I tried Tecno's modular phone concept at MWC - and it quickly got weird

Source: ZDNet

Adam Doud / ZDNET

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Tecno’s magnetic modular phone is a proof of concept without a release date.
• It’s thin and light, and the modular battery design is cool.
• The magnets aren’t strong enough, and the camera modules need some work.

Tecno is always a delightful visit during MWC; the brand has a history of bringing interesting concepts to bear. This year, there are a pair of them, including a tri‑fold phone I couldn’t dive into, as a security device prevented me from even closing it on the showroom floor.

The modular phone is different from the Z‑shaped foldable phone Tecno showed last year. Instead, it folds twice to the centre, like the Samsung Trifold, with the outside screen on one of the wings. The magnetic modular phone caught my attention.

Modular phones are seemingly the dream among phone enthusiasts. Who wouldn’t want to build their own phone? This device starts off with a little bit of an iPhone Air vibe: it’s extremely thin and has magnets and pogo pins on the back to attach the modules. Right off the bat, I wish the magnets were a bit stronger; the modules felt a tad wobbly.

Since the phone is a proof of concept, Tecno didn’t share a spec sheet, but I was able to glean a few details:

• MediaTek Dimensity 8350 processor
• 256 GB of storage
• 12 GB of RAM
• 3,000 mAh battery (small, but the modular design compensates)

Battery modules

A battery module can be attached to the back. Each module is also 3,000 mAh, and the company had three modules on hand, stackable for a total of 12,000 mAh—pretty cool by itself.

Wallet module

A wallet mod is available, but given how weak the magnets are, it doesn’t feel secure.

Camera attachments

• Optical telephoto lens – adds 3× capability by snapping over the camera. Images appear inverted, which is normal for a magnifying lens, but Tecno could have corrected this in software. No ultrawide camera module is offered.
• 100× optical telephoto camera module – connects via Wi‑Fi to transmit images to the phone’s viewfinder. On the show floor there was noticeable lag, possibly due to weak Wi‑Fi or a poor implementation.

There is also an action‑camera module that I couldn’t test because it wasn’t working properly on the show floor.

Other accessories

• Lavalier mic with windscreen
• Ring‑light/mirror combo for selfies or video
• Bluetooth speaker mod

These accessories don’t need to be attached to the phone to work, which stretches the definition of “modularity.”

ZDNET’s buying advice

Although it’s still a proof of concept, I’d like to see Tecno make some improvements before I could recommend the phone. The magnets need to be stronger, and the camera attachments need refinement. The device feels like a spiritual successor to the Moto Mods of old, but it faces the same challenge: once modules become available, Tecno must commit to the form factor or risk turning them into paperweights.

I believed Motorola when it said it would support mods for four years (and it has exceeded that mark). I don’t have the same confidence in Tecno. Yes, there are import issues, and Tecno lacks Motorola’s storied reputation, but the idea is intriguing and the available modules show promise—provided Tecno pushes the concept further.