Motorola is making progress with Project Ara, its effort to offer modular smartphones that enable users to swap out parts and upgrade their devices whenever they'd like. Today Motorola and a company called 3D Systems announced that they've entered into a multi-year agreement that'll see 3D Systems craft a "continuous high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfilment system" for use with Project Ara.
3D Systems explains that it will "substantially" grow its printing capabilities, including both conductive and functional materials, and create a high-speed production platform. Once it's completed that work and shown that its system works, it will use its new tools to manufacture cases and parts for Project Ara smartphones as Motorola's exclusive fulfillment partner.
Obviously there's still a lot that we don't know about Project Ara, and there's likely quite a bit that's simply just up in the air at this point since the effort is still in its early days. Motorola is making progress on the project, though, and we should start to hear even more about Ara in the coming months as Moto invites developers to create modules and launches the alpha version of its Module Development Kit.
What do you think about Project Ara so far? Are you interested owning a modular smartphone that you could upgrade piece by piece?
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