One of the biggest bonuses of using a desktop over a laptop is its upgradeability. Yeah, sure, laptops have a few PCMCIA slots, but a proper desktop PC lets you pull out every part and replace them on an as-needed basis. What if phones worked the same way? This design dubbed Clover has four slots (one for sound, another for visual, another for navigation, and a last for sensors), that allow you to do just that. Devices like the Versa have toyed with the idea of modules already, but not as far as core functions and hardware. A set-up like this would make the basic phone useable for a much longer amount of time, as well as open up a secondary hardware market.
If the manufacturer could keep apace with the latest advancements across Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, video and audio processors, and so on, then Clover has a shot in the real world. It also offers an amount of scalability – after all, you would be able to build the phone you want, so if you just wanted a cheap-o phone, you could get the base load-out. I’m curious if the sensor module would include antennae as well – it would be especially cool if you could swap it out for local compatibility if you happen to be a globe-trotter. Samsung Corp Milano helped work on this one, so we know where to look for a finished product a few years down the line.
[via Gizmowatch]