Kellen
Well, folks, Motorola’s modular smartphone platform called Project Ara has a manufacturing partner. The company is called 3D Systems, a 3D printing outfit that helped them with their MakeWithMoto campaign shortly after the Moto X launch. 3D Systems will attempt to “create a continuous high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfillment system” to help deliver the pieces needed to make modular phones a reality.
For those not familiar, Project Ara is somewhat of a moonshot for Motorola, in that they want to build smartphones that can be pieced together with hardware modules, upgraded with individual parts, and produced at affordable prices for consumers. If you remember Phonebloks, then you’ll know Ara. In fact, Motorola has teamed up with Phonebloks to get community feedback and to help drive the initiative.
With a manufacturing partner now in place, we’re one step closer to life with modular smartphones. 3D Systems CEO had this to say about the deal, “3D printing promotes a level of sustainability, functionality, and mass personalization that turns these kinds of global ambitions into attainable local realities. Project Ara combines two exponential technologies, and we expect that the resulting high-throughput advanced manufacturing platform will have far reaching implications on the entire digital thread that stitches together the factory of the future.”
Still excited about modular smartphones? Or do you still have your doubts?
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