The Nikkei report claims that Toshiba signed on with Google for processors and semiconductors back in October last year. Nikkei in a report suggests that Toshiba will be manufacturing three types of processors for the Project Ara modular phones that can be used both in the modules and the phone as well.
The reports of three different processors tie in well with previously announced plans and released guidelines by the Project Ara team, with the platform meant to support three sizes of phones, namely - mini, a basic unit; medium, a mainstream unit and jumbo, a phablet-style model.
The Nikkei report further claims that the sample shipments will start this fall, while the mass production of the chipsets is expected to begin as early as start of the next year. The Project Ara chief Paul Eremenko had earlier said the first modular smartphone can be expected to ship in January - a generic device dubbed 'gray phone' that will be available for developers for $50 (Rs. 3,000 approximately).
Nikkei claims that the Project Ara modular phones will go on sale next year. The report also suggests that Toshiba is the only approved Japanese chipset supplier for Google's Project Ara modular phones and will become the sole chipmaker for the modular phones after a year of its rollout.
Google's Project Ara design scheme comprises of what Google calls an endoskeleton (endo) and modules. The endo is the structural frame that holds all the modules in place, while a module can be anything, from a new application processor to a new display or keyboard, an extra battery, a pulse oximeter or some other customisable hardware unit.
Google released Project Ara Module Developers Kit with design guidelines in April.
It also gave the world its first glimpse of the Project Ara modular prototype smartphone at the 'Launch' event in San Francisco. A Project Ara team member demoed a non-functional Wi-Fi model of the first modular smartphone.
Google at its first-ever Ara Developers' Conference, also showed off new modular smartphone designs.
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