What happened to modular smartphones, a well-intentioned bet that seems more impossible than ever

We’ve seen several proposals for modular smartphones over the last decade. They started with the idea of ​​having phones where damaged components could be easily replaced, or some of them improved in quality, like someone replacing a Lego piece.

This concept applies to those most concerned with sustainability, namely Do it yourself and in general I lived in disgust at the fact that smartphones look like they’re built to last three years. There are those who can’t stand excite Among the innovations and those that replace it after twelve months are those who patiently flex it and give it five years of life, but most renewals happen somewhere in between. On paper, a modular smartphone could also make life easier for the group, extending replacement time.

died on the way

None of this happened and already in 2022 It seems less and less that the modular mobile concept will succeed. Credit is running out. The Search Project came from Google, who had no problem experimenting and risking as much as needed until they found the next success (it’s not a criticism, it’s a lot better than a shortcut). However, even not abandoning such a large and relevant technology proved very rewarding to him.

After years of ‘waiting for Godot’ mode (“not today, but definitely tomorrow yes”), Google has buried the project. It seemed like it would be possible with the Motorola brand, but the complexity of running such an interesting and commercially viable project drove him away. When he sold Motorola to Lenovo, he kept Ara and came to launch some prototypes, but there was no happy ending for him on the horizon.

There were some daredevils who tried to fight yourself in the same years. LG found its brightest moment in the G2, with an impressive battery for its time and a very acceptable overall value. Different problems overshadowed the next two versions and they decided to bet on modularity for the G5.

Almost trying to get the public’s attention with different accessories and spare parts for a chassis. It didn’t work, it didn’t repeat the formula, and it’s been over a year today since it shut down its smartphone division. The G5 alone was responsible for more than $380 million lost in the quarter after its launch. Life is not good.

That same year, in a daredevil, Motorola, already hand in hand with Lenovo, launched a Moto Z, complete with Lenovo in full. motomods, the accessories are on the same modular line. This.

Recently, there has been news that, besides being positive for the consumer, one more nail has been added to the coffin of the modular: Apple has started offering parts to repair the iPhone yourself without going to an authorized technician. And best of all, without losing the warranty.

So true that this move Looks more like boredom than tactical opinion in front of regulators, as perhaps if the Apple client did not quite fit those interested in a modular smartphone. Still, this decision encouraged other manufacturers like Samsung to follow in his footsteps.

The resistance in this war was embodied better than anyone else by Fairphone, whose goal is to survive as a company by offering phones like the Fairphone 4 as sustainable as possible. Some problems with this concept. Commitments that must be made in return for his philosophy. For example, it is only IP54 certified and is splashproof, but not submersible. In 2022, every son of the neighbor offers at least IP68, and that includes immersion for the owners’ peace of mind.

To defend Fairphone, it must be said that their phones have practically only software updates offered by Apple in terms of longevity. Six years of updates and counts. It even offered camera modules to enhance this component without having to renew the entire terminal. They managed to sell 95,000 units in 2020. Much more than 59,000 in 2019. Is it enough? Only Fairphone knows, but the comparisons are hateful. In 2020, Samsung sold 253 million terminals, Apple 199 million, Xiaomi 145 million and Oppo 111 million terminals.

Exactly, Xiaomi has registered a patent for a modular phone in the spring of 2021. The blueprint reveals three parts for a smartphone: on top, cameras, motherboard and storage. In the center, the battery. And at the bottom, USB and speakers. Idea, combine these two modules to increase the capabilities of the terminal without having to change it completely.

Xiaomi’s patent. Image: Let’s Go Digital.

Xiaomi’s patent. Image: Let’s Go Digital.

Xiaomi’s patent. Image: Let’s Go Digital.

Xiaomi, who also knows something about risk-taking and experimentation, has not yet passed the patent and it is not known whether this concept will one day start as a concrete project or if it is an idea that he wants to keep in case it is a commercial project. interest at one point.

Currently, despite the goodwill of some or the innovative business ideas of some, There is no real minimal mass news about successful modular phones beyond anecdotes, and most of those who tried fell by the wayside. Mobile telephony is an industry where everyone tries and always wins the same thing.