Modu had a pendulum-like year in 2008, showcasing with much fanfare a prototype of its modular phone at MWC 2008 only to reportedly lay off 25% of its staff in November. The phone has been plagued by launch delays and a lack of carrier interest in this novel design. Fear not Modu fans as Modu is back for MWC 2009, this time with a production model in hand.The Modu phone features a super small handset which can be slipped into several different jackets providing both fashion and additional functionality to the phone. Think of the old Compaq iPaq and its sleeves but a whole lot sexier and more versatile. The latest production version of the phone has been built to be sturdier with additional memory (2 GB) and a revamped UI. Four jackets will be available at launch and include:
- Night jacket: night life design with edgy keypad, flashing lights, night mode imaging and a unique graphical user interface
- Street-art jacket: vibrant and colorful with stereo speakers, dedicated music keys and a unique graphical user interface
- Classic jacket: classic style mobile device with all essential communication features
- Express jacket: transforms the phone into a colorful and playful mobile device
Other jackets, including a bicycle jacket, music jacket and photo frame jacket are expected to be available post-launch. Additional jackets will retail for $25 to $100 each. Dov Moran, founder of Modu, is hoping to release the Modu phone for $200 with two jackets included and is expected to deliver the Modu phone globally at the beginning of next quarter. Hit the jump for some press photos of the Modu phone and its four jackets.
[Via Engadget]
