ZTE’s modular smartphone let’s you mix & match components

LAS VEGAS, USA – There are a lot of amazing smartphones in the market today but none that have every single feature you want. 

For me the best smartphone today would have the body of an iPhone 5S, the operating system of the MotoX, a user replaceable battery like the Galaxy S4, the camera of the Lumia 1020, and the self-healing back of the LG G Flex. 

Wouldn’t it be great if we could mix and match parts and build the smartphone that fits our needs?

It’s possible, at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Chinese manufacturer ZTE showed off a concept for a modular phone it is calling Eco-Mobius. The concept showed various smartphone and/or tablet modules that you can put together like a puzzle.

The Chinese tech company announced the concept back in October but this is the first time we are seeing the device in person. We weren’t allowed to touch the phone, which ZTE kept behind a sealed glass case but the display showed the various user-swappable core components.

The phone has 4 main modules: LCD, core, camera, and battery. The LCD module includes the screen and lens; the core module includes a removable CPU, RAM and internal storage. All 4 modules can be easily disassembled and assembled by sliding them out. 

The modular design will make it possible to swap out a camera for a different one depending on your needs (think wide angle vs macro) or pop in a better processor when a new one becomes available. You upgrade your phone without having to buy a new smartphone. ZTE says the concept is more eco-friendly and less wasteful hence the Eco in the name. 

Of course this is just a concept – whether or not we see a modular smartphone in the future remains to be seen. In the meantime we can just keep on hoping that smartphone manufacturers make a phone that has the best of everything at a price we can all afford. – Rappler.com