Xiaomi patented a modular smartphone concept containing three changeable parts. According to the patent, the top module will contain the rear cameras and the circuit board, which houses the processor, RAM and storage of the phone. The middle module will be all battery, and the bottom module will house the USB charging port and the speaker.
Renders made by LetsGoDigital show what the phone could look like. On the renders we see a dark blue Xiaomi device with the three changeable modules. What’s interesting is that we see different implementations of the camera design. Three different top modules are present, with one having a horizontal quad-camera system and the other a rectangular triple-camera.
There is also a camera design with a horizontal triple-camera system and a display housed besides it. This display will most likely be used when taking a selfie or a portrait picture.
Two different bottom modules are also present in the renders, suggesting customization in terms of audio options. Maybe we could finally see a return of the 3.5mm headphone jack with the right module. These different module designs imply options for vast customization of the modular device before and after purchasing.
The modules can be slid out in either direction. This will allow for seamless and easy changes, which could also make the phone better withstand accidental drops, as the design won’t be as prone to breaking with no additional housing of the modules needed.
Motorola notoriously worked on a similar device on a project with Google called "Project Ara" years ago, but it was ditched shortly after the companies parted ways.
Xiaomi’s new patents don’t stop with this one. Last week the company was awarded two other smartphone patents as well.
An internal pop-up camera patent reveals the company is experimenting with a new front camera technology. According to LetsGoDigital, instead of the front camera popping up externally, the patent shows that the main rear camera will rotate and pop-up internally behind the screen.
Under-screen cameras have gotten many manufacturers interested this year, as plans of Samsung, Oppo and Vivo for such phones have previously leaked.
The other new Xiaomi patent is for a dual sliding smartphone. This means that the screen of the device will be able to slide both upwards and downwards. Android Headlines reports, that the front camera will be housed on the top of the device behind the screen, and pop-up when you slide it. It is not yet clear what the bottom of the phone will reveal when slid out.
Samsung has recently patented a similar dual sliding concept, in which the bottom of the phone reveals a big speaker hidden behind the screen when it slides. If the patent is used, a Xiaomi future phone could have a similar design too.
Xiaomi has always been an opportunistic company. It’s well known for its crazy concepts that often materialize into prototypes, and sometimes even into production devices.
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Iskren, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been passionate about technology since his childhood, sparked by his early experiences with phones like the Ericsson T28 and Sony Ericsson P910i. After earning a bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism, he turned his fascination with smartphones into a career, with a particular interest in Apple and Motorola. Outside of his tech pursuits, Iskren enjoys watching TV series, movies, driving, and has a deep passion for cars and Formula 1. He looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly the potential of rollable smartphones.
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