Project Ara is a modular smartphone from Google that is made of a central module board with which individual modules that can be connected. The phone will include a structural frame that holds modules of the owner’s choice, such as a display, camera or an extra battery.

The owner’s can choose location of various modules on the structural frame. However, the patented design shows a particular placement of these modules. This indicates that Google might be planning to sell a base phone with pre-packaged modules as shown in the design patent. Thereafter, the owner’s may replace individual modules if they malfunction or when an upgrade is required.

The phone will provide longer lifetime cycles for the handset, and potentially reducing electronic waste.

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