This document discusses the concept of modular smartphones and describes a student project on this topic. Modular smartphones allow users to independently upgrade or replace components like the main board, camera, battery, etc. to reduce e-waste and repair costs. The project aims to demonstrate how modular phones could promote creativity and reduce the "black box" nature of current smartphones. It reviews literature on modular phone designs and discusses the available and required resources for the project.

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IPS ACADEMY INDORE
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
(A UGC Autonomous Institute, Affiliated To RGPV, Bhopal)
DEPARTMENT :
COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
DESIGN THINKING
TITLE :
MODULAR SMART PHONES
SUBMITTED BY : SUBMITTED TO :
Tushar Khanna Mr. Rahul Pal Sir
(0808CS201190)

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CONTENT
• Abstract
• Idea and Sources
• Literature Review
• Brief Summary of The Project
• Available Resources
• Required Resources
• Conclusion
• Future Scope
• References

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ABSTRACT
The last decade has witnessed a tremendous growth in research and development
of smartphones and artificial intelligence (AI) . However , the production of
advanced technology in smartphones has raised concerns over the risks and
safety of our environment .
Also , the latest survey conducted in late 2020’s point towards to an alarming
situation . INDIA secured a whooping share of 40.27% in world’s E-Waste generated
in the last decade and the world generated a global increase of 388.82% in the
same. Paving the way towards the concept of “MODULAR PHONES”.
IDEA AND SOURCES
First of all , let us start with the question “What are Modular Phones ? How it all
started ?”
“Modular is nothing but a design approach that
subdivides a system into smaller parts called modules”
Modular phones are getting a place in every geek with their wide range of customizability
especially after the initial release of LG’s G5 Smartphone and the hint on Google’s
Project ARA & yesterday’s Fairphone and the today’s Lava Z Series . Will it be the next
big trend ? Let us find out in the coming pages.

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LITERATURE REVIEW
A Modular Smartphone is a smartphone made using components that can be
independently upgraded or replaced as modules . This aims to reduce Electronic
Waste , lower repair costs and user comfort .
The most important component is the main board , to which other are attached .
These are packaged in easy-to-remove modules which can be replaced as needed

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without having to rework the soldering . Components could be obtained from open-
source hardware stores.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
Every phone you buy , no matter how expensive and latest it is , will go out of date in a
year or so . That’s how quickly the smartphone world is moving right now . To keep
yourself updated with the current specification you will have to keep switching phones
every once a while .
The idea of modular smartphones has galvanized a global conversation about what a
smartphone should look like, how it should behave, and ultimately how this vision could
affect our interaction with technology in the future. Proponents see it as a way to
dramatically reduce our electronic waste, and give individuals freedom in the form and
function of their phone. Opponents content that not only is the idea totally unfeasible,
consumer tendencies make it likely that in our race to replace and update modules,
modular phones stand to create more e-waste, not less .This paper will not weigh in on
either side, but instead steer the conversation in a conceptual direction to explore the
cognitive implications of modular phones.
This project will demonstrate that while the modular phone is no more modular than any
other smartphone on the market, externalizing features into modules has important
cognitive implications for creativity, the interaction between actor-cognitive artifact and
the physical world, and effectively removes a portion of the black box surrounding current
smartphones.

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AVAILABLE RESOURCES
As we know that the term , “DESIGN THINKING” is often referred to as “Thinking outside
the box” ; as it includes the following steps
The world is increasing moving towards mobile computing devices (Pew study), especially
in the developing world. A flexible platform like Project Ara has important affordances
which could benefit users in developing countries like ours . Individuals could bypass the
standard carrier monopoly and only purchase a phone with a module and not a cellular
module, which is more cost efficient . A modular phone like Ara—if it were to function as
planned—has the potential to reach these individuals with a cost effective device that
could enhance their lives and be upgraded as time and funds allow , according to me this

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feature shall be a boon to the INDIAN Smart Phone industry as here people change their
decisions with a minute change in a product’s price.
REQUIRED RESOURCES
These are the very glowing potentials of modular phones, but Ara and other
modular phones have experienced their fair share of detractors . The risk of
increased e-waste is especially high given the goal to have these phones reach
the 6 billion people on the planet who current do not have smartphones.
Additionally, as each provider will have their own set of standards and hardware
ecosystem. This has the potential to create an arms race of modules, which could
also contribute to more e-waste and a larger negative environmental impact.
CONCLUSION
If modular phones like Project Ara are able to gain enough traction and market
share to become a globally ubiquitous form, calling these devices “phones”
would soon seem like a quaint anachronism. The flexibility of these computing
devices will be well beyond that of a phone or any other mobile computing
platform. Ara and others have a long way to go in terms of engineering obstacles
and economic barriers, however, Google is a powerful ally to have in a moonshot
project like building a modular phone. But even if modular phones do not become
a reality, conceptually, they present a valuable opportunity to examine our
interactions with a cognitive artifact in a meaningful way.

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FUTURE SCOPE
This discussion raises many questions for further study that would yield
important insights.
As discussed, for modular phones to work they have to all speak the same
technical language. If Project Ara became widespread, what are the larger
implications of one organization, such as Google, controlling the standards for
both software and hardware on such a massive scale?
But still Tech Giants have this space , which is yet is to be filled and establish
their brand name in this field .

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REFERENCES
➢ NPTEL Courses :
Design Thinking – A Primer
➢ Editorials :
• PhoneRadar
• PhoneBlocks
➢ Wikipedia :
Project ARA
➢ YouTube :
Design Thinking (MC – 1)
➢ Books :
The Design Thinking PlayBook ; Wiley ; 2018
{By ~ Michael Lewrick & Patrick Link & Larry Leifer}