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INTRODUCTION

Phoneblok is a new generation Smartphone. A Phone is nothing but a phone

comprising of blocks. Today electronic waste is increasing day to day due to many reasons

like the device may be slow, damaged or a new device into the market. By considering this

damage to the world, the concept of Phonebloks was given by a Netherland’s innovator

David Hakkens. It is a new generation Smartphone mobile phone which can be modified to

its full extent.

“Phonebloks” – the name comprises of two words. They are “Phone” and “Block”. A

Phone is normal mobile phone that is used to communicate with others using wireless

communication and a Blok is a component which can be used for a specific purpose. The

Blocks are normally used for display, audio, RAM, memory, CPU and on. A Phonebloks is

new generation Smartphone that uses modular technology which is more flexibility and can

be up to date with the latest technology. The unused blocks can be replaced with the useful

resources. Instead, the phone will be made of multiple parts that can be exchanged and

substituted independently instead of as a whole device. By attaching individual third-party

components (called "Bloks") to a main board, a user would create a personalized

Smartphone. These blocks can be replaced at will if they break or the user wishes to upgrade.

Phonebloks is a revolutionary device employing a smart base that is compatible with

detachable blocks. Allowing the user to easily upgrade hardware and attach those

components that suite their lifestyle and changing daily needs. The company will launch a

free collaborative innovation platform for consumers and developers to engage in creating

new blocks this is the first smart phone company that openly involves consumers in both

hardware and software development.

In the similar way phonebloks aims to turn your phone into a complete different

phone which will always be latest. You can upgrade your phone with any latest or high

capacity part anytime and anywhere. Like the appstore that is available online i.e., over the

internet to download software in our Smartphone, A Blokstore will be available where one

can upgrade his old Blok with the new. All the blocks are available in most desired shape and

structure. The blocks can be manufactured by any manufacturer that means these blocks are

not manufacturer specific.

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OVERVIEW

Phonebloks would consist 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

as a desktop computer has a distinct sound card, graphics card, processor, monitor, and power

supply. 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 wanted

a better camera, for example, he or she could 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.

David Hakkens from Netherlands has created one of the most revolutionary concepts

of the 21st century, known as Phonebloks. His idea is that we can reduce a huge amount of

electronic waste by simply upgrading individual components, or “Bloks” of our phones,

rather than discarding the entire phone if something breaks or becomes obsolete. This in turn

will reduce electronic waste, conserve natural resources, and protect consumers at the same

time. He has made the Phonebloks concept open-source, so any group such as

PhoneBloks.org (that’s us) can take the idea to the next level, and produce a working, viable

Phonebloks phone. A user would create a personalized Smartphone. These Bloks can be

replaced at will if they break or the user wishes to upgrade.

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ARCHITECTURE

. Phonebloks uses modular technology in order to build a cellular device that will be longer

lasting in the hopes of sustaining our technological dependency without producing excessive

amounts of waste. Instead, the phone will be made of multiple parts that can be exchanged

and substituted independently instead of as a whole device. Consumers will be able to

customize their device and support different brands depending on what they are looking for in

a phone.

Phonebloks aims to turn your phone into a complete different phone which will

always be latest. You can upgrade your phone with any latest or high capacity part anytime

and anywhere. Like the appstore that is available online i.e., over the internet to download

software in our Smartphone, A Blokstore will be available where one can upgrade his old

Blok with the new. All the blocks are available in most desired shape and structure. The

blocks can be manufactured by any manufacturer that means these blocks are not

manufacturer specific.

(Fig:Phonebloks)

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IMPLEMENTATION

Stop the Waste

Electronic waste is a growing problem for a world in which the daily dependency and

fascination with electronics is demanding and constant technological progress. When

outdated or broken electronic products (such as phones, computers, VHS players, etc.) are

thrown away, the waste is considered "e-waste". As more products are produced and

distributed, more products are thrown away.

Customizable Mobile Phone

The main purpose of the phonebloks is get upgraded from the block level of a mobile

phone instead of replacing to a new mobile phone. An online Blok Store will be made

available where customers can build their own phone, exchange and review Bloks with other

customers, and purchase accessories. In order to appeal to all budgets, three distinct models

appealing to multiple income segments will be made available during the selection process.

Afterwards, the customer will be able to make adjustments to his base-product to modify it

according to his/her specific needs. Afterwards, the total price will be displa yed and the

purchasing/shipping process will be conducted.

Modular Technology

Modular design in phonebloks hardware is the same as modular design in other things

(e.g. cars, fridges, even furniture). The idea is to build Phonebloks with easily replaceable

parts that use standardized interfaces. This technique allows you to upgrade certain aspects of

the computer easily without having to buy another computer altogether.

A computer is actually one of the best examples of modular design - typical modules

are power supply units, processors, main boards, graphics cards, hard drives, optical drives,

etc. All of these parts should be easily interchangeable as long as you use parts that support

the same standard interface as the part you replaced.

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How Modular Technology is used in Phonebloks

Modular technology is used to get done with a new mobile phone “Phonebloks”. In

Phonebloks, every hardware component called Blok. The Bloks usually are screen, wifi,

memory, RAM, camera etc. Every Blok consists of four pins which are in connection with

other Bloks by using base as intermediate to transmit signals. All the Bloks are put together

with the help of two screws at the bottom of the mobile phone. The Bloks can be upgraded

with the help of Blokstore available in desired shapes.

Fig: Bloks used in Phonebloks

Fig:Screws used to put Bloks together

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Reasons for replacing the Bloks

The Bloks in this Smartphones are replaced because of following reasons, if

Bloks are damaged.

Any upgrade is required.

Broken Bloks.

Unused components.

If every is stored is online then there is no need of any internal memory and we require more

battery backup.

Fig: Upgrading of Battery

If you are interested in taking photograph then you can upgrade to a better camera without

replacing the entire device.

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Fig: Upgrading to better camera

3.5 Components in Phonebloks

The main components of Phonebloks are

Base

Blok

3.5.1 Base

The base is like spinal card in human being. It is responsible for connecting one Blok

to all the remaining Bloks. All the Bloks are injected into the base with the help of the pins

present in each Blok. The Blok is connected to the Base and the Base connects to everything

over the Base.

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Fig: The Base

3.5.2 Bloks

Bloks are the hardware required to make entire phone. These are placed over the Base

to communicate with all other hardware with the help of Base.

Fig:Bloks

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Current research work

Motorola late Monday unveiled Project Ara, a hardware platform that would allow

consumers to build their own Smartphones by snapping modular parts into a frame. The

Libertyville, Ill.-based Company, owned by Google Inc., has been working on Project Ara for

more than a year and is opening the design process to the public.

Project Ara marks Motorola's most ambitious effort yet in customizable mobile

devices, a vision it introduced with this summer's launch of the Moto X. That Smartphone

lets consumers choose from an array of colors for the device's back plate and external

hardware accents.

With Project Ara, the ability to customize the phone extends into the display,

keyboard, camera, battery and processor. A shutterbug might opt for a high-definition display

and a camera with lots of megapixels, while a frequent business traveler might choose a

battery with extended life. A modular design also means a Smartphone owner who wants to

upgrade or replace a single part - a sluggish processor or a cracked screen, for example -

could do so without buying a new device.

Motorola's goal is "to give you the power to decide what your phone does, how it

looks, where and what it's made of, how much it costs, and how long you'll keep it," the

company's Advanced Technology and Projects group said in a blog post. Motorola declined

to comment beyond the post.

Project Ara's modular phones appear far from hitting store shelves; the initiative has

to overcome a number of engineering and design challenges before becoming reality.

Motorola is pushing forward by partnering with Phonebloks, a modular mobile phone

concept created by Netherlands-based designer Dave Hakkens. He posted a YouTube video

last month explaining his idea and generated significant online buzz, with the video garnering

nearly 17 million views.

As Hakkens explained in a follow-up video on the Phonebloks website, he talked with

a number of companies and discovered that Motorola was already working on a similar

concept. The two groups joined forces, though Hakkens said Phonebloks will stay

independently funded.

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Motorola said in its blog post that it will tap the Phonebloks community for feedback.

The company also has hired Dscout, a Chicago technology firm, to manage an ongoing

consumer research program.

Volunteers who sign up online to be "research scouts" will be asked to complete a

series of tasks, such as answering questions and snapping photos. Responses are submitted

through a mobile application.

Tens of thousands of participants have already signed up - about twice the number of

volunteers that typically complete projects with Dscout, said Chief Executive Michael

Winnick. The Ara program is expected to run for about a year, and Dscout volunteers might

get first crack at early prototypes of the modular phone.

Dscout has worked with Motorola before, but the Ara project stands out in its "level

of ambition and scale," said Winnick, adding that it also is "very rare for a large organization

to be out there and open" about new product development.

Chris Jansen, a Chicagoan who works in information security and saw the Phonebloks

YouTube video, signed up to be a research scout for Ara. He was drawn to "designing a

phone in an entirely new way based on community feedback, especially because it takes the

idea of 'you can upgrade what's important to you' out of the control of the carriers."

The Ara project also attracted Alex Pedenko, co-founder of Chicago-based startup

Swingbyte. He used to build his own PCs and is intrigued by the potential to customize a

mobile phone with components such as an air-quality sensor or barometer.

"It opens the door for third-party accessories that people haven't even thought of right

now," said Pedenko, whose company makes a gadget that clips onto a golf club and collects

data on a player's swing.

Technology companies have experimented with modular mobile devices in the past.

Handspring, the maker of the Palm Pilot personal digital assistant, offered modules such as an

MP3 player or GPS unit that plugged into the gadget like a video game cartridge.

The concept faces hurdles in consumer adoption and engineering. For starters, the

ability to choose a battery or processor might appeal only to a narrow technical crowd.

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APPLICATIONS

As the electronic market changes everyday, it has increased a lot of e-waste.

For a single upgrade, we need to change the whole phone.

Precise shape and structure leads to inconvenience to some customers.

Mobile needs to be flexible.

It must only have the customer’s required features.

Can stay in touch with updated technology.

Example

Can change your processor.

Can change your camera.

Can change your battery.

Can change your RAM.

Can change your screen resolution.

Can increase your internal storage.

Can increase your wifi range.

Can change your Bluetooth version.

Can improve your sensors.

Can sell your older bloks.

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Advantages:

Customer Empowerment –

o Phonebloks allows the consumer to interact and give feedback on the mobile phone

they want through our integrated online customer platform

Customizable -

o online platform allows the consumer to customize a Smartphone to suit the highly

o Specific demands of their lifestyle

Flexibility in price –

o The modularity of the product allows it to compete in the lower- and higher-priced

o Smartphone segments

Strong partners –

o Strategic partnership with Motorola and Google in modular phone technology

Innovative Product –

o Creative collaboration between Smartphones producers and customers

o continuity of unlimited creative input

Green and sustainable product –

o The open modular platform has the ability to upgrade with biodegradable ,

o Bloks that can reduce e-waste

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Disadvantages:

Partner-reliant business model–

o Product development is reliant on current partners and probability to attract

o new ones

Software compatibility –

o Necessity to develop cross-functional software that is compatible to modular

o hardware components

Low brand awareness –

o Many smart phone users are not aware of Phonebloks and its benefits due to little

o advertising

Financial and legal stability –

o Reliant on crowd-funding and Motorola as well as intellectual property

o protection hurdles with existing patents

Economies of scale and scope –

o Phonebloks is a start-up company starting in a highly competitive industry

o which gives the company the disadvantage of economies of scale and -scope

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSSION

Phonebloks is a good way to prevent e-waste. It provides much functionality in a compact

manner. Phonebloks are much flexible as compared to the legacy phones has the fullest

advantage of its features to the user. Multiple companies work on single product unlike single

company working on multiple products and hence deliver the purest product to the customer.

Multiple companies work on single product unlike single company.

REFERENCES

o McNicoll, Arion. "Phonebloks: The Smartphone for the rest of your life". CNN.com.

Retrieved 23 October 2013.

o Oswald, Ed. "Modu looks to make cell phones 'modular'". betanews. Retrieved 10

November 2013.

o US application 20110230178, Jones; Gregory G.; (Seattle, WA) ; Hanson; Lisa M.;

(Issaquah, WA) ; Kleist; Thomas; (Redbourn, GB); Hanson; Lisa M & Kleist; Thomas,

"MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE HAVING MULTIPLE,

INTERCHANGEABLE SECOND DEVICES", published 2011-09-22, issued, assigned

to Microsoft Corporation

o Hakkens, David. "Phonebloks: A Phone Worth Keeping (Idea)". Retrieved 10 November

2013.