Project Ara Processors To Be Manufactured By Toshiba, Says Reports

| Updated: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 17:56 [IST]

Remember all those times when you saw the most trending thing on the Internet being leaks and rumors about the upcoming Project Ara modular smartphone from Google? Well, it seems like more big news have arrived for the same.

According to reports, Google could be teaming up with Toshiba for delivering the processors meant for the new Project Ara modular smartphone. Apparently, it's a bit odd to see Toshiba at the front with other big names like NVIDIA or Intel not even in the picture.

Project Ara Processors To Be Manufactured By Toshiba, Says Reports

Toshiba, which will now provide semiconductors to Google for the new smartphone with interchangeable modules, will now work on the device which is already slated to go public next year.

As revealed via Nikkei Asian Review, Toshiba will look to prepare as many as three new types of processors for the phone, meant to be used both in modules and the phone itself.

It was also revealed that not only sample shipments for the device will start this fall, its mass production will also begin as early as the start of next year.

"Global smartphone shipments are seen swelling 20% this year to 1.2 billion units, with further growth anticipated from next year on. The least expensive handset in Google's new line will be priced at around $50, and some expect demand for tens of millions of units in the first year of sales," the report states.

Previous to this, Google was already said to be working with Toshiba on Ara since October last year. And as it seems, the partnership has resulted in the development of chips which "can accurately control the flow of data and electrical signals between the modules and the phone itself."