Will Modular Phones Ever Make a Comeback?

Technology often follows a pattern of getting hyped up at its conception, only to die down and become an obscure concept for some time, only to pop back up with renewed vigor, innovation, and purpose. In line with modern technology’s recent tendency towards personalization, interoperability, customizability, and modularity over the last decade, might modular phones make a comeback?

Modular phones, as far as we’ve seen in recent iterations, are standard smartphones that can have their parts swapped and upgraded to fit each user’s needs. Modular phones have been attempted more than a few times before but never truly took off.

This article explores whether modular phones will make a comeback and stay for the long run as society heads toward personalization in multiple industries.

We have seen many takes at creating a modular phone to rival today’s greatest smartphone manufacturers. Although they appear to be a perfect solution for anyone looking to create a unique phone without creating e-waste, modular phones haven’t really taken off. We examine their operation and potential development in the future.

Today’s cellphones have a common aesthetic. A comparable build and design can be found on all smartphone brands.

By enabling you to build your own smartphone with precisely the features and components you want, modular phones may provide exactly what consumers have been hoping for; their own specially assembled, unique item.

How do modular phones work?

A modular phone’s main body may be customized to your needs by accommodating individual components. There are parts for a variety of mobile phone features, including digital cameras, GPS, extra storage, and extra batteries that can be slotted into different ports especially made for that function. You may build your own smartphone by adding modules, such as replacing the camera with an additional battery for a longer lifespan.

What Benefits do Modular Phones Offer over Regular Phones?

Compared to standard smartphones, modular phones provide a number of benefits.

The cost of upgrade or repair is the first thing to think of. You could have to pay a steep repair charge or perhaps buy a new phone if your mobile phone camera malfunctions or you have a broken battery.

Mobile phone makers may release new modules as technology advances, or costs decrease since modules can be replaced. A module phone allows you to replace the outdated camera module with a newer, enhanced model, saving you from having to purchase an entirely new mobile phone in order to upgrade your digital camera. The 5G add-on for Motorola’s modular Moto Z line is a nice example.

Theoretically, modular phones would let you move buttons and controls wherever you choose, allowing you to customize the form, feel, and appearance of your phone for comfort, and add peripherals that suit your lifestyle and tech needs.

If you are a photographer, you will no doubt want to upgrade your camera often but be content with your battery life or storage space. Or maybe a specialized piece for professional purposes that companies can profit from by selling while keeping their base smartphone cases unchanged for a longer time.

Environmental Benefits of Modular Phones

Due to the ability to change out damaged components for new ones, modular phones also promise to cut electronic waste and maintenance costs.

A very small amount of electronic waste in the world ever gets recycled. Most discarded smartphones and electronics simply rot in landfills for an extended period of time, releasing toxins and harmful material into the environment.

Modular phones would not only be a better option for the environment by making only individual components replaceable, but with a bit of incentive, companies can make it worthwhile for their bottom line if they spend less on gathering materials by retrieving and recycling their own modular phone parts.

By offering a small customer incentive – be it money or a discount on their next purchase, companies might be able to persuade buyers to return their expended parts in exchange for something of value, and repair, renew, or reuse any parts that still work.

Due to their frequent upgrading cycles, many abandoned mobile phones wind up in landfills and contain a number of poisonous components that are harmful to the environment. Mobile phone upgrades make it unnecessary to throw away the complete device, which reduces waste from both producing new phones and recycling old ones.

The modern-day seems to be trending toward the reemergence of modular smartphones in tandem with the worldwide desire for more customizability and flexibility in their day-to-day lives. We have been seeing the rise of concepts such as the right to repair, and 3D printing on the rise. Perhaps customizable smartphones are the next big thing.