CES 2014: ZTE Shows Off Eco-Mobius Modular Phone Concept

Chinese smartphone manufacturer ZTE has taken to the stage at CES to unveil Eco-Mobius, its modular phone concept. Originally announced in October 2013, the modular phone is a way of ensuring customers can continue to upgrade various parts on their devices without having to pay for a whole new device at the end of their contracts.

The phone is divided into four independent modules: LCD, core, camera, and battery. The LCD module includes the screen and the camera lens; the core module consists of a removable CPU, GPU, ROM and RAM and other electronic parts such as a camera,  all of which stay put thanks to magnetic connectors. There are also differently-sized batteries available, offering increasing amounts of juice, with components clipping simply into the case when you want to upgrade or replace them.

We can rebuild him, we have the technology

The four modules can be easily disassembled and assembled through a sliding track design which means that upgrading and improving is quick and painless. ZTE says the device will be available in three different sizes, coming in 4.9in, 5.8in, and 7.9in versions, and as all components are built to a standard modular framework they will work across the whole range.

Aside from appealing to gadget fans who constantly want the latest upgrades for their device, the Eco-Mobius is also a ‘greener’ solution for mobile phones, with the logic going that if people can upgrade their phones easily bit by bit, devices won’t end up in landfills.

ZTE isn’t the first phone company to announce it is working on such a concept, as Motorola announced its open-source Project Ara project last October. ZTE is the first product to see the light of day,but the company has yet to confirm whether it will be commercially developing it.

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