Facebook patent reveals modular smartphone plans

The idea of a modular smartphone — where a number of components can be swapped out for replacements or allow users to focus on a key feature, such as a larger battery — has been widely pursued by the tech industry over the last few years, with Google going as far as developing a prototype for its Project Ara concept (seen above). But while most companies have given up on the idea, like Google did last year, it appears Facebook is still pursuing it.

The company’s secretive Building 8 division appears to be developing a modular consumer product that could fit into either smartphone or smart speaker categories. A newly published patent filing from Facebook describes a “modular electromagnetic device” that allow users to avoid the wasteful and expensive cycle of buying and replacing electronics once they get outdated every few years.