Google is to delay the trial of its modular smartphone until next year at the earliest as its development proved more complicated than had been expected.
Project Ara aims to build a mobile device with numerous removable components, which would allow users to change multiple parts including the screen, battery and memory.
This would make it easier for people to replace broken parts or boost their device’s power as time went on.
First unveiled in 2013 and officially debuted at Google’s recent developers’ conference, Ara was due to be trialled in Puerto Rico later this year.
However the team behind the project have now tweeted to say the trial would be moved to the United States – and would not take place until next year.
When? 2016. #yeswearelate #ProjectAra
— Project Ara (@ProjectAra) August 17, 2015
A subsequent tweet said there had been “lots of iterations” involved in the building process which had caused the delay.
Why? Lots of iterations... more than we thought. #ProjectAra
— Project Ara (@ProjectAra) August 17, 2015
