Last year, designer Dave Hakkens positioned the concept of a modular smartphone --or Phonebloks--as a way to cut down on the electronic waste of handsets. Motorola would go on to work with Phonebloks to eventually bring the idea to fruition, with the end result being Google's Project Ara. And according to a report from Time , these customizable phones could be out next year for an incredibly affordable price point.

Image Source: Time/Google ATAP

Image Source: Google ATAP

"The smartphone is one of the most empowering and intimate objects in our lives," said Paul Eremenko, who heads up Project Ara for Google ATAP. "Yet most of us have little say in how the device is made, what it does, and how it looks." Interestingly, the Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group was one sector Google kept following the sale of Motorola to Lenovo Google thinks Project Ara could offer an entry point into the smartphone market for emerging regions, citing the over five billion people in the world who are still without one. According to the Time report, Google wants Ara smartphones on the market by 2015, for as little as $50.Granted, the $50 handset will only have base features--perhaps even lacking cellular functionality--but it's still an interesting starting point. Since users could swap out the modules for better features at whim, Ara has the potential to be a fully customizable, truly affordable smartphone.The current plans call for three different sizes of modular smartphones, from the $50 mini up to a large phablet. And given the opportunity for unique modules, there's no telling what developers may dream up. Google will host a series of developer conferences for Ara , beginning in April. But anyone can check the devices out, thanks to a free live-stream.

Matt Clark is a freelance writer covering the world of videogames, tech, and popular culture. Follow him on Twitter @ClarkMatt and MyIGN at Matt_Clark