dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Technology

Future Of Smartphones: What Happened To Modular Phones?

  • May 24, 2019
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

A few years ago, the concept of modular phones was spreading like wildfire. At the time, it was deemed the future of the smartphone industry. The idea of being able to fully customize the features of your phone to your liking and update it whenever necessary is highly desirable.

Somewhere in between though, it seems like these modular phones were sort of just dropped. What exactly happened?

Some Key Players

Two modular phones which grabbed the attention of tech lovers are Project ARA and Phonebloks. Here’s a quick background

Google Project Ara

Project Ara

The device in Google’s Project Ara in its initial conception was a metal endoskeleton in which modules from various manufacturers will be slided in. Features like the camera, the screen, the processors, and the ports are completely customizable and removable. It’s development was reportedly put into cessation.

Phonebloks

Phonebloks differs in execution of the device modularity. The initial concept involves the use of lego block-like modules which can be attached to a flat board which serves as the body of the device.

Phonebloks

What Happened?

The current modular smartphone market share is small. The way modular phones are implemented right now makes it less appealing to use than standalone phones. We start with the high price of these phones in retail. At the same time, the variety in modules is limited since not much of the manufacturers are embracing the concept. Plus, most of the time there is nothing the modules can do that fixed parts in a regular phone can’t. With nothing really much going for it, we see why the idea just sort of disappeared.

Rising Hope?

For those who thought that the modular phones ending up as a flop was a bummer, there is hope. Google seems to be working on another modular phone, with the company recently filing a patent for a device of such design.

While the patented device is not as customizable as the modular phone in Project ARA, it will allow the user to switch out components such as the RAM, back cover,  and camera of the phone according to their desired specifications. In the patent, it is also suggesting the idea of a made-to-order device, in which the user will specify the specifications of the device which they will receive.

If this development continues, upgrading devices may not be as expensive. At the same time, less e-waste will be generated since damages in components would not entail replacing the entirety of the device.

We shouldn’t be too optimistic though. After all, this is just a patent. Not all patents eventually turn to a real device. For now, let’s just keep ourselves open to such a possibility and hope that these phones will make an excellent comeback in its second attempt.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • Modular Phones
  • Phonebloks
  • Project Ara
  • Smartphones
majulah

Previous Article
  • Technology

Huawei Is Google-banned: What It Means For Users

  • May 24, 2019
View Post
Next Article
  • Lah!

Our Singapore – National Day Parade 2019 Theme Song

  • May 27, 2019
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Technology

Malaysia’s ‘ASEAN Shenzhen’ needs some significant legal reform to take off — here’s how

  • dotlah.com
  • August 25, 2025
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Samsung Electronics Debuts Odyssey G7 Monitors, Showcasing Top Games on Its Displays at Gamescom 2025

  • Dean Marc
  • August 20, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

Thoughts on America’s AI Action Plan

  • Dean Marc
  • July 24, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

ESWIN Computing launches the EBC77 Series Single Board Computer with Ubuntu

  • dotlah.com
  • July 17, 2025
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones

  • Dean Marc
  • July 9, 2025
View Post
  • Cities
  • Technology

Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore

  • dotlah.com
  • June 20, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn

  • Dean Marc
  • June 12, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Machine Learning
  • Technology

Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design

  • Dean Marc
  • June 11, 2025


Trending
  • 1
    • Technology
    UOB Taps Chronicle Software’s Solution For Its Electronic FX Pricing And Trade Engine To Help Customers Access More Competitive FX Pricing
    • June 3, 2021
  • 2
    • Lah!
    SG Circuit Breaker: Gradual Resumption Of Religious Activities
    • May 26, 2020
  • 3
    • Society
    Nurses On The Front Lines: A History Of Heroism From Florence Nightingale To Coronavirus
    • May 12, 2020
  • 4
    • Lah!
    DBS Launches World’s First Sustainable And Transition Finance Framework And Taxonomy To Help Clients Advance On Sustainability Agenda
    • July 1, 2020
  • 5
    • Science
    Oppenheimer The Actor: The Curious 1946 Film Atomic Power Featuring The Scientist As Himself
    • July 27, 2023
  • 6
    • Lah!
    Asia is Now: A Celebration of Singapore Content
    • December 4, 2019
  • 7
    • Lah!
    Celebrating 20 Years Of Semakau Landfill
    • December 11, 2019
  • 8
    • Lah!
    • Science
    ​NTU Singapore Develops Peptide That Makes Drug-Resistant Bacteria Sensitive To Antibiotics Again
    • August 8, 2020
  • 9
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    • Society
    DBS Aims To Fill Over 140 Engineering Jobs In Second Edition Of Women-Focused Virtual Career Fair For Technologists In Singapore
    • May 27, 2021
  • Anglo-Saxon burial site at the Barrow Clump, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire 10
    • Cities
    Think Everyone Died Young In Ancient Societies? Think Again
    • November 2, 2020
  • 11
    • Society
    • Technology
    More Than 16000 Seniors Benefit From Seniors Go Digital Programme
    • September 1, 2020
  • 12
    • Lah!
    Asia Produces Half The Plastic In The World
    • July 16, 2020
Trending
  • 1
    Malaysia’s ‘ASEAN Shenzhen’ needs some significant legal reform to take off — here’s how
    • August 25, 2025
  • French Fries 2
    Air Fryer: The One Cooking Appliance to Rule Them All – Best All-Around Picks in 2025
    • August 22, 2025
  • 3
    Samsung Electronics Debuts Odyssey G7 Monitors, Showcasing Top Games on Its Displays at Gamescom 2025
    • August 20, 2025
  • 4
    HP Cranks Up the Game with Smarter Systems, Cooler Builds, and Gear That Hits Different
    • August 14, 2025
  • 5
    New Trump tariffs: early modelling shows most economies lose – the US more than many
    • August 6, 2025
  • Scuba Diving 6
    Wetsuit or Drysuit? As always, it depends. This quick guide can help you choose.
    • August 2, 2025
  • 7
    Thoughts on America’s AI Action Plan
    • July 24, 2025
  • 8
    Introducing Surface Laptop 5G: Seamless connectivity, built for business
    • July 23, 2025
  • 9
    Press Start (Or Hit Enter)! Your Go-To Loadout for Streamers and Gamers.
    • July 19, 2025
  • 10
    ESWIN Computing launches the EBC77 Series Single Board Computer with Ubuntu
    • July 17, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.