The phones frame length is variable, with each supporting at least of 6 modules. Each module will be plug and play compatible and can be installed without a reboot. It could potentially revolutionise the smartphone market.

Google modular smartphone, labeled as “Project Ara” is quietly making quick progress. It already has its own business unit within Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group, and the modular technology that has been promised in getting increasingly closer to reality.

Blaise Bertrand, the head of Google’s mysterious ATAP group, has confirmed in Google’s I/O conference that a developer’s version of the modular smartphone will be made available sometime in the 4^th quarter this year, while a “thin, light, beautiful” consumer version of the phone follow suit sometime in 2017.

Considering the ATAP team early technological gains, many thought Google’s ARA smartphone phone will be launched in 2016.

The developer version that was displayed in Google’s I/O hogged the spotlight. It was considerably sleeker than its previous iterations. While earlier, the modules used to be separated from one another by a thick metal grid, in its latest version however there is no visible boundaries between the modules.

Ara’s new frame currently supports six modules as most. Google has called it the “world’s first UniPro network”. Future modules will be backward compatible and varied frame lengths.

Installing and using the modules will be a breeze with plug and play convenience. The process will not even require a reboot. Ejecting an individual module will also be simple and can be done even with voice commands such as “OK Google, eject the camera.”

Obviously, the most important thing with Project Ara is that the smartphone will be only as good as the availability and efficacy of its individual modules. Already a considerable number of companies have partnered with the ATAP team and are in the process of actively developing add-ons for the smartphone.

The list includes, Sony Home Entertainment, Toshiba, E-Ink and Gotenna. While it is not too hard to guess as to how these companies will contribute to project ARA, developers who have signed up for the pre-release kits may however have only a limited number of modules to play with.