latest version of Android. It was not confirmed if the OS was the Android M or Lollipop.
Despite the demonstration, Camargo did not mention when Project Ara will be commercially available to the public. But given Google's progress with the prototype, it seems the company is getting ready to release the modular handset soon.
