Toshiba Partners Gujarat-Based Firm to Develop Chips for Google's Project Ara Phones

"Google is designing modular smartphones in which different modules can be assembled as one smartphone," said senior vice president and chief technology officer, Toshiba, USA, Shardul Kazi.

"Toshiba will make chips which can be used in modules and in the base plate, and will give idea on what kind of modules can be developed," Kazi said.

Those chips will be developed in partnership with Einfochips, the executive said, adding the Gujarat-based company will also verify the chips.

On 'Ara', Kazi said consumers can make their own smartphone as per their demands or can upgrade it with new features they like to set in the modular phone.

Kazi said the modular phone has a skeleton or a base-plate body, where consumer can set required hardware applications in the form of a magnetic ship module.

Two versions of phones have been already developed, which include Spiral-one and Spiral-two, Kazi said. Spiral-one and two have been made available for the module developers, while Spiral-3 will be made available for consumers.

(Also see: Google Unveils Spiral 2 Project Ara Prototype, Pilot Program in Puerto Rico)

Project Ara's Spiral-3 will be introduced on pilot basis in Caribbean island country Puerto Rico.

When asked about the price of the modular phones, Kazi said, "Price will be fixed by Google. However, different modules will be ranging from $50 to $5,000."

He said the cost can be cut to make it affordable for consumers.

Founder and CEO of Einfochips Pratul Shrof said the new product will open up innovation to the world, which will work as per requirements of different countries.

"The phones will be used as a platform on which one can do next generation design. Hardware application revolution will (be) combined with the software mobile apps in modular phones," said Shrof.

Shrof said the hardware applications will work just as software apps which are currently being used in smartphones.

This will work on android-based platform and modules have magnetic connection, which can be set into the slide-base of the phone, he said.

The company is likely to introduce 'startup' kit for the module developers in India in next few weeks, he said.

This will also give an opportunity to small companies and individuals to design and innovate new modules, added Shorf.