As exciting as new phone announcements are, there are those who are understandably exhausted with the never-ending updates that make their phones obsolete each and every year. Dave Hakkens’ Phonebloks concept might be the perfect solution. Phonebloks will allow you to update your phone’s hardware one blok at a time in order to cut down on electronic waste, save yourself several hundred dollars, and customize your phone to suit your needs without having to choose from a limited set of pre-made devices.
The bloks will all sit on a single base, held in place by two small screws, and can be rearranged or replaced at will. The Blokstore will serve as “an app store for hardware,” a place to buy an upgraded processor, a nicer camera, or a replacement screen. Some of the other perks of the device include reusing the parts for other devices (tablets, etc.) and never having to replace chargers or cases.
Typically a product like this would be found on a crowdfunding platform but in the FAQ on the Phonebloks website, Hakkens makes it clear that this project needs reliable partners more than it needs a load of cash. Without the support of several large companies, the Blokstore would remain rather barren, so Hakkens has turned to Thunderclap to promote his idea.
On October 31st, Thunderclap will issue a huge social media shoutout for Phonebloks, posting a message on the account of everyone’s Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr profile who signed up in a call for support.
The concept video follows below.
