Do you remember PhoneBloks, when we said it unworkable it was. Looks like Motorola has been burning the midnight oil on a similar project last year. Their project is called "project ara". The company is not inheriting Phoneblocks vision, but will also be working with folks at Phonebloks to make a modular phone as soon as possible. Motorola has started inviting developers to design the modules for the Project Ara platform. In fact, a MDK (module developer kit) will be churned out later winter.
This is what Ara is, according to Motorola,
The design for Project Ara consists of what we call an endoskeleton (endo) and modules. The endo is the structural frame that holds all the modules in place. A module can be anything, from a new application processor to a new display or keyboard, an extra battery, a pulse oximeter–or something not yet thought of!
If Motorola can make this work, it is going to bring revolution in the phone industry. Users will be swap in and swap out modules they need, or do not need to reduce the overall weight.