Vsenn, a start-up co-founded by a former Nokia Android X program manager, announced last November that it planned to build a modular smartphone powered by Android. The company today announced via Twitter that it was abandoning those plans and would instead license its technology to another brand. “We tried everything to remain independent but we couldn’t fight the financial pressure,” they explained.
Vsenn sheds little additional light on its fate. Not only does it not explain which technologies were licensed but it also does not name who it licensed them to (because of the terms of the contract). It only explains in a further tweet that “We didn’t want other company to use our name when we know that our values aren’t shared.”
Vsenn has stopped operating as a brand but promises to remain “a movement for modularity and low environmental impact electronics.”
This means that Vsenn is no longer a brand, but a movement for modularity and low environmental impact electronics.
— Vsenn (@Vsenn_Official) June 20, 2015
The Vsenn modular smartphone was to have come with three upgradeable modules: One for the processor and RAM, another for the camera and one more for the battery. It was to also offer interchangeable back covers for additional customizeability. Powered by Android, the first model was to have come with a 4.7-inch Full HD display with future devices to sport different screen sizes.
Vsenn also emphasized privacy and security as priorities. It promised data protection using “triple layer encryption” and free access to a VPN network.
Meanwhile, Google’s Project Ara, its own modular smartphone, continues to slowly move forward. It is expected to launch as a pilot program later this year in Puerto Rico.
Source : @Vsenn_Official