Google’s Ara Developer Conference Coming This April

You may remember how we reported on Google’s announcement that it was working on a modular smartphone project named Ara, which would effectively allow users to build and customize their mobile phone handset. Well, now Google has revealed plans to host its first Ara Developers’ Conference in April this year.

Planned as a series of three conferences, the event will show developers just what they will be able to achieve with the modular phone project. The first of the three conferences will be an online affair, with a live webstream and interactive Q&A session, while an exclusive and limited number of people will be invited to attend in person at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

The Ara website explains how the event will focus on the alpha release of the Ara Module Developers’ Kit, explaining everything developers need to know before they begin their own Ara project. Google will also be explaining the current and future features of the Ara platform and will be setting prize winning challenges for the developers.

The future of the Ara project was a little unsure when Google announced that Motorola would be sold off to Lenovo for $2.91 billion at the beginning of the year. However Google has confirmed that it is hanging on to the Advanced Technology and Projects group, which includes Ara, proving just how dedicated Google is to bringing modular smartphones to the masses.

[Image via Dscout]

SOURCE: http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/26/5450770/google-to-hold-first-ara-developers-conference-this-april