Phonebloks

Hakkens graduated cum laude from the Design Academy Eindhoven in summer 2013 with his idea for Phonebloks.{{cite web | title=Phonebloks - A Customizable Smartphone That Could Revolutionize The Industry | url=http://dewerelddraaitdoor.vara.nl/media/242951 | work=De Wereld Draait Door | accessdate=16 April 2014 | date=18 September 2013}} Phonebloks consists of a main board onto which bloks could be snapped on by the user like Lego bricks. Each blok is responsible for a unique function of the phone, much like a desktop computer has a distinct sound card, graphics card, processor, monitor, and power supply.{{cite web | last=Leather | first=Antony | title=Phonebloks - A Customizable Smartphone That Could Revolutionize The Industry | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/antonyleather/2013/09/17/phonebloks-a-customizable-smartphone-that-could-revolutionize-the-industry/ | work=Forbes.com | accessdate=24 October 2013}} As a result, instead of replacing the entire phone when it becomes obsolete or broken, one could simply replace the defective or performance-limiting part. If the consumer wants a camera that suits their needs better, they could for example swap their small generic camera blok for a larger zoom camera from a manufacturer such as Nikon or Canon instead of buying a phone with a better camera. In theory, this would lead to fewer people throwing away their phones and contributing to the ever-increasing problem of electronic waste. Smartphones based on the Phonebloks system would be sold part by part, as well as in starter sets. When assembled, the phone would have a screen covering the entirety of the front, volume buttons and headphone jacks along the outer edge, and bloks clicked into the back, forming a rectangular block shape overall.

{{Original research|section|date=January 2016}}

While many people support the concept's development into an actual product, there are objections as to the concept's viability and ultimate impact.

One challenge this concept faces is the great amount of money and manufacturing required in order to make the Phonebloks system a viable competitor with other major smartphone developers. Without many manufacturers producing bloks, there would be a limited selection of bloks to choose from, taking away from the open-source appeal of the system.

Because all bloks are external of the main board, signals between components have to travel for significantly longer distances.{{cite web | last=Hahn | first=George | title=Why the PhoneBloks phone will never happen | url=http://www.genericmaker.com/2013/09/why-phonebloks-phone-will-never-happen.html | work=genericmaker.com | accessdate=25 October 2013}} This extra distance could lead to drops in signal quality, lower data transfer speeds and increased power consumption due to added interfacing resistance. In addition, the quality of connection needed would require expensive Pogo pins and sockets, and developing a system to allow the user to arbitrarily place bloks would be very difficult. The end product would likely be much thicker than non-modular smartphones, and the bloks would be at risk of dislodging from the main board.

RF design of a modular phone would be a challenge. Antennas integrated into the main body of the phone would require RF routing to the RF modem(s) in the modules and could limit the frequencies on which the phone could operate, necessitating different phones for different networks. Antennas integrated into modules could be less efficient due to limited space and EM interactions with adjacent modules, limiting range.

Despite Hakkens' stated goal of lessening electronic waste,{{cite web|last=Hakkens|first=David|title=Phonebloks: The plan|url=https://phonebloks.com|accessdate=16 November 2013}} critics have argued that, if put into practice, the concept could actually increase e-waste output.{{cite web|title=Why Lego Design Principles Don't Work On Smartphones | url=http://www.fastcodesign.com/3017409/why-lego-design-principles-dont-work-on-smartphones | accessdate=16 November 2013}} They argue that by producing constantly better components, the consumer would have more pressure on them to replace several parts every few months; frequent replacement of bloks could add up to more waste on average than getting a new phone every two years.

After exceeding his goal of 900,000 supporters on Thunderclap by October 2013, Hakkens started collaborating with Motorola on Project Ara, a more practical modular smartphone system consisting of an endoskeleton with slots on the back where bloks can slide in. Hakkens encourages the supporters of Phonebloks to stay involved in the design process. However, this project was later cancelled.{{cite web | last=Ho | first=Joshua | title=Motorola's Project Ara: Phonebloks from an OEM | url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/7469/motorolas-project-ara-phonebloks-from-an-oem | work=AnandTech | accessdate=8 November 2013}}

• {{portal-inline|Telephones}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|phonebloks.com}}
• {{YouTube|u=getphonebloks|Phonebloks|suffix='}}

Category:Modular smartphones