Microsoft developing a modular mobile phone

[Veho]

Microsoft's R&D department has drawn up plans for a slider phone with swappable accessories, a concept previously attempted elsewhere that failed to become a success commercially. The handset in question looks like a regular slider phone, but features detachable parts such as a gaming keypads, second displays and extra batteries.

The plot thickens: these accessories can still be used when not attached to the phone, doubling up as additional control devices for the handset. This includes using the attachments as an extended headset, as a keyboard for use while the phone is connected to a TV set, and as a handsfree control kit for manipulating the handset in vehicles.

Source.

Patent application.

Huh

So either you'll be lugging around a phone and five modules, or limit yourself to one preferred module (which beats the point of having a modular phone), or keeping modules in places where you'll be likely to use them and only carrying the phone around... this could be good, but it could also be very bad. I like the idea of a modular phone, if the modules can be used all at once. And apparently these can. Only in my mind the modules stack up into a single device, instead of juggling five-six devices at once. Oh I dunno, we'll see.

Maybe the phone is actually being developed by someone else and Microsoft is just patent trolling.

 

[FAST6191]

"a concept previously attempted elsewhere "

"Patent application. "

I am not sure I can even be bothered to try to trash their patent application. In fact they may have autoprior arted themselves- it seems the data pins of a wireless 360 controller do something when plugged in (plug one in and watch the drivers windows pop up) and continue to support an embedded device when unplugged. Failing that I once had a TV that had an early IR remote that worked as a remote and you could plug it in (where it would be powered and out of range of the IR by virtue of being inside the TV) and it would function as a face button.


I do however agree with this- every control mechanism I have seen on a phone that attempts to blend multiple functions into one has been a mess.

 

[ProtoKun7]

Well, that's...ambitious?
A curious concept, certainly.
Also, I don't know why my first thought was about years when I saw the OP picture.

 

[Selim873]

I think that's a pretty cool idea, but I'm not too crazy about it... I would personally just keep my Android phone, and get a 50-70$ iControlPad instead of a fancy shmancy Windows Phone like that, which would most likely cost maybe between 200-500$.

 

[Terminator02]

This phone is still in the R&D phase, i doubt anything like this will come out until at least when windows 8 arrives (and presumably window phone 8)

and having to choose between extra battery life and another input method is a trade off I don't want to make