<p>Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group has released a Module Developers Kit (MDK) for Project Ara, its forthcoming modular smartphone, providing reference implementations for various design features.</p><p>The ATAP describes Ara as follows:</p><p>The Ara platform consists of an on-device packet-switched data network based on the MIPI UniPro protocol stack, a flexible power bus, and an elegant industrial design that mechanically unites the modules with an endoskeleton.</p><p>The MDK goes on to note that the success of the modular smartphone concept is dependent on the development of a rich ecosystem of modular blocks that users can pick and choose from:</p><p><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/10/project-ara-mdk/">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/04/10/google-gives-its-build-your-own-smartphone-a-module-bible/">Google gives its DIY smartphone, Ara, a developers&#039; bible</a> (VentureBeat)</p><p><a href="http://www.gizbot.com/news/google-releases-developer-kit-project-ara-modular-smartphone-016626.html">Google Releases Developer Kit for Project Ara Modular Smartphone</a> (Gizbot)</p><p><a href="http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/smartphones/1307329/google-project-ara-modular-smartphone-release-date-expected-for-early-2015">Google Project Ara modular smartphone release date expected for early 2015</a> (Expert Reviews)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dzCfpPoCm2ol_tMfqKGimx3wNdUCM&authuser=0&ned=us">86 additional articles.</a></p>