It may seem that any Android smartphone is a monoblock with a display covering the entire front panel and a camera on the back. However, manufacturers periodically experiment with the design. In this article, I will talk about unusual smartphones that perhaps not everyone remembers or even knows about now.
The ancestors of foldable and gaming smartphones
Some manufacturers are now trying to promote foldable (or collapsible, whichever you prefer) models to the masses. When folded, they look like ordinary smartphones, but when unfolded, they effectively turn into tablets. However, the idea of making a “smartphone-tablet” did not originate with Samsung and its Galaxy Z Fold. Back in the summer of 2012, Taiwanese company ASUS unveiled the PadFone — an unusual gadget for its time that could be both a smartphone and a tablet.
ASUS PadFone
The ASUS PadFone consisted of two parts. The main part was a standard-looking smartphone for 2012 with a 4.3“ screen and a removable 1520 mAh battery. The second part was a 10.1” display with HD resolution and a 6600 mAh battery. The smartphone was inserted into a slot on its back panel like a docking station, creating a tablet that was more convenient for playing games or watching movies.
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ASUS tried to develop the PadFone line for 2.5 years, releasing more than a dozen models as part of it. However, the idea was controversial and did not enjoy mass demand among consumers. As a result, production of the line was discontinued. And in 2019, ASUS left the tablet market altogether, simultaneously reducing its range of smartphones to the flagship ZenFone and gaming ROG Phone.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
Speaking of gaming devices, a year before the ASUS PadFone appeared, Sony Ericsson also decided to combine a familiar Android device with something else. The choice fell on a portable game console. Thus, in 2011, the Xperia Play appeared. It was a so-called side slider, a very common design at the time. Only instead of a QWERTY keyboard, the lower half of the slider’s body contained a full-fledged gamepad with all the usual buttons. The company probably wanted to create a more affordable Android-based alternative to the Sony PSP, but the heavy device with a small selection of games did not impress consumers and soon disappeared without a trace.
Moto Mods — an interesting idea with an inglorious end
By 2016, Motorola had long since ceased to be a leader in the mobile electronics market and was owned by China’s Lenovo. Moreover, the Chinese decided to abandon the legendary brand altogether, reducing it to Moto. During this difficult time, the company was looking for ways to attract attention to its products, and in one such attempt, it introduced the Moto Z series of smartphones. The devices themselves were not outstanding — they lagged behind many other flagships of that period. Their developers focused on modularity.
Of course, it was not possible to remove and replace any components from the devices, but adding any element that expanded their capabilities was welcome. The project was called Moto Mods, and it meant that the company would release additional modules for smartphones (such as a projector, a large speaker, or a 360-degree camera) that would attach to the back of the Moto Z.
Unfortunately, the selection of Moto Mods modules turned out to be very limited, and the Moto Z’s specifications were not the most advanced, which ultimately buried what was initially an interesting idea.
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