Details about Project Ara, Google’s effort to build a smartphone that consumers can swap parts out of and into, have been trickling out over the past year or so. We’ve learned about the different sizes of modules that’ll be available, the type of processor that it’ll use and its base retail pricing. Now some information on Ara’s software has surfaced.

Google’s Paul Eremenko has revealed that Project Ara will run a tweaked version of Android L that will allow users to hot swap all modules, save for the processor and display. That means that you’ll be able to change parts without turning the phone off. These modules will be available for purchase online in a store similar to Google’s Play Store.

The first fully functional Project Ara prototype is slated to be shown off in December at the second Project Ara Developers Conference. A public launch will follow in early 2015.

While I’m sure that there are still some details that will learn about later on, the news that Project Ara users will be able to hot swap most modules is pretty exciting. After all, it’d be kind of a pain if you were forced to turn your phone off every time that you wanted to swap in a new part. Now we know that unless you’re changing a core part of your device, that won’t be an issue.

Now that we’re almost a year out from Project Ara’s initial announcement, are you still excited about the effort to build a modular smartphone?

Via Android Police, Phonebloks