Xiaomi never stops register patents. Owner of more than more than one thousand 19 under its control, in addition to 27 thousand brands worldwide, the Chinese manufacturer now wants to launch a modular cell phone onto the market. That's right: a device that can be assembled according to the user's wishes, as it has interchangeable parts.
Who discovered the patent, once again, was the people from the Dutch website LetsGoDigital. In partnership with graphic designer Jermaine Smit, the Concept Creator from YouTube, images were rendered on top of the leaked patent, projecting what Xiaomi's future smartphone would look like.
The idea is basically the following: the modular cell phone would be made up of three different parts, each with a set of functions. The upper part would house the motherboard and the camera system, while the middle part would house the battery, leaving space for other types of hardware, such as a zoom camera or a speaker system, in the lower part.
What about the screen?
An important point of the modular cell phone that Xiaomi patented is related to the screen. According to the report registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in February last year, but revealed only now, with the due registration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) database, the screen will be one of the smartphone's attractions.
It would extend across at least two modules that, together, would form a large panel, without any apparent seams. Xiaomi's modular phone therefore aims to have a full-screen design. The modules would be fitted and unfitted by sliding them on rails, and they would only work if they were perfectly aligned for use.
Regarding the cameras, Xiaomi's modular smartphone could have different designs, 'according to the customer's taste'. In the image above, for example, it is possible to see one of them with three lenses and a flash inside a square module fitted into the smartphone. Right next to it, in the same photo, a system with four cameras aligned vertically appears, with the last one possibly being a periscope lens. The selfie camera, in turn, according to the documentation, would be being worked on to be placed under the screen, like what has been making some rival brands.
Ecological footprint?
In addition to the natural technological innovation that will certainly attract attention if Xiaomi's modular cell phone patent actually comes to fruition, the company hopes to gain even more market share from a sustainability perspective. According to the folks at LetsGoDigital, what motivated Xiaomi to start working on the project was concern for the environment.
For now, it's just a patent, so there's no reason to get too excited. In any case, the Chinese manufacturer's reasoning is simple: a modular cell phone, if it has defects, will be easier to repair than an entire device. Furthermore, if it needs to be disposed of, the amount of electronic waste, which grows every year and worries the authorities, will also be smaller. So, will Xiaomi's idea catch on?
Through which channels you reach those people, classic and out of the box. LetsGoDigital
Images: Reproduction/LetsGoDigital
