Technology
Product design 1/4
Making obsolescence
obsolete: a mobile concept
While society and the economy have benefited from the swift growth of
smartphone technology, it has also led to an unsustainable disposable model
with billions of used handsets discarded every year, reports Leigh Stringer
In Europe alone, upgrades or damage
make 100 million phones obsolete
every year. This significant burden on
a range of finite resources is proving a
monumental challenge for governments
and businesses around the world.
However, the environmental impact
of this stream of handsets, in terms
of manufacturing materials, energy
and disposal costs, means designers
are developing the next generation
of smartphone with sustainability
credentials far higher up the agenda.
One visionary making waves in the
industry is Dave Hakkens, the designer
of Phonebloks, a modular mobile phone
concept that would enable users to
replace or upgrade components rather
than simply discard the entire phone,
reducing the rising electronic waste
issues associated with the smartphone
explosion.
The Dutch designer came up with the
idea seven months ago after the lens
motor of his camera broke. When he
tried to get a replacement lens from the
manufacturer he was told to replace
the entire camera.
Understanding the growing issue of
electronic waste, the industry's 'throwaway' attitude was a 'light-bulb' moment
for Hakkens. Hence, the Phonebloks
concept was born.
Although
impressively
supported by almost 980,000
people on his website, Hakkens says
