Radio Frequency (RF) & Wireless Design

I was digging for various mobile phone technologies and came across the Google Project ARA modular phone :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara

Some GrabCAD members liked it ! :

Grabcad model

Google ARA

Modular phone by GOOGLE. A piece of my project, for bachelor degree. One of my first. This is just a concept. For more details http://www.projectara.com

Grabcad model

Project ARA Layout 1

A render of the Medium Endo Skeleton ARA Project. Filled with a Thermal Camera, 2 battery modules, micro usb port and blanks. Serveral material looks.

I was fascinated by the fact that it could be a modular platform in which users could configure the phone with modules just like an embedded developer of Ardunio would do with 'Shields' or Raspberry Pi developers would do with 'Hats'.

https://www.wired.com/2015/01/wild-concept-sensors-googles-modular-phone/

One of the best features was bringing back the ability to replace the battery or swap it out with larger battery packs.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-project-ara-hands-on-rafa-camargo-interview-modular-phones/

I was disappointed to learn that the project was killed off after just a year.

https://www.gizmochina.com/2019/10/10/tech-throwback-thursday-how-googles-modular-smartphone-dream-was-killed/

It seems that google is keeping the project on 'life-support' as it issued another patent :

https://www.patentlyapple.com/2020/06/googles-one-time-modular-smartphone-project-is-refusing-to-die-as-a-newly-granted-patent-is-keeping-it-on-life-support.html

What are your thoughts on this project and would you want it revived or do you think it is not needed ?

Also there was a kickstarter campaign called Nexpac that tried to revive the modular cell phone :

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nexpaq/nexpaq-the-first-truly-modular-smartphone-case