modularphone
Latest
The repairable Fairphone 2 gets an Android update five years after launch
Ethical phone company Fairphone's first modular handset, the five-year-old Fairphone 2, is getting an Android 9 update.
This case turns your iPhone into a modular device
The modular phone trend hasn't taken off as fast as companies like Motorola would have hoped, what with devices like the Moto Z and Moto Z Force not exactly being a hit. But, that doesn't mean there aren't others trying to mimic that style, even if they aren't doing it with their own phone. Here's where Bay Area-based startup Vibes Modular comes in, as it has built a smartphone case that turns your non-modular iPhone or Android device into one that is. So far, the company has a made a Bluetooth speaker and an external charger that attaches to its cases (compatible with 30 different phones), and in the future it plans to roll out a small projector and a drone.
Motorola's Z2 Play sacrifices battery life for sleekness
Motorola's first Z-series smartphones were as impressive as they were divisive. Remember, the Z was insanely thin, the Z Force was nearly indestructible and both could be augmented with Moto Mods, but they were among the first devices to completely give up on the headphone jack. Then came the Moto Z Play, which felt like a more sensible spin on the Z formula: It wasn't quite as fast, but it was cheaper, still modular, and ushered in the return of that classic audio port. Is it any surprise that Motorola wanted to build a sequel?
This is Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone
After months of teases and speculation, Android creator Andy Rubin has unveiled the first smartphone by his new company, Essential. As expected, the PH-1 is built to be a no-compromise device with top-of-the-line specs and sophisticated industrial design. Taking center stage is a 5.7-inch, edge-to-edge display that rises to the top of the phone, stopping only for the front-facing camera in the middle. The device is made of titanium and ceramic, which the company claims will trump most aluminium phones in the durability department. It's a sleek look with no jarring logos or branding in sight.
Alcatel made an affordable modular phone studded with LEDs
We learned at CES this year that it simply isn't enough for affordable phones to just offer low prices anymore. And Alcatel, which is perhaps one of the most well-known budget phone makers, has chosen a compelling means to differentiate itself in this space. The new Alcatel A5 is a sub-$300 Android device that has modular components in a style that's similar to Moto's Mods. Although we don't know the official price and availability of the A5 yet, Alcatel did say the new handset falls into its pre-existing midrange Pop family of devices, which typically cost between $150 and $200.
Google officially ends its Project Ara modular phone initiative
Google has shut down its modular smartphone initiative, Project Ara, a spokesperson confirmed to VentureBeat today. This follows an earlier report from Reuters that claimed Google was finished with Project Ara. We've reached out to Google for confirmation and will update this article as the company responds.
LG's V20 smartphone may be as modular as the G5 (updated)
Just a few days ago, LG revealed that it will introduce its first Android Nougat phone in San Francisco on September 6th. The V20 is said to come with similar dual-screen, dual-selfie camera features as its predecessor, the V10. And now, thanks to OnLeaks and Android Authority, we're getting a first look at purported renders of the device. Most notably, the 5.7-inch V20 appears to have a modular design, based on a button placement reminiscent to that of LG's newly minted G5.
Phonebloks creator isn't entirely happy with Project Ara
Dave Hakkens, the brains behind the Phonebloks modular phone concept, thinks Google could do better when it comes to Project Ara. In a blog post, Hakkens said he wasn't happy that the modular phone's latest version puts its processor, battery, antenna, sensors and screen in a single skeleton and that only add-ons like the camera, speakers and projector are available as swappable modules. When Hakkens dreamed up Phonebloks, he envisioned each component as a module you can replace. The Dutch designer announced the concept in September 2013 not knowing that Motorola was cooking up a similar project. The two later collaborated on Project Ara.
New Moto X phones reportedly feature modular accessories (updated)
Rumor mountain is rumbling this week with news about the next phones under Motorola's Moto X brand, and VentureBeat today says that the new devices will be modular, allowing users to swap out backplates with various capabilities. Yesterday, HellomotoHK posted images of new Moto X phones that appeared to show one phone with a metallic body and laser auto-focusing features. VentureBeat reports that there are actually two new Moto X phones, the Vertex and Vector Thin, and they both feature customizable, modular bodies.
Project Ara delayed because its phones keep falling apart (update: apparently not)
Project Ara, the modular mobile phone from Google's Advanced Technologies and Projects (ATAP) group, has hit some delays, and now we're getting a hint as to what went wrong. The Project Ara team announced on Twitter that the the "electropermanent" magnets that held the different Ara modules together are not strong enough to keep the phone from surviving falls in a drop test. Unfortunately, there's no word on what it will be replaced with, outside of an enigmatic tweet about testing a "signature experience" for attaching and detaching modules.
Watch Google's Project Ara modular phone conference right here
Want to know what Google and partners are cooking up for the next wave of Project Ara, their initiative to develop modular smartphones? You have an easy way to find out: Google is streaming its Project Ara conference live. The Mountain View event is bound to include a few treats, whether it's more advanced (or at least cheaper) prototypes, new modules and other updates. Tune in below and you might just learn about the future of mobile technology before your friends.
Google isn't the only one making a modular smartphone
It looks like Google's modular Project Ara smartphone has some fresh competition. Circular Devices has been working on the Puzzlephone, a simpler take on Android phones that you can upgrade yourself. Instead of letting you replace things piece-by-piece, it divides parts into "the Brain" (core electronics and camera), "the Heart" (battery and secondary tech) and "the Spine" (LCD, speakers and basic shape). It's not as flexible as Ara, but it promises a sleeker design that still includes real futureproofing; you can swap in a new module when you want a faster processor, a fresh battery or new features. The goal is to have a base phone that can last for 10 years, rather than two or three.
Taking apart Google's modular smartphone
What do you want to know about Project Ara? Does a modular smartphone actually work? Yes. Is it very different from Android phones? In a basic how-a-phone-all-works, yes indeed. Paul Eremenko, Technical Project Lead on Google's modular phone project just called in at Expand NY, and he brought along the latest working prototype. Modular phones do indeed work: you can take out a component without bricking the device, it can already run Angry Birds and we just got to play with one.
New Project Ara rival promises a modular phone with a focus on security
Project Ara isn't the only modular phone to look forward to anymore: it now has a fledgling rival in Vsenn, a startup co-founded by a former Nokia Android X program manager... at least according to its website. The project's so new, all its details can fit in a splash page at this point, though it has revealed enough to give us a decent idea of what it's about. Unlike Google's Project Ara, which has many swappable components, Vsenn will only have three -- the camera, the battery and the processor/RAM -- along with a replaceable back cover similar to those old Nokia brick phones. The phone will apparently come with three layers of encryption, though, as well as free access to a VPN network and a secure cloud service. Finally, the device will run vanilla Android with four years of guaranteed updates. We'll make sure to let you know when we hear more about the project. Or you can follow Vsenn's Twitter account, where the startup has divulged that its first model will have a 4.7-inch full HD screen, for more updates.
Project Ara team shows a working modular phone
You'd be forgiven for being skeptical of Google's Project Ara -- for all the prototypes and partnerships, actually spotting a working unit has been a gigantic challenge. You won't have to jump through hoops to see one after today, thankfully. The engineering team at NK Labs has shown Phonebloks a real, honest-to-goodness functioning test phone that boots into Android. It's using an old Jelly Bean release instead of the promised Android Lollipop build, and the demo doesn't include a significant amount of functionality, but hey -- progress!
Google prepares modular phone dev kits (but your idea had better be good)
If you're a developer eager to start tinkering with Google's Project Ara modular phone technology as quickly as possible, it's time to get in line. The company has started taking requests for test boards; if you fill out the form before July 18th and meet Google's expectations, you could have (very) early hardware in your hands before the end of the month. Latecomers can get in on a second wave if they sign up no later than August 18th. Just don't assume that you can pick up a kit purely out of curiosity. Google is prioritizing the board requests based on your know-how and the "strength" of your proposed module concept -- it wants signs that there's a real device in the works. You'll have to sit tight if you're simply a fan of the build-your-own-phone concept, then, but it's apparent that Project Ara is quickly becoming a tangible reality.
Microsoft patents modular Windows Phone with swappable batteries, keyboard, and gamepad
We've seen slider phones with speakers, gamepads, and of course, the standard keypad -- but what if you want to swap out your slider accessory for something new? A new patent from Microsoft is exploring the possibility, showing off a concept smartphone with a sliding modular bay. Tired of that keyboard? Replace it with a gamepad, or a life-giving battery pack. According to the patent claims, some of the modular components would even function wirelessly, citing a touchscreen module which doubles as a wireless handset or a media remote. Neat? You bet, but we wouldn't get our hopes up -- Microsoft typically keeps out of the handset manufacturing game, and the last modular phone to pique our interest didn't exactly make a splash.
Modu reveals the T, a tiny modular Brewphone, keeps us waiting for the Android-based W
Modu Mobile finally came clean about the T-phone today, but we're afraid it's bittersweet news -- it's not the lilliputan Android device we've been lusting after for months (that's coming "in the near future") but rather a Brew-based tri-band phone with a 2.2-inch QVGA touchscreen on the relatively old QSC6270 chipset. Thankfully, it does have a host of modular accessories that up its geek quotient radically. You can "camerafy" your Modu by sliding it into a 5 megapixel shell, "sportfy" it with an exercise armband sleeve, "boostify" by slotting it into a combo speaker dock / base station, or even "textify" by adding a vertical QWERTY keyboard. Considering the phone is apparently still Guinness-certified as the lightest touchscreen device in the world, we imagine these combinations will be similarly svelte, but we'll still be waiting for the Android-infused Modu W to appear, thank you very much. PR after the break. %Gallery-104718%
Modu, world's lightest cellphone, lands in UK
Another day, another... oh wait, what's this? The Modu phone has been an enigmatic figure in the mobile world, treading the precipice of vaporware for a while before finally launching in its home market of Israel last year and in a few more places around the world since then. Aiming to shake up the apparently stale mobile market, this minimalist take on the phone is no larger than the standard battery in your modern smartphone and gets its name from the modular "jackets" it can slip into. They furnish it with added functionality and buttons, while also sprinkling a bit of extra style on top as well. Slide past the break to learn more about this handset, the Modu 1, together with a few teasers about the upcoming touchscreen-based Modu 2.%Gallery-97442%%Gallery-97441%
Modu cellphone reportedly launching this week in Israel
Take this one with a grain of salt, but word from across the Atlantic is that Modu will finally (finally!) launch its long-awaited, self-titled handset in just a few days. If you'll recall, we actually toyed with the revamped handset as well as a few "jackets" back at MWC this year, but at that point, no one wanted to share any details surrounding the grand launch plan. Now, however, a report from Israel states that the phone -- along with one jacket -- will go on sale this Wednesday (July 22nd) for 500 Israeli shekels, or right around $130. So, does this mean that elusive touchscreen Modu is just a few days/weeks/months away, or what?[Thanks, Dror]
