Remember when dreaming about modular electronics was all the rage? Even Google got caught up in the fantasy for a little while. Project Ara's notion of a modular smartphone might be dead for now, but there's still a smartwatch with interchangeable components to capture our attention in 2018. Blocks raised $1.6M in a Kickstarter campaign that ended way back in 2015, and there must have been concerns that the product would never make it into production. Some of its backers are thankfully starting to receive their watches now, as the company announces the official launch at CES.
Read MoreZTE Axon M, a foldable smartphone-tablet hybrid with dual 1080p displays, leaks in photos
Those of you who are keen followers of the foldable tablet category might recall the ZTE Axon Multy that had its specs leak earlier this month. Android Authority is now reporting that this smartphone-tablet hybrid will be officially called the Axon M and has published some interesting pictures of it.
Read MoreMotorola commits to at least 12 new Moto Mod add-ons per year
Motorola's latest Moto Z flagship phones are modular, designed to accommodate add-on modules that snap to the back of their cases for extra battery life, more complex camera modules, pico projectors, et cetera. Critical and consumer response to the change has been mixed, as it was for LG's modular G5 designs. But in a recent meeting with technology journalists, the Lenovo subsidiary doubled down on the modular approach. Motorola committed to at least 12 new Moto Mod add-on products per year.
Read More[Update: no modular phone in the works] Project ARA founder now working for Nexpaq, designing modular phone
Following the death of Google's Project ARA, it has been revealed that Dan Makoski, founder of Project ARA and former head of design at Google ATAP, has now officially been confirmed to be working at Nexpaq. In case you don't know what Nexpaq is, it's a startup that campaigned on Kickstarter to create modular phone cases for popular phones like the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6 edge, and Galaxy S5.
Read More[Update] Report: Google has stopped working on Project Ara
It has been a long and winding road for Google's Project Ara, and a new report claims this is the end of the road. Sources tell Reuters that Google has suspended work on Project Ara as part of its efforts to bring together its disparate hardware projects. Google, as you might imagine, refused to comment.
Read MoreUnlocked Moto Z pre-orders start September 15th for $699.99, ships in October
Verizon has had the exclusive on the Moto Z line for the last few months, but that's almost over. Pre-orders for the unlocked Moto Z start on September 15th, but the pricing is even higher than it is on Verizon—$699.99. The device won't actually ship until sometime in October.
Read MoreLeaked LG V20 renders show off modular chin and dual cameras
LG has acknowledged the existence of the V20 and set a date for the reveal (September 6th). We have yet to see an official image of the phone, but renders leaked by Android Authority purport to show the V20 from all angles. It looks a lot like the LG G5, right down to the removable (probably modular) chin.
Read MoreBLOCKS Modular Smartwatch Video Shows Off A Prototype With Interchangeable Modules
Modular design is the coming thing in smartphones... at least it is according to LG and Motorola Lenovo. But what about smartwatches? At least one group seems intent on translating the idea to wearables. The BLOCKS design uses a conventional smartwatch body that houses the primary screen, battery, and SoC, but adds extra functionality via modules that snap into the body like links in a metal band. It's a lot like the Project Ara idea, but integrating the modules into a functional band makes for a surprisingly elegant product.
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Lenovo Announces Moto Z And Moto Z Force, With Verizon Droid Editions Arriving First
So Lenovo, you're not going to let Motorola announce its own stuff anymore, is that it? That certainly seems to be the take-away from the company's reveal at its Lenovo Tech World presentation in San Francisco. In between discussions of new tablets, augmented reality 3D design, and network tech, the much-leaked Moto Z flagship was announced at the event, along with the Moto Z Force. They're both coming in "DROID Editions" only to Verizon, at least initially.
Read MoreProject Ara Dev Edition Shipping This Fall, New Demo Video Shows Off Modular Cameras, Secondary Displays, And... Breath Mint Dispensers?
Project Ara was supposed to go into public testing last year, but that didn't happen. Google has been quiet about the state of its modular smartphone since then, but now there's a new demo video. It shows off some weird modules, but what about a release date? Well, there's nothing for regular people, but a developer edition will be available this fall.
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