Tecno’s modular phone of the future is something we’ve seen before – just not in many pieces
Quick Summary
Tecno has unveiled a modular phone concept that it will launch at MWC 2026.
The phone allows the connection of modules to add some new hardware, such as a power bank, different cameras and a game controller.
Mobile phones have appeared a few times in the past, but they have not been very successful. Perhaps that is why the agitator brand Tecno is introducing its Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology as a concept first, which it will show at MWC 2026 next week.
However, the Modular Smartphone Concept is not jumping on the rolling bandwagon right now. It sounds like Google’s Project Ara, but given the accessories offered by Tecno, it might be better matched to the LG G5. No, not an OLED TV, but a bad phone from 2016 where you can add more.
The modular phone is a tough space, as Project Ara was canned and the LG G5 was partly heralded as the death knell for LG’s smartphone ambitions. Could Tecno be the first to make it work? Let’s take a closer look.
(Photo credit: Tecno)
The Tecno Modular Phone was introduced as an “exploration of the next generation of smartphones”, with the idea that you have a basic phone that you then add additional hardware to. That means you can customize the phone to whatever you want.
In that sense, there is a power bank that can be installed in the area to improve endurance, a telephoto lens, and an action camera. We’re not talking about the ability to change the processor every year, we’re talking about attaching more to your phone.
The base of the phone is 4.9mm thick, allowing attachment of accessories using pogo pins, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mmWave for connectivity, designed to be a seamless pairing process. This is as much about the modular stage as it is the accessories you can add and that’s where it can be successful.
It’s not a new invention, as magnetically attaching the battery to your phone is common (well, for iPhone users with MagSafe), while we’ve seen accessory lenses a few times before.
(Photo credit: Tecno)
But if you look at the images there are other accessories, including a clip that looks like a game controller, and different camera modules – although it’s not clear exactly what each accessory is.
The problem I can foresee is in the underlying device itself. If it doesn’t meet the needs without the features, customers are likely to get a phone that works for them instead. With Samsung tipped to drop the S26 Edge and Apple struggling with the iPhone Air, people want a fully featured phone without compromising on battery life or features.
We will be visiting the halls of Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona next week to bring you all the latest innovations and announcements – perhaps the modular concept of a Tecno phone will be the talk of the town.
