Project Ara MDK 0.2 Details Module Marketplace, An Online Store for Ara Hardware
Fast approaching Google’s second Ara Developers’ Conference seems to have kicked off with great excitement. The Phonebloks community has announced the release of the second Module Developers Kit. This kit takes the modular smartphone closer to reality.
The second instalment of Project Ara developer kit is not just exciting for developers but even has something for users to anticipate. The biggest addition with the MDK 0.2 is a section on the Module Marketplace, which is said to be a lot like a Google Play Store for Ara hardware modules. Unlike the Play Store, however, it seems that this marketplace is going to be strictly curated.
Developers will be able to submit details about their hardware through the Ara Developer Console, while users of Ara phones will be able to use an Ara Configurator app to choose the hardware they’d like. At the most basic level, this can let you customize your phone by choosing modules you’ll need most.
There is also something in store for end-users, of course. Phonebloks has mentioned that an Ara Manager app will be made available in the near future. This app will let users control the functions of different modules and monitor their state and information.
The MDK 0.2 is based on the Spiral 2 prototype that will be revealed at the upcoming developers’ conference. The second Project Ara modular smartphone MDK has been created in collaboration with numerous companies such as NK Labs, LeafLabs, New Deal Design, Metamorph Software, X5 Systems, Toshiba, Mixel, Quanta, Opersys, Linux Solutions, Linaro, BayLibre, NewOldBits, Oxford Systems, Foxconn and IDT Systems.
