Modular Mobile Phones

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Continuing the discussion from Do you use an alternative OS on your smartphone?:

I think the paths to modular mobile phones have been tried before. And I don’t think there will be a viable market until cost goes down.

That might happen accidentally as unrelated technologies develop: like the time span between the Newton and iPhone, or the adoption of AV1 as old hardware gets replaced.

Further, I think the market will be niche unless: a) consumers can buy an assembled, working, and durable phone like they do now or b) the cost of traditional phones rises compared to modules. For example, people might come to like the idea of replacing broken parts and getting unlimited security updates.

One day, people might pick out parts behind glass and get a finished product at the register like ordering a sandwich. :sandwich:

Mike

References

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That “dystopian lake” article is something. Then you see the date.

What is it like now?

See also Manufactured Landscapes and Anthropocene.

Similar to the Fairphone, Teracube is on a “sustainable phone” mission as well.

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Note: the Teracube is available via e.foundation with eOS as the operating system in the US, EU and UK.

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Not quite modular, but the Kickstarter for the next Volla phone is up

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/volla/volla-phone-22-the-beauty-of-freedom

The battery is replaceable and it can run alternative OSs out of the box.

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Very much wish I was a privacy influencer or titled in a similar way now so I could get some of these beautiful devices to test.

I’ve never tried Volla OS, but it looks like it’s a good blend of privacy/security stuff and also stop looking at your phone so much - which I appreciate greatly.

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Rotary Cellphone

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$390 USD and out of stock :clap: for ingenuity there. This is a beautiful piece of design for people who want retro-quirky tech.

Before I swapped my starter kit with someone else for a Pi 3B, I was looking at trying this: Lightweight Arduino GSM Mobile Phone | Arduino Project Hub which is quite similar, I believe.

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