project新建一个模块_Project Ara – Google在模块化智能手机上的尝试

project新建一个模块

Project Ara is something that Google acquired as part of its purchase of Motorola in 2013. Ara is designed to significantly disrupt and re-define the smartphone hardware industry, putting the power in the hands of consumers. Whereas at the moment the hardware that a user receives as part of their smartphone is defined by the specifications set out by the hardware manufacturer, Ara is looking to create a modular smartphone that will let users create their own device out of a set of different modules – right down to the screen and battery. Putting the power of the device specification into the hands of the consumers sets to create a problem for handset manufacturers; rather than having to upgrade a handset yearly or every two years, the idea is that consumers will be able to upgrade modules as they have the money or as improved technology becomes available.

Google在2013年收购摩托罗拉时收购了Ara项目。Ara旨在显着颠覆和重新定义智能手机硬件行业，将力量掌握在消费者手中。 目前，用户作为智能手机一部分接收的硬件是由硬件制造商制定的规范定义的，而Ara则希望创建一种模块化的智能手机，以使用户可以从一组不同的模块中创建自己的设备–向下直到屏幕和电池。 将设备规范的权力交到消费者手中会给手机制造商带来麻烦。 他们的想法是，消费者有钱或技术水平提高时，便能够升级模块，而不必每年或每两年升级一次手机。

These modules will be attachable to a central ‘exoskeleton’, which will contain the mainboard across which the modules will communicate. As a Google product, we can expect Ara-based devices to be running a copy of the Android operating system.

这些模块将可连接到中央“外骨骼”，该“外骨骼”将包含各模块之间进行通信的主板。 作为Google产品，我们可以预期基于Ara的设备将运行Android操作系统的副本。

Why would a modular smartphone be useful?

为什么模块化智能手机会很有用？

In simple terms, a modular smartphone will let consumers design a phone that is as cheap or as expensive as they would like it to be, that provides them with the features that they personally see as forming the right smartphone for them. It is envisaged that there will be a range of low and high specification modules available. A low cost module for example could be a small amount of storage, and a range of modules such as this would be ideal for a user who isn’t looking for a powerful phone – just something that will let them do the basics, but in style. An example of a high specification module could be a powerful sensor as this is something that low-end users probably wouldn’t be too interested in, but with mobile optics becoming more powerful each year, it’s only a matter of time until a sensor is developed that can deliver the same level of performance as a digital SLR camera.

简而言之，模块化智能手机将使消费者设计出价格与自己想要的手机一样便宜或昂贵的手机，从而为他们提供个人认为适合他们的智能手机的功能。 可以设想，将有一系列的低规格和高规格模块可用。 例如，低成本模块可能会占用少量存储空间，而诸如此类的一系列模块对于不希望使用功能强大的手机的用户来说是理想的选择—只需让他们做基本的事情即可，样式。 高规格模块的示例可能是功能强大的传感器，因为低端用户可能对此不太感兴趣，但是随着移动光学器件每年变得越来越强大，传感器的普及只是时间问题。可以提供与数码SLR相机相同水平的性能。

Damage can be repaired more quickly and at a lower cost. If you were to damage one of the device’s modules then instead of having to send the entire handset away for repair, all you would need to do is replace the damaged module; this theory is particularly applicable to the screen, which is an element that lots of people have smashed when they’ve accidentally dropped their phones.

可以以更低的成本更快地修复损坏。 如果您要损坏设备的一个模块，则不必将整个听筒都送去维修，只需更换损坏的模块即可。 该理论特别适用于屏幕，这是许多人不小心掉落手机时砸碎的元素。

Upgrades will be cheaper. Rather than having to upgrade the entire handset to access the latest mobile tech innovations, one will be simply required to upgrade an individual module if they are looking to harness the power of the latest technology innovations in that particular arena. It is likely that the cost of upgrading a single modular will be vastly cheaper than having to upgrade the entire handset, regardless of whether the user chooses to upgrade their exoskeleton or stick with the one they have.

升级将更便宜。 如果他们希望在特定领域利用最新技术创新的力量，则只需要升级单个模块，而不必升级整个手机以获取最新的移动技术创新。 不管用户是选择升级外骨骼还是坚持使用现有的手机，升级单个模块的成本都可能比升级整个手机便宜得多。

Open standard for module creation

创建模块的开放标准

Google has realised that the only way in which Ara is going to be successful is with the development of an open standard around which third parties can develop modules for the device. Called UniPro, this emerging standard has been created to allow modules to communicate with the mainboard; as an open standard, developers have full access to this interface so that they can create components that are able to interact with the other parts of the device as if they were all integrated into a single mainboard. This level of openness will likely lead to the development of many features that we currently don’t see in smartphones, primarily because the component ecosystem of current smartphones is tightly controlled by the manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung. With an open platform, smaller start-ups with ambitions to have their own technologies included in future smartphones are provided with direct access to the smartphone market independently, without the need for a partnership with or to be bought out by a leading smartphone manufacturer.

Google已经意识到，要使Ara取得成功，唯一的方法就是开发开放标准，第三方可以围绕该标准开发设备的模块。 这个新兴的标准称为UniPro，其创建目的是允许模块与主板进行通信。 作为开放标准，开发人员可以完全访问此接口，以便他们可以创建能够与设备其他部分进行交互的组件，就好像它们都已集成到单个主板中一样。 这种开放程度可能会导致开发我们目前在智能手机中看不到的许多功能，这主要是因为当前智能手​​机的组件生态系统受到苹果和三星等制造商的严格控制。 有了开放平台，那些希望将自己的技术纳入未来智能手机的小型初创企业可以独立地直接进入智能手机市场，而无需与领先的智能手机制造商建立合作伙伴关系或被其收购。

As a conclusion, I would say that the modular smartphone should come to take a prominent place in the mobile device market moving forward. Whilst it is likely to be most popular with prosumers and geeks to begin with, when the average consumers begins to realise the significance of the cost savings and flexibility of the device, we will likely see it go mainstream and become a significant contender to Android device manufacturers and Apple’s iPhone.

最后，我要说的是，模块化智能手机应在不断发展的移动设备市场中占据重要位置。 虽然一开始它可能最受生产者和极客欢迎，但是当普通消费者开始意识到节省成本和设备灵活性的重要性时，我们很可能会看到它成为主流，并成为Android设备的重要竞争者。制造商和苹果的iPhone。

翻译自: https://www.eukhost.com/blog/webhosting/project-ara-googles-attempt-at-a-modular-smartphone/

project新建一个模块