Designer envisions a detachable camera module for phones, and it's pretty cool

It’s no secret that smartphone camera bumps are getting enormous — just look at the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra if you need proof. While the ginormous camera module is inconvenient when trying to lay your phone flat on a table, what if you could actually make its size a positive feature?

That’s exactly what design firm Yanko Design came up with when designing the (entirely fictional) Mosaic device. Mosaic is a smartphone camera module that detaches from the body of the phone, allowing it to function as its own standalone tool.

The idea would be that you could take out the camera module when you didn’t want to carry around your entire phone. It could also work well as an action camera — kind of like a GoPro that becomes a phone when you need it to.

Check out the concept images below.

Mosaic: A detachable smartphone camera

The concept images above show even more ideas for the device. There’s a sling that would allow you to wear the detached smartphone camera around your neck. Imagine if it could also act as a fitness tracker in this way. Also, there’s a case just for the camera module that would make it safe to throw into your pocket.

Related: The best Android camera phones you can get

Without the case on though, the all-screen back of the phone could also work as a communications device all on its own. You could send messages, browse the web, check the weather, and more without needing your smartphone attachment at all.

While this detachable smartphone camera idea is neat, it’s difficult to tell if people would actually be into it. It’s also not something we’ve ever seen before in the slightest, so who knows if technology, as it stands, could even produce something along these lines.

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