Google confirms suspension of Ara modular smartphone project

Project Ara, Google’s lofty vision of a modular smartphone with a vibrant third-party hardware ecosystem, is no more.

A Google spokesperson confirmed today that the company has suspended its plan to bring the modular smartphone to market after nearly three years of development, following a revealing report from Reuters.

The spokesperson declined to comment any further on the report.

Reuters says the project was shelved in order to “streamline the company’s hardware efforts,” but suggests that Google “may work with partners to bring Project Ara’s technology to market, potentially through licensing agreements.”