Wander into your local phone shop for an upgrade and you could soon be sold a module rather than a whole new phone. It’s a radical new idea. But is the driving force behind modular phones being produced by Motorola, LG and others a response to consumer needs and environmental concerns, or is it simply an over-designed fad?
Such devices came to attention in 2013 when Phonebloks, an open-source modular smartphone startup, was set up to reduce electronic waste. In essence, it was the conceptual introduction of a forever-upgradable phone, one customisable to suit different needs.
What’s not to like about strapping a camera grip or powerful speaker on to your phone?
It attracted the attention of Google (then owner of Motorola Mobility), which partnered with Phonebloks to conceive Project Ara, an “exoskeleton” phone with accessories that could be assembled in an almost puzzle-like fashion to create one complete device.
After multiple prototype iterations, the final device is due out in 2017. However, as the base Ara unit – which houses the chipsets and storage – won’t be upgradable, some don’t think true modularity is feasible. Modular may just mean that users can personalise a phone for their individual needs.
Not everyone is sold. Ian Morris, Forbes tech contributor, says modular phones are a “terrible idea”.
“The attraction of a new phone is huge, but adding on a new module isn’t. With a new phone you get a better everything, rather than improving on one or two bits.”
Keeping it simple is perhaps the way forward, then. LG and the now Lenovo-owned Motorola think so, with their respective G5 and Moto Z flagship phones offering a variety of accessories, from LG’s Bang & Olufsen hi-res audio module to Motorola’s boombox and projector modules.
Tom Morgan, news editor of Stuff, thinks it’s early days but that modular phones enrich the market.
“What’s not to like about strapping a camera grip or powerful speaker on to your phone? Other big names won’t be far behind but it’s the more ambitious ideas like Project Ara that are really getting us excited.”
One hitch with the move to modular is the lack of industry-wide standards. While Project Ara offers cross-brand potential – Google already has major players including Samsung, Panasonic, Sony Pictures, E Ink under its wing as module creators – the clip-in LG Friends and Motorola Moto Mods are separate and incompatible.
However, Oliver Ebel, vice president and general manager of EMEA Smartphone at Lenovo, speaks about the Moto Z as “the smartphone anew”.
“We [Lenovo] decided to reinvent the smartphone’s purpose as a device that serves its owner more fully. Moto Mods is the output of that creative design process.”
There is certainly future potential, but modular phones aren’t going to be lining many pockets just yet. And for all the consumer talk, it’s high-tech industries that are most likely to benefit. Barcode scanners, infrared cameras and heart-rate monitors are all feasible module ideas. But right now it’s just conjecture, with companies scoping out the potential reach and benefit before taking the plunge.
The major four modular phones compared
Fairphone 2
It’s not the prettiest but it is the most environmentally conscious phone. It does require a Phillips screwdriver to make simple internal changes but if it’s modular you want, and now, then Fairphone is the most viable solution. Price: €530.
Motorola Moto Z
Motorola wants to expand the idea of a phone, with Moto Mods scoring a JBL SoundBoost speaker, Incipio OffGrid Power Pack, and Moto Insta-Share Projector. All Mods will connect with the Moto Z via magnets, clipping on with ease, but only one can be attached at a time. Available September. Price: TBC.
Google Project Ara
It may look like a puzzle of assorted bits and pieces but its quirk is its strength. Modules – 1x1, 1x2 or 2x2 in size – can be swapped without turning the phone off. Whether it’s truly practical and affordable is the big question about what is set to be the most versatile modular phone. Available 2017. Price: TBC.
LG G5
The least truly “modular” of the four. The G5’s battery compartment is removable but the two properly modular additions are the LG Hi-Fi Plus and LG Cam Plus. A solid flagship device but we worry its successors may leave the modules behind. Price: £499.
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