Modu modular phone 'likely' in UK 2010

The Modu - coming to the UK (hopefully)
The Modu - coming to the UK (hopefully)

Modu has finally launched its 'jacket' mobile phone, allowing you to chop and change the style of mobile you want simply by slipping it into a new case.

The Modu phone has only 'soft-launched' in Israel at the moment, ahead of releases in the Philippines at the end of August, and the likes of South America and Greece later in the year.

Modu

BIKE MODE: The Modu device uses the Cycle jacket's screen to offer new functionality

Modu spoke to TechRadar and confirmed while the phone is on schedule for a likely launch in the UK and other Western European locations next year, it wants to 'establish supply chains and make sure all functions are supported'.

More layers - not any hotter

As a first generation devices, there will only be three 'jackets' launched in Israel, but its anticipated many more will be available for the UK when it finally turns up here.

"We want to make sure we launch a quality product" said a Modu spokesperson to TechRadar. "We want to have a full range of jackets ready to enable us to compete at all levels of the market."

We had a good play with the Modu handset at MWC earlier this year, which is basically a SIM card with basic mobile functionality built around it.

Modu

SIMPLE: Other, cheaper, jackets simply extend the basic unit's functionality

It can then be dropped into different shells, such as a sports or MP3-playing option, making it into a totally different product each time,

There's no word on price, but given the concept was first shown in 2008 we hope it won't cost the earth after two years of development.

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.