Very regularly, the modular smartphone resurfaces. And each time, he promises the same thing: putting an end to the frozen phone, giving power to the user, transforming his device as desired. Tecno in turn lent itself to the exercise. Its concept has a shocking argument: a thinness of 4.9 mm for the basic smartphone. In other words, thinner than a pencil and than most current models. The idea is to start with an extremely thin device, then add modules to it when the need arises.
Modular, this sea serpent of the smartphone
Need battery? We connect a 4.5 mm Power Bank. Want better photos? Attach a standalone telephoto lens or action camera. Everything is held together thanks to in-house technology combining magnets and physical connectors for power supply. The data travels wirelessly, via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or millimeter waves depending on the context.
Even once equipped with the additional battery, the whole thing remains as thick as a classic smartphone. In terms of design, Tecno takes care of the copy: anti-reflective matte glass back, polished metal chassis, discreet lines on the back to guide the location of the modules. Two versions are available, one silver with red accents, the other gray, more “tech”. On paper, it’s attractive. In reality, modular has a complicated history.
The dream of the à la carte smartphone is not new. More than ten years ago, Google was working on the Ara project, a phone whose almost all components could be replaced. The project never got beyond the prototype stage. In 2016, LG attempted the adventure with the G5, a semi-modular model. The idea: add a photo or audio module by removing the lower part of the phone. The reception was polite… and sales modest.
For its part, Motorola has focused on magnetic accessories – batteries, speakers, projectors – to attach to the back of certain models. Here again, the innovation has not disrupted the market. Why did modular never take off? Because the smartphone has become an object of maximum integration. The more compact, waterproof and optimized it is, the more difficult it is to introduce interchangeable elements without compromise. And consumers have rarely expressed a massive need to transform their phone into a Swiss Army knife.
Tecno is aware of this: its Modular Phone is currently only a concept. According to Leo Li, product manager of the project, this is “ return the power of choice to the user » and no longer let the phone be defined by its factory design. The idea is great, but will it really work?
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