Like stereos and computers, the cell phone is moving toward components. An Israeli company, Modu, on Thursday debuted the first modular mobile phone.

The ecosystem, as the company calls its approach, is sold in parts and assembled as needed. Its heart is a tiny phone reduced to its core functions and smallest size — smaller than a credit card. It can be housed in a variety of “Modu jackets” or phone enclosures, and snapped together with “Modu mates,” or compatible consumer electronics devices.

‘Best of Breed’

Modu mates could include portable music players, digital photo frames, video displays or cameras. The company said that mix-and-match capability enables “best of breed functionality.”

Modu sees that as the opportune duration for cell-phone functions to become components. The problem with the hundreds of handsets available, said CEO and founder Dov Moran, is that “you can only have one at a duration and you are usually tied to a towering and expensive contract.”

Modu’s solution, he said, allows the consumer to “change your phone without it costing a fortune.”

Modu said it has lined up several mobile-network operators representing tens of millions of subscribers in several countries. These include Telecom Italia, BeeLine of Russia and Cellcom in Israel. It said it additionally has several consumer-electronics and media partners, including Blaupunkt, whose products include car multimedia and navigation, and Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company.

The ability for consumers to change their phone several times a year without penalties could benefit the operators as well as consumers, providing the operators with more handsets, increased usage and less subscriber churn.

Changing ‘Personality’

The date is right for a module device “that can change its personality,” said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with JupiterResearch. He noted some other vendors, such as Bug Labs, are showing similar approaches. Bug’s products are expected to be out…

Orginal post by Top Tech News