A new concept: a tiny cell phone that pops into
interchangeable jackets to become a bigger,
smarter phone - or into other gadgets to connect
them to the Internet has been adopted by wireless
carriers in three countries.
The company, Modu, launched the phone, also
called Modu, with Telecom Italia SpA in Italy,
OAA Vimpel Communications in Russia and Cellcom
Israel Ltd.
Telecom Italia Mobile and Cellcom are the largest
carriers in their respective countries, while
VimpelCom is the second-largest in Russia.
The Modu is slightly smaller than the current
iPod Nano and weighs 1.5 ounces. It has a small
color screen and a limited keypad, which allows
it to work as a rudimentary cell phone on its own.
The jackets that will come with the Modu look
like cell phones, with standard numeric keypads
and other features like cameras. But they they
lack the antenna and chips that communicate with
a wireless network, and this is where the Modu
comes in - it pops into a slot, turning the
jacket into a fully functional phone.
The jacket is cheap to make, has almost no
electronics, and doesn't need to be tested by the
carrier to see that it conforms to its network
standards.
Dov Moran, the company's founder, estimates that
carriers will be able to sell a Modu and two
jackets as a bundle for about $280, a price that
they can then subsidize down to free or almost
free with a two-year contract.
The jackets that will be available at launch in
the other countries reflect the differences
between them. The Russian carrier wants an
emphasis on kids, who are the big growth market
for cell phones there, so Modu is making jackets
with cartoon themes for them. The Israeli carrier
wanted a cell phone for soldiers, so Modu is
making a rugged, green jacket with a built-in
flashlight.
Modu is also talking to consumer electronics
companies like Magellan Navigation Inc., a
California-based maker of Global Positioning
System devices, and car-stereo maker Blaupunkt, a
unit of Robert Bosch GmbH of Germany.
The idea is to have consumer electronics
companies build slots for the Modu into their
devices to give them network connectivity. That
could allow a GPS device to receive updates on
traffic or map changes. A picture frame with a
Modu slot and loud speakers could act as a
music-playing, picture-showing charging station.