Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG,GOOGL) has reportedly stopped work on its Project Ara smartphone efforts.
Sources close to the matter claim that Project Ara, which was designed to create modular smartphones, has been suspended. The report claims that the tech company won’t be pursuing the effort further. However, one source said that Google may use licensing agreements so that partners can continue work on the idea.
While modular smartphones were an interesting effort, it is likely that the cost of the devices was the problem. The interchangeable parts were expensive to make and could be a bit bulky. One analysts described the effort as “a science experiment that failed,” while speaking with Reuters.
“It’s disappointing to the teams who have worked so hard to make it real, disheartening to the developers hoping to bring their innovations to life, and frustrating to the fans across the world who were so eager to have Ara in their hands,” Dan Makoski, former Head of Design at Google ATAP and Founder of Project Ara, told 9to5Google.
Makoski is confident that modular smartphones are still the future. He believes other companies will work on them. Makoski now works for a company called Nexpaq that is planning to start shipping a modular smartphone in the near future.
Google has refused to comment on the matter. It also hasn’t updated Project Ara’s website with any information about a possible suspension of the effort. It still includes a form for those wanting to test out the device and claims the developer edition will be released in Fall 2016.
