Project Ara is a modular cell phone that can be customised by swapping out individual pieces, such as the battery or camera. The intention is that instead of buying a new smartphone, users can simply upgrade out-of-date elements or replace malfunctioning components. In this way, the Ara could have a useful working life of five or six years. Of course, any half-decent piece of equipment should have a shelf life of at least that amount of time, but other factors prevail, such as obsolescence-inducing OS upgrades. With a $50 base price, Ara could bring smartphones to the six billion people … Continue reading #Google announces Project Ara, the really smart smartphone – an annotated infographic