Preceding the introduction of Moto Mods in 2016, the initial collection of Jolla The Other Half notions encompassed rear panels with an additional E Ink interface, an infrared sensor, and an *Angry Birds* association that triggered visual styles and alert sounds. Yet, perhaps the most sought-after item was a sliding keypad, reminiscent of Blackberry/Nokia Communicators, crafted and offered for sale by two business owners from the initial Jolla user group. This inclination has re-emerged; for instance, at CES 2026, Clicks, a peripheral company, unveiled a magnetized keyboard attachment designed to adhere to the rear of any Qi2 or MagSafe smartphone, utilizing Bluetooth for its connection.
A significant transformation has occurred in what can be accomplished, notably including enhanced data capacity, increased potential, and more readily available, superior 3D printing. “We have seven pogo pins [on the Jolla Phone] which afford you the ability to transmit and receive power,” states Jolla CEO Sami Pienimäki. “Consequently, cordless charging is possible, and you can energize outer electronic boards.” Pienimäki envisions E Ink displays or limited data rate radios adorning the rear of their forthcoming phone. It incorporates an I3C interface that yields bit rates reaching 12 megabits per second, thereby facilitating data transfer between the handset and the module and enabling innovative, more intelligent adaptable accessories.
Jolla has pledged to unveil the ultimate device details by month’s end, with dispatch scheduled for the initial advance order clients by late June. Pienimäki hints that he finds it “alluring” to unveil one of Jolla’s proprietary in-house notions for a TOH rear panel even sooner, serving as “a demonstration of what is truly achievable.” (Although the Jolla Phone lacks FCC certification in the US, the firm is contemplating a US introduction subsequently.)
Having amassed exceeding 10,000 advance orders since December 2025, Jolla is operating again, yet remains distant from widespread adoption. Consequently, regardless of the abundance of online buzz throughout the years, why did genuinely adaptable handsets never quite flourish?
“During the LTE epoch, there was a belief that these devices would transform into ‘cloud phones,’ allowing the remaining components to be economically optimized,” Fieldhack states. “This meant interchangeable components and reduced expenses, given that the majority of processing would be performed in the cloud computing environment.”
However, circumstances transformed as premium handsets shifted from being priced at $350 to approximately $1,000. Both photography and content creation and usage gained considerably in importance: “Superb displays, excellent cameras, numerous cameras, expanded storage, improved audio and microphones, along with sleeker and slimmer devices—these attributes are not effortlessly achieved on an adaptable handset,” Fieldhack asserts. He notes, “There are significant trade-offs, resulting in phones that are bulkier and more ponderous, offering diminished functionality. Subsequently, autonomous AI, integrated directly onto devices for reduced expenses and enhanced safety, rendered adaptable architecture even more suboptimal.”
Serviceable Components
A compelling and developing justification for genuine physical component interchangeability is its serviceability. Fairphone, a fellow European smartphone manufacturer, has been advocating this point for more than ten years. “It involves considering how we organize the device itself into distinct sections?” explains Fairphone’s chief technology officer, Chandler Hatton. The newest FairPhone Gen 6 smartphone comprises 12 distinct sections. A patron, positioned at their kitchen table with just a solitary T5 screwdriver (provided) and a guitar pick, can mend the handset rapidly, simply, and affordably.
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