Future Windows Phones to have swappable accessories, Microsoft patent suggests

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A patent filing by Microsoft titled “Mobile Communication Device Having Multiple, Interchangeable Second Devices” was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday. The patent was originally filed on March 17th of last year and it describes a device that consists of a display and “multiple second devices” that can serve as accessories to the primary screen. We have seen this design executed before: Verizon Wireless launched the LG Versa in 2009 that could be equipped with a game pad accessory, but Microsoft has bigger plans. The patent describes the additional accessories as “more game controllers, batteries, physical keyboards or mobile phone handsets with a display.” Users can detach the devices too, and use wireless communications to interact with the primary display. It is a compelling concept although we aren’t so sure consumers will want to carry multiple accessories at once.

[Via Unwired View]

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19 Comments
  • Booboolala2000

    First! I lol. The android fanboy here. I I like this kind of idea.

  • http://twitter.com/NatesVlogs Nate Fisher

    I thought this years ago… I’m suing. 

  • http://twitter.com/Translatethis27 Translatethis27

    Microsoft keeps on with blackmail???

    http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393361,00.asp#fbid=y-iP_E9z1sW

  • http://twitter.com/Technogies1 Technogies

    thats a nice technogies……

  • motu

    Handspring was doing this way back when.

  • http://www.pixelreason.com PixelReason

    kind of cool

  • Anonymous

    if they implement this right I would get a windows phone ASAP

  • Antony Hamm

    After the death of the courier(yes I’m still holding a grudge) I am still skeptical that MS would do something this awesome but after seeing what they are trying to accomplish with Windows 8 ill take the bait and get my hopes up again.  That gamepad and keyboard would be perfect to get me to give up my Xperia play.

  • http://www.facebook.com/aedebiri Airen Edebiri

    This is an awesome concept, and I’m surprised that no one else has done it already. It’s a simple idea when you think about it.

    • Dont feed the lawyers

      Asus Transformer?, Moto range of clunky docking stations, ie laptop dock, Bluetooth keyboards come to mind. Microsoft just got awarded an ambiguous patent stick I fully expect to see wielded in the near future.

      • http://www.facebook.com/aedebiri Airen Edebiri

        Those are docks for phones and tablets. This is for having a removable accessory bay built into phone; Where most slider phones have a keyboard that is non removable or replaceable, you could remove your physical keyboard and replace it with an extra battery, a different brand/style/color of keyboard, another screen, a game controller, etc etc. This has nothing to do with docking stations or bluetooth keyboards, it’s completely different from that.

  • Anonymous

    Wow!! that’s a novelty..
    Phones made of.. Lego

  • Victor Oliveira

    Very Very Nice MS!!! Go for it!!

  • http://www.twitter.com/iAmMrHD Chris Ho Shin

    I like this idea. It would only appeal to a niche crowd, it would probably spark many people to at least try out a WP7 and that’s all Microsoft really needs. WP7 is a great platform that will speak for itself when used.

  • Anonymous

    One word… sick!

  • ISapple

    Apple will somehow find a way to sue Microsoft for this.

  • Daniel Sanders

    Why hasn’t anyone said anything about the weird film thingy? Is it like a movie camera attachment maybe? Either way , the concept is cool.

  • http://twitter.com/gamercore Chris Chavez

    WANT. 

  • Anonymous

    Cool idea that will probably cost a user like me a load of money that I don’t want to waste.

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