Final Report Phase 3 IDPClient: Enviu, Rotterdam

January 2010, Team 24: WTF

Eirik, Remco, Shaun, Alice, Simone & Frank

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Preface This project has been quite a challenge. When we received the initial project brief, asking us to design a new sustainable Smart-phone, we all got pretty excited as a Smartphone is an object that everybody uses in daily life and as such, all of us have our thoughts on how the ‘sustainable Smartphone’ would ideally look like. A lot of ideas, thorough research, heavy discussions and brainstorming have brought us to realize that this project is really broad, ambiguous and complex. A Smartphone has almost turned into a societal commodity, therefore the vast amount of information surrounding it got us to realize that the problem in current business is actually three-fold: first, there is an apparent physical impact on our environment, mostly created by landfill. Secondly, there is the ‘information overload’, which refers to the enormous amounts of information we receive each day. And third, the business is heavily skewed towards a push-market, in which manufacturers force people to upgrade their phone every 18 to 24 months.

In front of you, our quest to find appropriate solutions to these three problems is presented. In it, you’ll find many topics cov-ered: user research, opportunities for new business models, ap-praisal of (interaction) prototypes and other areas that have to be taken into account when one is coping with finding answers on how to design the new sustainable Smartphone.

Without the help of our dedicated coach, Tjamme Wiegers this would not have been possible. He forced us to reflect, recon-

sider our choices and assure that we send out a message that is clear and coherent. We also want to thank our detached critic, Erik Jepma, for providing us with critical feedback on our two in-terim reports and for his compelling vision he let upon us. A very special thanks goes out to Enviu; our client, partner and initiator of the project. They’ve appeared to us as a very young, dynamic and inspiring company, fighting for a good cause. In particular El-mar Stroomer, our contact person during the project, brought in fresh ideas and new points-of-view whenever we encountered him.

As for ourselves, we think we’ve delivered a project result that can be used as a solid ground to develop the OMG platform fur-ther. The six of us, originating from four different countries, have pushed ourselves to the limits of what was in our reach. Discus-sions were fierce, sometimes even tense, but never did we lose our focus.

We thank you for your attention and we hope you’ll enjoy read-ing this report.

Yours sincerely,

The WTF-Team(TU Delft IDP Team 24)19.01.2011

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction 4

1.0 Introduction 4

1.1 Summary of the project 5

1.2 Process Overview 7

2. Concept 8

2.1 Concept background 8

2.2 Concept Overview 10

3. Smart[er] phone: design 14

3.1 Physical: Layer design 14

3.2 Feasibility Study 19

3.3 Interaction 23

3.4 Bubble Mode 25

4. Smart[er] phone: commercialization 30

4.1 Commercialization vision 30

4.2 Business Model & Strategy 31

4.3 Market Implementation Plan 34

4.4 Branding 35

4.5 Marketing mix 38

5. Smart[er] phone: prototyping 42

5.1 Prototype Explanation 42

6. Summary 467. References 478. Appendix 48

8.1 Feasibility Study 49

8.2 List & Diagram of Comp. 53

8.3 Creative Session 55

8.4 Bubble Mode Feedback test 56

8.5 Business Models evaluated 57

8.6 Detachment interviews 58

8.7 Path testing 59

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1. Intr0- duction

The report will describe the third and last phase of WTF’s (Working Towards the Future) Integral Design Project (IDP), bet-ter known as the Phone4life. The project has been a collaboration with Enviu under their Our Mobile Generation (OMG) plat-form. The third phase is the culmination of the project, which began in September 2010, and will detail the product that has been created to fulfil the project goal of “Reducing the environmental and social impact of the mobile phone industry by in-creasing the lifespan of the phone through changing consumer behaviour.”

The third phase is the detailing phase of the IDP and ends with a final presentation and a prototype. We have continued along the path set from the final meeting with Enviu in the second phase. From the second phase we emerged with a mission to further develop one of the concepts presented (the Modular Phone concept, see report 2) and combining it with certain aspects of two of the three other concepts. Our efforts have therefore been employed to distinguish the main aspects of the concept, and refining them through the physi-cal and interaction qualities, as well as our proposed com-mercialisation strategy. The report is therefore a description and overview of the process and results we have obtained in this phase.

The topic of the project involves both environmental and social issues. Some of these topics can be treated objectively through facts and measurements, while the “soft” nature of social issues makes it difficult to avoid subjective and norma-tive solutions. However, we have as much as possible tried to seek the work and thoughts of leading thinkers and research-ers about the subject, so to ensure a foundation of theory, in contrast to a foundation of our own beliefs. Nevertheless, it has also allowed us as designers to represent a world-view of what we would like to accomplish, and how we see that the

world should progress.We hope you are as excited about the results as we are.

Structure of the Report

The report can be divided into three parts. The first part is the introduction and provides a recap of the two previous phases as well as the process in the third phase. In the second part, both the issues that the project is solving and an overview of the concept are presented. The overview is divided into three domains: physical, interaction and commercialisation. The detailing of these three domains make up the third and last part, which is also the largest part of the report.

1.0 Introduction

1.0 Introduction

1.1. Summary of the Project

1.2 Process Overview

To refresh the memory of the reader about the path until now, a short summary of the two first phases is included. The summary will only present the main findings of the two phases.

First Phase

The design brief that started the project, requested the design of a sustainable Smartphone that would have signifi-cant impact on the mobile phone industry, and change the existing practices towards sustainability. In all practical sense, a carte blanche regarding the topic was given by Enviu. With such a broad brief, most of the first phase was allocated to focusing the project, and finding a project goal.

After a comprehensive fuzzy front end analysis, the short lifespan of the mobile phone (on average 18 months in the developed countries) was identified as the factor that had the greatest influence on the environmental and social impact, as well as being the factor that the status quo of industry did the least to address: and also had the least inter-est of changing as well. Thus, the first phase ended with a project goal:

» To reduce the environmental and social impact by ex-tending the lifespan of a mobile phone through chang-ing user behaviour.

Second Phase

There were many levels on which the project goal could be understood. The second phase therefore began by a thor-ough exploration of the domains of sustainable consumption, the drivers of obsolescence and changing consumer behav-iour. These domains are primarily theoretical, as successful examples of are few. However, in order to understand what we sought to do, a strong theoretical fundament was neces-sary.

On a more practical level, user research and a mobile phone teardown were conducted. The user research consisted of a segmentation analysis, a generative session and a phone free day, where users were not allowed to use their phone for 24 hours and had to fill out a complementary booklet. Among half of the participants expressed a sense of freedom and relaxation of not having their phone with them. In the segmentation, it became apparent that the business and personal usage becomes blurry, and that there was a need to

get back control of the division between personal space and professional life.

The teardown of the mobile phone showed; that the visual degradation had a important role in driving fashion obsoles-cence, the extreme miniaturisation that has been achieved in the industry and that there were opportunities for improve-ments in the area of on reparability and design for disassem-bly.

The second phase was also the ideation and concept devel-opment phase. From the creative sessions, four concepts were created; the Honest Phone, the Good-Aging Phone, the Modular Phone and the Fix-It Phone.

» Honest Phone:Creates awareness among the user through honest in-formation about usage, and seeks to create awareness of the troubles of the industry by the fact that as it is honest, the others must not be. It also translates dif-ficult technology into more “understandable terms”, to lower the impression that the mobile phone is a black box, which if breaks, cannot be saved.

1.1 Summary of the Project

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» The Good-Aging PhoneUses product attachment to increase the lifespan: as the phone becomes more adapted to you and improves in quality the more you use it. It achieves product attachment through the visual degradation in the form of a “worn-jeans effect” and the gradual train-ing of the software to adapt to your way of using the phone and your everyday life events.

» The Modular PhoneIs a transformation of the current way a phone is perceived. The phone is made up of several layers that can be repaired and upgraded, thereby combating the technological obsolescence, and making the user more aware that there are few lasting benefits on trying to

keep up with ever-escalating incremental changes to the mobile phones.

» The Fix-It PhoneIs a phone that is designed in a way to facilitate the users to repair it themselves. An online community of fixers that share ideas and knowledge about improve-ment possibilities is set up to encourage users to fix their phones and to spread awareness among users.

After the concept selection meeting with Enviu, it was decided to focus the final phase on further developing a combination of the Modular Phone concept with added elements from the Honest Phone and the Good-Aging Phone.

Figure 1: Visual overview of the process.

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The third phase began with a combination of the modular, honest and good aging phone. In the concept detailing, the combined concept was reworked to make one coherent story of the concepts, and went into concept detailing. The concept detailing focused on the physical, interaction and strategy domain of the concept. We developed a method of commercialisation, conducted a technical feasibility study of the physical layers, and did user research to uncover

what and how the interaction of the phone should emerge as. Thereafter we developed prototypes of the physical layers and the inter-action, in addition to a market implementation plan. Combined, these are the final concept as will be presented to Enviu in the final presenta-tion of the IDP. See figure 1 for a visual overview of the process.

1.2 Process OverviewFigure 1: Visual overview of the process.

Figure 1: Visual overview of the process.

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In order to understand the concept, it is of vital importance to be aware of the underlying reasons for why it is cre-ated. The concept did not emerge from the usual sources of an identified business opportunity or an underserved user need, but rather from a sustainable perspective that includes both the environment and social issues.

The growing consumption and need of information is a strong driver of making the technological support (the phone) ever quicker become obsolete due to a fast demand for better performances. The consumerist push is rooted in today’s society as wellness and prosperity is measured in a growth and “newness” is the ideal, implying a negative perspective of older products. Consequently, the quality and the perceived quality of both the products themselves and the experience with them, are reduced since the speed of new replacements become available is increasing.

Furthermore, the impact of the mobile phone is not only caused by the physical attributes of the product and its usage, but also by the manner it is commercialised, through the set of business models dominating the mobile phone industry. Mobile phone producers have little incentives to encourage longer lasting products, as they derive their profits on the one-time sales of the hardware. In effect,

the quicker the phones are being replaced, the higher their profits. Thus, the market is focused on constantly pushing incremental products to the consumer, and using different sorts of obsolescence measures to increase sales. A result of this drive is that the average lifespan of the mobile phone has steadily decreased. The whole cycle touches upon a much broader principle in our way of thinking: that the more material we acquire the happier we will be. However, despite stellar economic growth since the 1970s, the devel-oped countries have not become happier. Another effect of the focus on developing new products with short time-to-market, a short lifecycle and a focus on integrated, miniaturized technologies, is that they be-come exceedingly difficult to adapt after manufacturing is complete. Mobile phone parts cannot be used individu-ally or taken apart from the rest of the device to (re)used in another way, because of a very condensed, integrated technologic components which are meant to be discarded after they have reached the end of their lifespan. This also changes the way user perceive technology, from something valuable to be taken care of, to a black-box that can neither be repaired or is it meant to.

2.Concept Over- view

In this section, you will find an over-view of the concept and how we came to it. In includes the background of the concept, its most important fea-tures and interaction. It ends with an explanation of the business oriented implications for the commercialization of the concept.

2.1 Concept Background

2.1 Concept Background

2.2 Concept Overview

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The Interconnected world

The advances in information technology has given the possibility of being in contact with everybody, meaning that there will be less quality in each of the possible connections. Today’s network-ing power is bringing our social life towards a more single and detached experience of social world, the so called “alone together” (Turkle, 2011). These two forces have to be taken into account as they are almost imposed to us in the moment of deciding to enter the world of con-nectivity and are even stronger when this becomes mobile (using a Smartphone). When having a Smartphone, we are always con-nected. This affects our ability to stay focused and present in the now, as other options are always available. It also means that we can always be reached, and thus, it has become expected of us to be reached as well. Instead, we should be able to detach, without being influenced by others wish for reaching us.

As we go on in our digital life contacts grow on number, making possible to us to reach more and more people. Our social rela-tionships are defined by the time and possibility of access that we

invest in and, with today’s possibility of connectivity, we expand our “broadcasting” power as we can communicate to more people at once ( i.e. Twitter and Facebook status updates). The possibility of also connecting to people further away is definitely something positive, as it gives the possibility to maintain relation-

ship over distance. However, closer relationships and face to face contact is still needed. On the other hand, some doubts remains on the actual meaning-fulness of all the contacts we can reach and if this continuous general update through the digital world could actually be a

real surrogate of social relationship.

Sure it could be said that one can choose not to use this technol-ogy, but this limitation would also block all the positive aspects of connectivity. And technology is not black or white. There are numerous positive benefits of connectivity and Smartphone tech-nology. The point is to analyze and criticize the situation, not to deny progress in itself, but to argue and define different possibili-ties for a “Smart[er]” use and not a limited one.

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“We’re using inanimate objects to con-vince ourselves that even when we’re

alone, we feel together.” - Sherry Turkle

Background image: global interenet data transfer patterns, adopted from:

http//www.policy.hu

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The Smart[er] phone concept (Figure 2) strives to solve the issues that were explained in the previous section. It can be seen a new way of producing, keeping, using and paying for the phone, as if the user and the planet mattered.The concept can be divided into three domains (Figure 3) ; the physical side, the interaction and the commercialisation, that all address key issues within their domain, but which are also vital for solving the issues in the other domains.

Physical LayersThe Smart[er] phone is made up of four layers (Figure 4). The combination is based on the analogy of a person. Every person needs a soul, a brain (or mind), a heart, senses and a body to feel alive. This is translated to the communication device in the form of the layers:

» The Soul is the most inner part of the device and is not represented in a physical way, rather, it presents the person using the device: the content of the user, being contacts, email, social media messages, media and all other digital interaction which is performed through the device.

» The Brain (or Mind) represents the processing parts of the device, being the processor, memory, chipset units and all remaining computational instruments.

» The Heart pumps round energy and symbolizes vitality; it is the energy source of the device, providing battery life.

» The Senses are encapsulated in the sensorial layer of the device. Through this, sounds, images, acceleration, humidity, speed and other variables can be sensed and processed.

» The Body finally, is the protective layer, it ensures that the internal components are able to function properly and are not affected by rain, dust, or user abuse.

2.2 Concept Overview

Figure 2: The Smart[er] Phone

Figure 3: The Smart[er] Phone

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The users assembles their own device by picking the version of the four layers; brain, heart, senses and a body, that they would like according to their own needs and desires. This is very easy to assemble and does not require any technical skills. To make it easier for the indecisive user, there will be pre-fabricated devices which offer a pre-set configuration of components.

During the lifetime of the Smart[er] phone, the user can take out any layers, when there is a need to upgrade or repair a certain part. If an upgrade is wished for, the user can simply acquire the new layer and connect it to the existing device.

The layers make it easier to upgrade, repair, and re-use the different parts of the mobile phone, thereby increasing the lifespan of the phone.

Figure 4: The four layers

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Are we still able to switch off our Smartphone? How much of our free time is being occupied by the use of it? Are we still able to be focused on our daily life without the feeling of missing something online? These questions are at the base of the definition of the interaction with the Smart[er] phone. Today’s Smartphones gives users a chance to always be con-nected, but doesn’t allow them to get smartly disconnected. The Bubble is an additional mode that enables the user to fill the gap between total connectivity and no connectivity, a limiting and personal choice that is determined by the per-ceived need and duty of being always connected. It allows the user to detach from the polluted world of information to create a pure moment of freedom from communication needs . Bubble gives the chance to detach from the daily intruding quantity of information that is difficult to filter, and

to define a soft way of detaching from communication in order to open up a new possibility of educated information consumption. Currently, when a user wants to be “doing my thing” or “focus on myself” or “feel free” the only way to get out of emails, GPS, social network would be to turn off the phone completely. With the creation of the Bubble, another alternative is possible. The Bubble is a way to sort information in the Smartphone depending on the relevance of it to the user. The informa-tion is the only retrievable when the user consciously choos-es to get some time off communication using the bubble mode. By sorting contacts and data into people, emotions and moments, the user can filter the specific information that feels worth keeping also in the most personal moments. In these moments of freedom, communication becomes

personal and more real as it changes from being information based to be more subtle and contact based.

The Bubble enables the user to define a closer group of people and digital data related to them, in order to have a filtered and personal way of making the phone Smart[er]. The selected contacts are the people that can always inter-rupt and should be close to the user also in distance and the moments and emotions i would like to recall in those moments when one wants to be just off. Bubble blocks web, GPS and incoming information and bounces incoming calls and emails from the person out of the bubble. This incoming information is then retrievable in a summarized way when the user decides to get out of the bubble.

Interaction: Bubble Mode Figure 5: Bubble Mode logo (left) and Bubble mode Interaction (right)

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The Smart[er] phone is not sold as a normal standalone physical mobile phone, but as a service, consisting of a network contract with a provider and a leasing contract with the company (see figure 6). For explanatory purposes, “the company” will for the remainder of the report be called: SmartCom-pany. In other words, the customer does not own the layers, but pays a monthly fee for using them. The customer will be require to sign a contract for a given length of time (for example 2 years), which will allow SmartCompany to recuperate the same sum as if it was sold directly. After the initial con-tract expires, the customer will still retain the same service, but at a substantial lower monthly rate, thereby encouraging the customer not to replace the phone. To further encourage the customer to

keep the phone for as long as possible, a point sys-tem called Karma-points, which reward the user the longer the phone is kept, is created. The points can either be used to achieve discounts on the monthly fee, or to transfer into tangible charitable gifts.

Free repair of the layers is included in the monthly fee. In addition, the customer can also upgrade their phone with new layers when needed. If or when the customer no longer wishes to lease the Smart[er] phone, it will be sent back to SmartCom-pany, which can then make the necessary changes (to the body layer) and then re-lease the phone at a discounted rated to the same market, or a devel-oping market. On a long term, the layers can be opened up for 3rd party developers.

Business Model Strategy

Figure 6: The Smart[er] Phone Business Model

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3. Smart[er] phone: design

This section will go further into the de-tails of the Smart[er] phone, by describ-ing two of the three most important domains: the physical and interaction designs of the concept. In comparison to the previous section, this part will go more in depth with the finer points of the concepts as well as provide the reasoning for why the different sub-so-lutions were selected.

3.1 Physical: Layer design

3.2 Feasibility Study

3.3 Interaction

3.4 Bubble Mode

The focus of the detailing of the layers has been on the aes-thetics to achieve product attachment, the technical content of the four layers, and lastly, the technical feasibility of connect-ing the layers and the concept in itself.

3.1.1 Aesthetics and Product Attachment

As defined in the previous phase, product attachment was an effect we wanted to explore, in order contribute to the “PhoneForLife” concept (See Report 2). Product attachment, intended as the emotional bond a user establish with a product by using it over the time (Mugge et al., 2006), can be conceptualized into three categories: irreplaceability, indis-pensability and self-extension (Schifferstein & Zwartkruis-Pelgrim, 2008).

The first category belongs to those objects that have a unique meaning to the users due to symbolic values that cannot be repeated. This quality is therefore impossible to plan and reach through a product. The indispensability is connected to a certain use of the product that cannot be accomplished in the same way by any other product. Since the main philoso-phy, within the PhoneForLife, was to slow down the com-munication and bring the user back to a better social and sustainable awareness, pointing at the indispensability would have not been coherent with the concept itself. We therefore

decided to work on the self-extension domain.

A consumer tends to project an image of himself on the product he gets attached to, by seeing them as symbols of what he was, is and will be. According to this vision the users consequentially prefer products that are congruent to their self-concept (Mugge et al., 2006). In addition a product, in order to be congruent with the user’s self, has to be congru-ent with itself, sending a univocal message.

The idea of giving at the phone’s body a visual identity congruent with its “soul” encountered the first obstacle in the double identity of it: the duality of the normal mode against the bubble mode. We therefore decided to give to the aesthetics a double identity as well, by playing with the lights feedbacks. The idea of working on smart materials in order to change the aesthetics was left apart since the beginning, in order to follow a higher simplicity and make a more sustain-able use of the materials.

The idea of using the lighting feedback system for expressing the double identity of the phone’s “soul” allowed us to use the same amount of material for a double effect, by applying a RGB LED technology. By engraving the back cover a pattern of circles is created. The circles engraved in the acrylic convey

3.1 Physical: Layer designFigure 7: Different coloring patterns

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the light emitted by the LED (red for normal mode and blue for bubble mode). Both light and vibration follow different patterns in terms of time, blinking and fading also according to the mode selected (see Figure 7). The feedback aspect will be covered in more depth in the Interaction section.

3.1.2 The Four Layers

The final design integrates a 4 layered modular phone (figure 8)which are mounted on top of each other by the use of four little magnets placed on each corner of the layers.

BodyThe body layer consists of two parts: a front and a back. The front integrates a 4” LED touchscreen display and a home but-ton (being the only physical button on the device). The back lay-er has the same coloring and material and furthermore shows three engraved circles-elements, out of which light radiates. This light can be either red or blue, depending on the current mode the user is in: blue represents the bubble mode, whereas a red coloring is activated when the user is in ‘normal’ mode. Heart

The second layer from the top, the heart layer, integrates all the energy supplies and functions as the batteries of the phone. It is connected with the body and its underlying layer (the brain layer) through a pin connector located at the top of the layer (the other layers are connected likewise). The battery power generated in this layer is passed through to the chipset to make it operative.

BrainIn the brain layer, all critical components can be found: the chipset (like CPU and memory) which can be replaced or upgraded, if required. It also integrates the SIM-card reader and other vital elements that define the Smartphone. These elements are designed in such way they can be easily distinguished through its coloring and engraved words (such as: ‘memory’, ‘A4 processor’, ‘SIM’, etc.). Replacing the brain layer will have the most effect on the phone’s total function-ing.

SensorThe underlying layer is the sensor layer. As the name implies, this layer houses all components with which the phone

can ‘sense’ the environment, such as the microphone, the camera, gyroscope, accelerometer, etc. It is deliberately positioned right above the back body, so that its sensory equipment has an open range of detecting the phone’s surroundings. All signals are processed through to the brain layer, which in turn, will affect the interaction with the user through the touch-screen.

3.1.3 Appraisal of Aethetic Decisions

ShapeThe shape of the layers has been determined by taking the popular current top Smartphone (the iPhone 4) and using its measurements as a guideline for the visual aesthetics of the product. The corners of the phone show fillets, which make the layers more accessible and user friendly. The sides of the layers are chamfered so that the bumper cover can easily be mounted over the four layers, assuring a steady, robust final product as they are nicely kept in place by this bumper.

Material & ColouringThe choice of the cover’s material leaded us into picking up

Figure 8: The four layers front view

a simple layer of polished acrylic, in order to have a very neutral basic aesthetics. Indeed even the use of what are often considered neutral colours (black or white) would have given a strong visual identity to the phone (black is often seen as elegant, business or fashion; white is connected to minimalism and elegancy). The colour effect of the polished acrylic gives an ambiguous impression between grey and white, leaving the general aesthetics as neutral as possible. Another motivation behind this choice was the fact that we wanted to avoid glossy, polished or very fine surface textures because they are more prone to a fast aesthetic degrada-tion and therefore a quicker product dismissing (Park, 2005). Furthermore, it is lightweight, cheap to produce and offers a wide range of moulding techniques. Another reason for using matte acrylic is the fact that the back lit body cover, which radiates the current mode of the user, will allow light to pass through nicely. The front display will be manufactured out of scratch-free glass.

The colouring of each layer’s components varies (Figure 8 – “the different layers”); the heart layer will show green as a main colour theme, orange/red is picked for the brain (asso-ciating with ‘warm’ and ‘active’) and the sensors are charac-terized by a slightly less explicit colouring, being somewhat grey/metal-like. This has been chosen for to emphasize that

these sensors are merely processing input and can be considered as ‘neutral’ elements.

3.1.4. Scalable Open internal bus Concept

This section will explain how different hardware modules and components communicate between each other efficiently.

Both serial and parallel communication is fundamental for devices to communicate and to share sequential data, making a complete system of different modules, which only together become something meaningful. This communica-tion occurs over an internal (local) bus, which connects all internal components of a computer to a motherboard (CPU, Memory, IO-Controllers, PCI, AGP, etc.), or external bus, which connects external peripherals to the subsystem (USB, PCMIA, FireWire). The local bus prioritizes, controls and re-defines the different type of data, that flow between two or more (different) hardware modules, all running on their own speed and only transmitting and receiving accordingly.

By carrying out an open interview with two PhD students in

both Embedded Systems (Cedric Nugteren) and Analog Hard-ware Design (Barend van Liempd) at the University of Tech-nology of Eindhoven, the concept of computer busses was discussed. These interviews, together with external articles and other secondary sources, form the basis of a conceptual interfacing framework that is the starting point from which the separate layers could be developed.

Internal busses vs External Busses

The PC market as we know it now, offers any user the ability to upgrade certain components, like CPU or Memory, to in-crease or expand their PC’s capabilities by adding ‘external’ peripherals to the motherboards PCI(e) expansion slots or USB ports, like WiFi-adapters or Graphic-Cards. However the fundamental architecture, the motherboard, is completely designed around one specific chipset (family). These chip-sets on their turn are only compatible with specific types of memory controllers and IO controllers, due to the tradeoff

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Figure 8: Lay[er] Bus Visualization

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that needs to be made concerning the compatibility of dif-ferent types of hardware and their influences on the overall performance of all (sub-)system.

Talking about integrated devices, such as mobile phones, there is only a minimum amount of external bus interfaces available, since most modules are integrated on one single motherboard, mostly due to bandwidth and size constraints. This implicates that all modules are interconnected by means of several internal busses. A big downside with these inte-grated subsystems, linked by internal busses, are proprietary; meaning that they are closed and thus cannot be understood nor changed by someone other than the original manufac-turer. A reason why this internal bus is proprietary has to

do with the role of this ‘hardware integrator’ or handset manufacturer, who designs the architecture and busses and integrates all different subsystems and modules together, that are only supplied to the handset manufacturer. Thus the integrated subsystems, together with the internal busses, form the fundamental basis of the phone, that are entirely designed by current integrated hardware solution (e.g. Hand-set) manufacturers.

Parallel versus Serial Communication

In electronics there are two type of communication, paral-lel and serial communication, that both are used to both transmit and receive data-bits. Each clock cycle, that varies

from component to component, a various amount (depen-dent on the state of a module) is transmitted and received by a component over a bus. In case of a parallel communication type of situation, the amount of communication lines are distinct to the bandwidth available. In case of an 8-bit paral-lel channel, eight bits (or a byte) are transmitted simultane-ously. A serial channel situation would transmit those bits one at a time (same clock cycle), and only requires a frac-tion of the amount of communication channels. Taking this into consideration, it gives the impression that the parallel data-type of communication would be superior over serial communication, because it transmits less information at each clock-cycle. However, it is often the case that serial links can be clocked much faster than parallel inks and thus achieving higher data-rates. In addition to this, serial links have less interference, caused by signals transmitted over parallel lines or caused by other components located on printed circuit board. In table 1 an overview of each communication’s ad-vantages and disadvantages is presented.

Table 1: Pro’s and cons of Parallel and Serial bus communciation

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3.1.5 Requirements for conceptual inter-communication framework

Scalability

Due to the very conceptual level of the Smart[er] phone, the conceptual level of the interconnecting interfaces is kept to a basic and fundamental level by only taking a theoretical and scalable approach. In terms of the Smart[er] phone, scalable is intended as a requirement for potential future develop-ment with regard to size and volume, but also with regard to the applications using future available communication bearers. In near future complex network communication is expected to be dominated by all-optical networks, using opti-cal cables (e.g. Fiber) connections, that allow high-bandwidth and low power solutions.

High bandwidth, minimum connection nodes

Due to the layered approach of the Smart[er] phone, a small,

low-power with high data-rates interfacing standard needs to be developed that is able to communicate all sorts of information sequentially over the different layers. This can only be realized by developing a standard interface (connec-tor and IO bus, which takes care of routing all information to and from the appropriate receivers and transmitters). This in-terface connector and IO bus needs to be positioned on each layer. Beside data communication, this interface regulates the entire power-management that is essentially centrally regulated and controlled in the heart-layer, through which a dynamic power-management system can be realized.

Open Framework Development

To empower all kind of manufacturers to take part in the development of the separate specific layers of the Smart[er] phone, the framework around the interfaces and busses is ought to be developed openly. The initial development of the interfacing system is being carried out internally, to avoid

similar situations that occurred during the development of another decentralized modular concept: Futurebus (Peyton Jones & Hardie, 1991), which never became a success due to the amount of constraints that were created during the initial concept development by many involved parties. After having developed an open development framework, a Layer Development Kit should be available for interested parties who have ambitions in developing one (or more) layers for the Smart[er] phone. By standardizing the connectors used on the layers, together with the logic busses, layers are ought to support each other consistently. Due to bandwidth con-straints, the logic needs to be developed as such that newer and more power-consuming layers are prioritized in terms of bandwidth allocation, this, however, might be solved with respect to the scalability of the interfacing standard, by using optic interfacing and logic busses.

Figure 9: Expected future de-velopments of Parallel Optical Interconnects. Source: www.spectrum.ieee.org

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The aim of this study is to analysis the feasibility of the con-cept and to develop a list of design recommendations based on technical considerations relating to the hardware and software attributes of Smartphones.

3.2.1 Overview of Components in a Smartphone

To gain insight into the speed of technical developments in the Smartphone market we have conducted an analysis com-paring the components in a current iPhone4 with those of the first generation iPhone, which was released three years earlier. The iPhone was selected as it can be viewed as a benchmark product for this market. Appendix 1 will provide an overview of components, Schematics, and graph of evolu-tion of iPhone. For each component, the analysis takes into consideration the size, placement, need for Electromagnetic interference (EMI) isolation, longevity and relationship to other components. These are described in Appendix 2. No-tice however, the level of detail of this analysis is on the core components in the phone and does not take into consider-ations the many resistors, LED’s, etc on the mother board.

3.2.2. Support from Electronics specialists

To gain additional insight into the feasibility of the concept, relationships and longevity of components, two electronics

specialists from the faculty of Industrial Design at TU Delft were consulted: Sander Minnoye and Dr.ir. Mostafa Hajian.

The discussions with different electronics experts from TU Delft and the mode failure analysis were generally sup-portive of the feasibility of the concept, although there are many technical considerations relating to the placement and relationships between components that would need to be carefully balanced.

Supportive: Longevity of components – core concept

The study shows that the speed of technological obsolescence can vary greatly from one component to the next. With compo-nents such as the memory and processor tending to be updated on an almost annual basis while others such as the SIM-card reader and clock battery have remain unchanged for over 10 years. This is supportive to the core idea behind the concept – that allowing users to update some components while main-taining the core of the phone could result in significant reduc-tions to the overall environmental impact of the phone.

Considerations

Miniaturisation

The concept is at odds with trends in miniaturisations in the

market. Currently the majority of components are integrated onto the one mother/logic board, which is optimised using micro-manufacturing techniques to fit as many components and connections as possible. If parts are to be housed on separate layers and connected in a plug-and-play manner (as proposed for inter-layer connections) the results would be larger, heavier and more expensive to produce.

Wiring

As stated above, the wiring and connections between components is currently achieved via a complex network of micro-manufactured hardwired circuits on the mother board. Converting these connections to a plug-and-play system between multiple layers would be the mayor chal-lenge of the concept. Careful considerations would need to be made to determine whether it would be more beneficial to transfer the multiple lots of digital and analogue informa-tion through hard wiring or encoded, and to ensure that the connections were robust as possible.

Emi isolation

The effects of Electromagnetic interference are expected to increase if components are placed on top of each other, as appose to the current situation where they lay next to each other on the one board. This will mean considerations will

3.2 Feasibility Study

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be needed to determine where components are placed in relation to those on other layers as well as their own layer. This may also require additional EMI isolation between layers as well as component groups.

3.2.3 Design Recommendations

As list of considerations on; where components should be placed within the layer system to maximise the longevity of each layer, and whether certain components would benefit from being indi-vidually replaceable.

Level of Replaceability

The mode failure analysis suggests that the overall product longev-ity could be further optimised by further sub-dividing layers to group components together based on their speed of technological obsolescence and relationship to other components. The follow-

ing is an overview of the layout that would allow for optimal longevity of the whole phone.However, it is important to note that the deeper we go into replac-ing individual components and groups of components the more we increase the issues relating to wiring, size and costs mentioned in the above section. Further exploration would be needed to find the optimum balance and therefore the optimum design.

Over Engineering

One method for extending the lifespan of some of the faster technologically obsolescent parts would be over engineer-ing them. By initially using components that have a higher capacity, processing speed, resolution, more pins, etc, they will remain compatible with other updating parts for longer.

There is a balance that needs to be reached here as the more over high-end the components are at the time of manufacture the more expensive and physically larger they will be. Such a strategy also runs a risk if there is an unforeseen market shift towards a new technology that is not supportive.

EMI isolation

As there may be increases in the effects of EMI when compo-nents are placed on top of each other it may be advantageous to have the layers either coated of entirely composed of an EMI insulating material, such as; sheet metal, metal screen, and metal foam.

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Table 2 on left page:Grey Shading – denotes sub levels of removable components on layer * Technology driven obsolescence will vary depending on the perceived need on the user. Innovators and early adopters of new technology are likely to replace these parts more often than the majority.

The interaction aspect of the concept revolves around the Bubble and the feedback system to used together with the phone, in order to deal with the issues of over-connectivity. In determining what the Bubble should do and how it should function, a vital source of input comes from the users. Thus, this section firstly describes the usability testing that was conducted, and thereafter, presents more specifically what the Bubble is and how it works.

3.3.1 Usability testing of the interaction

As a large part of this domain is concerned about achieving certain responses from the user, usability testing is a key ac-tivity in discovering and assessing what works and what does not. As they are so important, test are therefore included in the report itself and not in the appendix. The usability testing was conducted to acquire a vision of detachment, the method of entering and exiting the bubble, and finally the feedback system.

On the other hand, as the main medium of our concept is the Smartphone, a physical interaction had to be found in order to define a system that not only supported the need of detachment, but even was enhancing it through gestures

and feedback. To address these two parts of the concept, two main user test were made: a “generative” interview on the theme of detachment and a physical brainstorm and test-ing on possible “detaching” gestures.

Usability test 1: The detachment interviews

The underserved need of detachment became apparent during our testing with “the Phone Free Day” (see Report 2). However, the idea of what could create detachment and from which aspects users wanted to detach from, had to be dealt with in more depth in order to define a better interac-tion concept. To uncover these issues, a set of generative in-terviews was done. The booklet used to guide the interview and to define a common set of visualization can be found in the appendix 6 (and figure 10). The first part of interviews, were based on the definition of a visualization of what detachment is in general and how this could be translated in the communication world. The second part was focused on the user’s experiences of forced or chosen detachment from their Smartphone (when was turned off and why?) as well as a definition of what the user saw to be a private bubble of communication.

Results

The shared meaning of the term detachment is quite vague. Most of the interviewees recall a sense of leaving and free-dom from actual and contextual situations that depend and differ on the situation.

When talking about communication, the term detachment is closely related to specific situations of information pollu-tion (notifications and social networking) and contextualized problems (getting a bit away from family, work, etc). Another interesting discovery is that close to all of the interviewees did not turn off their phone anymore.

When introducing the idea of a personal bubble the inter-viewees had very personal and context dependent needs, showing a need of a very flexible system of filtering. Another important and interesting finding is that when people leave their phone turned off, or not with them, several commented that: “I like to see if someone looked for me, but I also lose a lot of time checking all my channels of communication.”

3.3 Interaction

Figure 10 in background: Detachment Interviews booklet page

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Usability test 2: Mode switching

In order to define the best way to switch modes: from normal to bubble and back again, a user sessions was set up with potential users for this project: students of a yoga class (see Figure 11).

The session lasted about an hour and consisted of 3 different assignments. In the first assignment, the users were asked to define through full body movements certain actions like “putting asleep”, “detach”, “relax”, “waking up”, “focus” etc. During the second assignment, the users were given an Smartphone-shaped-object and asked to perform hand gestures with it to express some verbs like “awakening”, “putting asleep” etc. The last assignment was done in the opposite way, the users were now asked to perform certain actions like flipping, twisting, shaking etc. and then describe which mental association the actions provoked.

Between these assignments a mock-up was also tested. The model represented a Smartphone-shaped-object made in carton paper with three still smooth corners and one corner that could turn. The turning corner could be changed from smooth to edgy and the other way around (see Figure 12).

The mock-up was used to test if the users were more likely to use a more direct physical interaction. Since they preferred having more drastic difference in the gestures between entering and exiting the bubble mode, this proposal was rejected. A complete description of the test set can be found in Ap-pendix 3.

Results

The first assignment had very diverse results; from closing your own eyes to having a bike ride etc. The results were not very useful to the research, but brought the users in the right

mood and mind set for the following tasks. While answering the second assignment most of the users spontaneously just flipped the mobile phone on the screen side, in order to “put it asleep” and all of them excluded the idea of having any sound still going on. Another interesting option was to put the mobile phone away, but always in the same place, as if it had its own “nest”.

In terms of awakening many different suggestions were giv-en, but the most common was to shake the mobile phone, as to physically wake it up. From the general conversation some other interesting information came from the users. Most of them expressed the desire of having two different actions to put asleep and to wake up the mobile phone, because the feeling is different.

Figure 11 (left): Yoga group creative sessionFigure 12 (top): mock-up of prototype, with turning corners.

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Usability test 3: Gestures to freedom

After the feedback from the second usability testing, a set of screen based gestures were developed to test a movement for its slowing down and detaching effect on the user. The movement would enable the user to enter the bubble mode both mentally and functionally. These animations were tested on a Smartphone to get a real feedback on dimen-sions and interaction.

The animations (see appendix 7 and figure 13) were pre-sented as paths the user had to follow. No information was provided to the user, and the user was requested to talk-out-loud (TOL) while using the animation. After the test, the users were asked a few questions about the feeling and the emotions related to the experience. All the animations were done in order to represent different possibilities of differ-ent movements and screen gestures based on the following clusters:

» Background colour: white or black. » Path of the movement: circular, infinite, spiral or ran-

dom. » Speed of the movement: continuous, slowing down. » Duration of the gesture: 5sec, 10sec, 15sec, and con-

tinuous till they stopped. » Holding the phone: horizontal, vertical, one hand, two

hands and on a steady surface.

Results

» The black background was found to be more comfort-able, as it was more relaxing for the eyes. The white background was too bright for comfort.

» The continuous and slowing down movement was making people so focused that TOL was difficult to achieve.

» One of the tested user said “it becomes slightly slows

and i felt almost like calming down too much”. » The paths were difficult to be decided as all the tested

had different visions, except that the circular was too simple.

Usability test 4: Feedback

In the test 2 (mode switching), some users also expressed the desire of having a “one-shot” notification in terms of light and vibration, which does not repeat itself until the mo-bile phone is checked. Based on these results some further testing for light and vibration feedbacks were made.

In order to define the different versions of the feedback the Smartphone would give the user, a user study were 7 dif-ferent light + vibration combinations were tested on seven Smartphone users: three for the normal mode and four for the Bubble mode.

Figure 13: 4 animation path designs that were used for user testing.

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During the test, the user was holding the feedback prototype (see Figure 14), consist-ing in a Smartphone-shaped block of acrylic with an RGB LED and a vibrating motor hidden inside (see Figure 14). The prototype was connected to an Arduino via wiring and this latter to a laptop, controlled by the test monitor. The description of the seven combi-nations can be seen in the Appendix 4.

The users were asked to answer three ques-tions about the use of 7 different modes for a Smartphone. These modes were consisting in different behaviours in terms of light and vibration. Three were based on a red light and four on a blue light. They were then asked to answer some questions about the light meaning and finally pick up a mode to be assigned to the Bubble mode.

Results

All the users associated the longer interac-tions with calls and the shorter ones for SMS or emails. Some of them associated the faster interactions with alarm clock or agen-da notifications. For the normal mode, the users would like have liked to have sound with the light and vibration. For the bubble mode, the users did not want to have any accompanying sound. However, they would like to have the vibration also in Bubble mode, because otherwise there is the risk of spending too much time looking at your mobile, when having only a light feedback.In terms of the colouring of the modes, six of the seven users associated the red light with “Urgency” and more invasive notifica-tion, while they felt the blue one as calmer and quieter.

Figure 14: Different coloring of visual feedback, a test user holding the prototype and the test protype itself (top to bottom).

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The bubble system consisted of two separate parts. The first is the information and communication management, and the second is the user interface and feedback system.

3.4.1. Information and communication management

The use of Smartphones often results in having more applica-tions and more contacts, ensuing that it also occupies more of the users’ time. It has also changed how things are done. Things that once used to be gathered and done in certain bursts of activity during the day, are now done a lot more frequently. In this sense, rather than enabling the user to do things better and use less time, it results in a usage that is more frequent and that uses more time. An example is the amount of times a user checks his/her email account when having a Smartphone in comparison to only having access to a computer. The possibility of doing more things may not actually be making us Smart[er], so we need a phone that may be “dumber” but making us Smart[er] or more educated

in the use of communication.

How to achieve it?

The benefit of using Bubble is not only to be able to detach, but also to educate and realize how social connectivity could be more personal if turned into a more direct and filtered way. Bubble is a VOIP based application for communication path for those moments when the user feels like detach-ing from the information influx. Instead Bubble enables the user to have direct communication with a selected group of people of which the user wants to allow in his/her Bubble. It furthermore acts as a filter on the incoming information on multiple platforms (social networks and emails) and as a block on specific parts of the phone (GPS, Wireless and 3G). By enabling a choice of contacts that can enter the personal “bubble”, the system define a soft barrier with the rest of connectivity. People in the bubble can be reached and can reach the user, people outside will receive feedback that the user is momentarily not to be reached.

3.4 Bubble Mode

Figure 15: The device, with the ‘enter bubble mode’ screen.

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When and why using the bubble?

Bubble is not a forced and told steer towards a more moral way of using our mobiles, but rather a chance of defining a really personal and intimate use of it. The possibility of having a personal and free moment and of personalizing what is relevant will bring to a product that will be more adapted to the user and so becoming a self extension and an image of him/her.

The possibility of filtering incoming information depending on people and not on the media used will define a more person based and personalized communication tool. In bubble mode the focus is on people as it enables just direct calls and mes-saging to the selected people and enables just them to directly

contact. Cutting off internet con-nection is a restric-tion based on the vision of gaining more time by reclustering con-nectivity into burst of activities rather than spreading it towards an infinite and continuous time that actually denies a real free time. “Checking if” and “i will just have a quick look

while..” are situations that take off time from reality by occupy-ing spare time on “something” rather than living it. The pos-sibility of cutting of GPS is a possibility for the future when GPS based information will be a reality and also a potential problem for privacy issue. On a daily basis when one feels like being focused into something or feeling alone or just detach from the daily routine, Bubble enables to bounce what is not subjectively relevant without the stress of missing something.

Based on the findings from the phone free day (see Report 2), being completely unreachable was too drastic and unaccept-able for the users. However, if those attempting to reach the

user could be informed of the user’s detachment, it would help to achieve a real sensation of freedom. The situation tried in our research was forced, but the possibility of reaching the same effect was an interesting possibility for most of the users interviewed after.

3.4.2 User interface and feedback system

Entering the bubble

The bubble interface is an addition to the normal Android OS that enables to enter an application based system (Figure 16).The system has a bubble feedback icon that shows to the us-ers when they should consider an information break. This is a subtle and non-continuous glow of an icon that is activated when the users reaches a certain number of contacts per hour, internet connectivity, hours without turning off the phone or generally over-multitasking.

Entering feedback

When choosing to enter the bubble mode, a set of actions have to be done in order to reach the right mental state to detach.

A random smooth path has to be followed for 15 seconds in order to enter the main interface. The movement, which is continuous, smooth and gradually slowing down, enables the users to focus their attention on the present and helps them to relax (as shown in the usability tests). The gestures help achieve these states in a far better manner than switching on and off a button, as in a silent mode.

Figure 16: Normal Android interface with at the top the bouncing bubble mode icon, and at the bottom the Bubble mode App.

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1 - See what’s in the bubble currently (figure shows: music, ‘Eirik’ and ‘mom’).

2a - Add people or emotions by pinching the inner bubble.

2b - Select the names through the alpha-betic list that pops up.

2c - Finally, pick the desired name of the person or song.

3 - You can select people in the bubble and see their availability and connection

options.

4 - When you leave the bubble by shaking your

device, an update on missed calls and messages is shown.

These items have been ‘bubble-bounced’ while the bubble mode was activated.

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In the bubble

While the users are in the bubble, only few actions can be conducted. This is done since the actual goal of the mode is to detach from connectivity and gain more quality in person based communication. Contacts become people, video and pictures become moments and music and other media become emo-tions.

People can be added to the users’ bubble and data can be connected to people (music, video and pics). People added to the bubble can be contacted by direct (call) or indirect speaking (voice message) or by sharing (text messages or data file). The people added to the bubble are also able to contact the users while in the bubble through each of the mediums they use (Calls, sms, facebook, skype and so on...). The rest of the information will be bounced. In the bubble feedback

The feedback on incoming messages or calls will be based on light and vibration in order to have a more subtle effect. Accord-ing to the preferences of the user in test 4, the interaction cho-sen for all the notifications in Bubble mode will be a light with a vibration that fades from min to max and back to min, without any sounds. It has the following set-up: Fading LED from min (0) to max (255) and then back from max (255) to min (0); fading vibration from min (180) to max (250) and then back from max (250) to min (180). The whole thing has to be slow: 3 seconds to go back and forth (min/max/min). As was confirmed in the test, the notification in normal mode

will have red light, while blue light for notifications in Bubble mode.

The bubble bounce

When the users enter the bubble, the phone becomes a pas-sive receiver of incoming information (calls, emails, SMS and notifications). Those people who are chosen to stay in the users’ bubbles can reach them, while the rest are gently bounced (see figure 17). The system is set up to provide those attempting to contact the users, feedback of the users’ momentary unreach-ability with a message. The message can be personalized and defined by the user according to his/her preferences in order to give a choice of whether to be direct or more indirect. This feature enables the user to counter the perceived need of

always being connected and the expected speedy reply that are becoming the norm of today’s communication. By providing feedback that the information will be received later, the users won’t feel as stressed as if they would completely turn off the phone. The information that is bounced will be presented later in a relative time sorting system.

Relative time information sorting

The bounced information will be given back to the user in a list that sums all the channel of communication based on people. In this way the user won’t have to lose time searching through all the different information sources, but focus more on who has tried to contact instead.

@@

UNPRIORITIZED OVERLOADOF INFORMATION

DIRECT CONTACT WITH FEW CONTACTS, OTHER INFORMATION TEMPORARILY BOUNCED OFF

Figure 17: The bubble bounce concept: normally all information by all contacts passes through (left). Now, only a few selected

contacts have the ability to communicate with you.

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Figure 18: Visualization of the business model strategy, part of chapter 4: Smart[er] Phone: Commercialization.

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4. Smart[er] phone: commercia- lization

The commercialization of the Smart[er] phone will incorpo-rate the business model strat-egy, branding and marketing mix and serves as an illus-tration how Enviu could ap-proach the market with our proposed design solution.

4.1 Commercialization Vision

4.1 Commercialization Vision

4.2 Business Model & Strategy

4.3 Market Implementation Plan

4.4 Branding

4.5 Marketing Mix

In this section the commercialisation strategy of the product is explained in more detail. As was described in the internal analysis of Enviu (Report 1); they are not a handset producer, in fact, they do not have any existing role in the mobile phone in-dustry. Due to their position, Enviu will not be able, financially or technically, to develop and launch the product themselves, but be required to find an existing actor in the industry to con-tinue the project. The strategy is made under the assumption that an existing actor in the industry is behind the project.

Since Enviu will not launch the product themselves, the focus in this section will be on the strategy, which revolves around how to ensure that the commercialisation gives added value and continued drive to keep the sustainable philosophy. The marketing mix we propose in the following section will due to the previous mentioned reasons, only carry illustrative power, as the marketing mix will have to be adjusted according to the company ending up commercialising the product.

Remaing sustainable

An inherent difficulty in the project in regards to the com-mercialisation derives from the initial project brief. It stated that the project was to strive for creating maximum impact in changing the mobile phone industry towards sustainability. An important criteria in selecting the direction of the project

(described in Report 1) was to chose a target which was not, and would most likely not be pursued by the mobile phone industry by itself. Increasing the lifespan of the mobile phone was one of the things at the most at odds with the industry. Consequently, there will inevitably be tension between hav-ing market success and project success, a fact that is impor-tant to remember when evaluating the different commerciali-sation alternatives.

We believe it is unrealistic to expect sustainable solutions (ef-ficiency gains cannot be classified as sustainable solutions) to be implemented directly into the existing system, as it is the cause of the current level of environmental and social impact. The commercialisation strategy and model proposed is radical in respect to the current level, a necessity if the goals set in the project are to be accomplished. Although a strategy that does not revolve around profit-maximisation is at odds with the current state of the industry, there is a growing field of in-dustries and companies that have another raison d’être than profit maximisation. Many of these companies are driven by a strong belief in a cause, and some have a social business model. For sustainability to take root, it is also important to move these principles into normal strongholds of consumer-ism such as consumer electronics.

4.2 Business Model & Strategy

Through our product and commercialisation process, we want to create a mobile phone industry that:

» Has designed the phones: using longer lasting compo-nents, easier to repair and recycling, making it easier for consumers to keep their phone for its true techni-cal lifespan, and thereby reducing the intensity of the cradle-to-grave cycles.

» Generates the majority of revenue from other sources than sales of hardware, changing sales from physical parts towards intangible parts.

» Removed design for obsolescence. » Does not push phones at consumer in breakneck

speeds, but focuses on more radical innovation that have significant improvement

» Has created an alternative to the connectivity craze – creating awareness about life quality among users, and given them back the control of their connectivity

The section a more detailed description of the different as-pects of the business strategy will be presented.

Layer release strategy

The layers will with some software tweaking, be compatible with each other. However, as was described in the techni-cal feasibility evaluation, the “processor” is the part that quickest becomes obsolete, since the other layers take up an increasing amount of computational power from the processor as they improve. After some time, newer layers will not be able to function with an older processor. From a sustainability and functional perspective, the processor is the most crucial item of the mobile phone. The other layers will therefore have to revolve around the different processors, with explicit information regarding which processors are sup-ported, and which are not.

Another key element is to provide sufficient upgrades to the user, so to discourage an upgrade of the processor. The exist-ing customers will be served by providing new layers that still fit with older processors, and will be fully served for its entire lifespan, through repairs, a lively second hand market, new layers and adapted OS development.

When launching the Smart[er] phone, SmartCompany will

release a variety of layers (with different functionality and processing power) that cater to the selected target groups different needs and desires. Over time, it will still be possible to get “older” processors, as they will diminish in price in comparison to new ones, but still offer good functionality for those not seeking the cutting edge.

To avoid too much cluttering and confusion regarding layers and compatibility, it is important to keep the number of variations in the layers to a manageable amount. SmartCom-pany will therefore only launch new processors and layers when there is a significant technological development to warrant a new release.

Revenue of the leasing system

The mobile phones will be offered without an initial fee (or a symbolic fee in cases of regulation). The revenue will however be generated by a monthly fee (see figure 20). The fee structure will start fairly high in the beginning, before go-ing down, and then down again after the minimum contract expires. The would-be selling price is recuperated when the initial contract ends. How much they will drop, will depend on the length of the contract (Europe has different legislation according to the length).

Figure 19: Example of Business model visualization, adopted from the book ‘Business Model Generation’, by Osterwalder and Pigneur.

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The declining fee works better than a flat fee for three rea-sons. Firstly, it allows SmartCompany to recuperate the ma-jority of the money as soon as possible. Secondly, it signals the customer that he/she is rewarded with better terms the longer the phone is kept. And lastly, for a customer con-sidering to upgrade to the newest layers after the contract expires, for example, a tripling of the monthly fees, provides an incentive to remain with the existing set of layers for a longer period. The drawback is that the fee structure is more complex for the customer to understand, and that the main fees are closer to the present day, and therefore easier to be affected by the price, than if they were evenly spread out, or occurring later in the future.

As the phone can be seen as a set of layers, the contract is dived into separate entries for the different parts. Thus, each individual layer will have a monthly fee, which is combined into one total sum for the customer.

The point system

The point system is implemented as an additional feature to encourage customers to keep their phones for a longer pe-riod of time. The points are earned in a very simple manner: just by keeping the phone another day. However, they do not being to being earned until 18months (the average lifespan

of a mobile phone). Since the phones are made up of a four layers, the customer earns 40 points every day (10 per part).

The points can be used on either themselves or into value for the “greater good.” The “value” of the options will always be in favour of giving to the greater good, to show that giving is always better. For personal value, the customer can use the points to discount the monthly price of the layers. For the greater good, they can be used to unlock gifts/benefits (something concrete) that the customer can choose from among a selection of worthy causes. Different “benefits” will be unlocked depending on the length of time the customer has kept the phone, where the longer the customer waits, the more valuable is the gift.

Furthermore, there will be a constant tracker of total number of days that users have kept their phones past 1.5 years, and what that translates into from an environmental perspective. SmartCompany will also have several set goals that will be initiated when the amount of days has been reached, these are goals that can be cross-incorporated with the corporate social responsibility activities of the mother company.

Repairing the phone

Repairing is often associated with a lot of uncertainty and expenses. As part of the service, SmartCompany will pro-vide free and fast repairs for all the layers, being a point of differentiation. This service can be implemented due to the form of the layers: SmartCompany will only change the layer in question, and send a new or re-used back to the user. The broken layers will then be organised to take advantage of economies of scale while repairing the problems. However, to discourage moral hazard among users, the leas-ing agreement will have to include a terms of agreement that makes only “normal” mobile phone failures free to repair.

Upgrading the phone

A key part of the offering is the possibility for the customer to upgrade their phone with new layers, as new options be-come available, or if a different function is wanted. The new layers are added to the user’s account and to the monthly fee. The old layers will then either be sent in or brought in by the customer, as the fee continues until they are handed in. Another option for the customer is to transfer them to others, but then they have to accept, and they will then take over the current layer status (monthly fee, karma points, etc).

Figure 20: Business model revenue system.

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Bubble mode

The bubble mode service is not meant as a separate product or service, but as an integral feature of all the phones that are released by SmartCompany.

Ending the contract

When the user wants to dismiss the service, the phone is to be sent back to the company. Then the body-layer is changed, with a new shell, and leased out again at a dis-counted rate. Either in the same market or in developed markets, where it can be kept alive for a longer time, since all the parts are changeable. Thus, the life-cycle of the mobile phone is expanded. If the phone is lost, or the customer wants to end or change the layers before the contract period is over, requires an environmental cost from the user, as they have underutilised the resources.

Guidelines for the company

The company that makes the layers should be an OS (Operat-ing System) developer. When the brain layer and the other layers being to be out-dated, they cannot continue to follow the updates of the new OS’s because of lacking hardware. Thus, the SmartCompany needs to focus the development of the OS that is to be used on older models platforms, on

making it leaner and more efficient, instead of adding more capabilities. The efficiency gains can then be implemented into the newer versions as well.

Long term: Opening up layers for 3rd party developers

In time, 3rd party developers can be allowed to offer their products within the standard, thereby creating a new source of innovation and product development. The 3rd party developers have to offer their products according to the dif-ferent standards set into the layers, and their offerings will go through the SmartCompany, since they will not be sold, but leased as well. To incorporate 3rd party developers, a set of technical specifications they have to live up to, as well as financial distribution key depending on how often the layers need repairing, etc will have to be developed.

Challenges to be tackled:

There will be several uncertainties and challenges that have to be faced and tackled for the strategy to be a success. The most pressing are:

» The application market will at any given time take advantage of the best possible technology. Thus, there can be difficulties in how to maintain the offerings to several levels of performance associated with the dif-

ferent platforms? » The cost of repairing and the increased product re-

sponsibility for SmartCompany. » The change of mentality that people don’t own their

own mobile phone any more, but pay for them as a service. And the increased likelihood of people damag-ing their phones.

» Continuing the previous point, customers can worry about the privacy of their data when returning their phones back to SmartCompany.

Rational behind strategy

The major strength of this business model in contrast to oth-ers (see Appendix 5 for a closer description), is that it offers a win-win-win for the customers, SmartCompany and the planet. It will offer incentives for all the parties to keep the phones for as long as possible (or desired). Furthermore, as SmartCompany is responsible for providing free repairs, leasing them out again and the material itself, SmartCompany will be motivated to make it easier to repair, the components longer lasting, make it easier to re-use components, and focus on fewer but better models to sell. It gives them a closer customer contact, and gives them profit from having a long-term view.

Figure 21: People, Planet, Profit; win-win-win.

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Objectives

The launch objectives are related to the newness of the product (Guiltinan, 1999). The Smart[er] phone has as-pects that are very new to the market (the layers, busi-ness model and bubble mode), but although the form factor and ownership are different, the functionality of the Smart[er] phone is well established in the market, and well understood by the users. It does therefore not create a new market or category, but attempt to acquire market share in existing markets. According to the framework proposed by Guiltinan (1999) the Smart[er] phone can thus be classified as a new product entering an established market. In the framework, the objective is therefore to encourage trial and repurchase. However, the Smart[er] phone is a durable product where one purchase will be sufficient for several years, so the focus will be to achieve the first purchase.

An additional aspect of the framework is that by analysing the relative advantage of the product and the compatibility the product has with the target group, and judging them

against the existing products in the same market that will be entered, gives recommendations on the type of launch tactics that should be employed.

The Smart[er] phone can be seen to have both a high relative advantage and high compatibility with the users. In terms of advantage, it gives the user free repairs, the possibility of customising the composition of the layers and upgrading, and detaching from the connectivity. It will not be as cutting-edge or be as powerful as the other products over time, but

these attributes are not valued as high by the target group. In terms of compatibility, the customisation makes the phone fit closely to the user’s needs and requirements. It fits their values by being focused on sustainability and on “old-fash-

ioned” principles as caring for the material objects. The Smart[er] phone is based on the same functionality prin-ciples as existing phones, but it will have a challenge in the new way of layers and ownership, which will require the user to adapt their mental models. Nevertheless, in sum, it could be argued that the product also had a high compatibility.

Another objective is related to whether to target the mass or niche market. Although the mass market would imply a higher sales potential and thus also a higher impact, pursuing the mass market would mean a lot of intense competition from the other handset producer

(which is already an intensive industry). In addition, mass markets are only advisable when the product has a high rela-tive advantage and high compability within the market. Since the Smart[er] phone can only be said to have these quali-ties within the target group, it is recommended to purse the niche market (Guiltinan, 1999).

4.3 Market Implementation Plan

“Relative advantage depends on a posi-tioning of the product’s benefits against

those of other products, and compatibility depends on a positioning of the product’s fit with individuals’ needs, values, and ex-periences/usage systems compared to the

fit of other previously used products” - Guiltinan, 1999.

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Transformation of the busines

Drucker talks about traditional (past), transitional (present), and transformational (future) time zones (figure 22), in which companies live simultaneously. Furthermore he states: “no such thing as a future decision, only the futurity of a present one (Flaherty, 1999).” In this, technology plays an important role; yesterday’s technology, today’s activities and tomor-row actions all need to be taken into account to initiate change. He also mentions that there have been three major technologic breakthroughs: shift from nomadic to sedentary societies around 6000 BC (Flaherty, 1999), the upcoming me-chanical applications around the 18th century and the more recent information and knowledge developments in the 20th century. Now, as we are well in the 21st century, these latter developments are taken to extremes (as this entire project is built around that belief).

From a branding point of view, the transformational time zone should be addressed: what does the future bring along? By using branding as a vehicle to en-lighten people about the mindset that the current way of using mobile technology might contain an overload of information, this transformation should be initiated. By mak-ing people aware of this, self-actualization can be achieved (actualizing one’s beliefs and mindset). As for branding, this can be done implicitly or explicitly, depending on the mes-sage.

An interesting new theory raised by Lubin & Esty (2010 - fig-ure 21) in one of last year’s Harvard Business Review, is the notion that reducing environmental impact solely, will not withstand in future business. Rather, companies that already

show strong improvements on eco-efficiency should not be afraid

to ‘climb the execution curve’ (or: the transformation of the current

business): adapting their strategy and business processes to actualize their

sustainable intentions. Furthermore, they state that companies should not only develop internal strategies but also ‘adopt open-source approaches that engage outsiders’. This provides a solid ground on which future telecom indus-tries have to put their words to action: reducing the impact of the production is one thing, changing the products them-selves, is another. With respect to branding, this is another clear evidence that the concept should radiate the intention that the current way of designing phones is no longer valid in the (near) future. This will be translated to explicit branding terms for the project. Transformation is the key-word here.

4.4 Branding

Traditional Transitional

Transformational

What is thebusiness?

What should thebusiness be?

What will thebusiness be?

Figure 22: Image freely cre-ated from: Peter F. Drucker, 1998.

Figure 21: Adopted from Harvard Business Review, May 2010, pp. 49.

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Going beyond ‘Feeds & Speeds’

In today’s telecom industry economic benefits and functional benefits are very important; the first will occur for people who value efficiency, reducing costs and errors will choose a phone that fits that image. The latter for people who look for the best possible interaction or experience (performance/flexibility/usability/etc.) with their device. These two benefit sets are encapsulated as ‘think’ and ‘act’ mindsets and can both be considered as quite rational attributes in the custom-er Decision Making Process (DMP).

However, Scott Davis pleads that manufacturers need to go beyond the ‘feeds-and-speeds’ for modern day electronic devices: advertising and branding products by showing technical components and emphasizing their additional benefits will no longer suffice. The emotional benefits (or:

what we ‘feel’) should be addressed: style, self-expression, self-extension, control (but also freedom) are a few of the attributes that fit this thought. Therefore, producers need to shift their focus to what a product actually does for

the customer and what it kind of rewards he or she will get when using the product. See figure 23.

For the final concept of the project, this means that the reasons why there would be emotional benefits, must be filled in. The concept is hugely focused on these benefits implicitly, but for the overall branding strategy they will have to be turned into explicit forms. By doing this, potential users could envision what the concept can do for them, creating communal awareness for the (sustainable) impact the tele-com industry has upon us. By offering them an alternative, this is achieved.

Key-words for emotional benefits that are appropriate for the concept:

» Self-actualization » Self-expression » Control » Freedom » Independence » Affiliation

As product attachment is a key-word for the concept, it shows overlap with some of the words in the list: self-ex-pression and affiliation specifically. As product attachments stools on three important pillars (product’s irreplaceability, indispensability and self- extension - Schifferstein & Pelgrim, 2008). Self-extension follows self-expression, irreplaceability follows affiliation. Therefore, product attachment and emo-tional benefits are heavily intertwined.

Control and freedom are different: they are contradicting, but do not exclude each other. Normally, one would be in control when freedom is lost. The reverse could also be true: one should have freedom when control is lost. However, for the concept, a certain control is wished for, to create free-dom. As the user can deliberately go into a ‘bubble-mode’ (by being in control), additional freedom is gained. In that sense, independence and freedom result from an (increased) notion of control over traditional mobile phones.

Figure 23: Adopted from: Kellogg on Branding, p. 220.

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Frame of reference

Another important aspect of setting up a brand and creating its strategy is the frame of reference, being part of the brand positioning (Tybout & Calkins, 2005). This refers to the asso-ciation and notions the user has when the brand is recalled, what it is that makes it relevant to him or her. The frame of reference for the concept could be the unique selling points (USP’s or Points of Difference - Keller & Tybout, 2002) it integrates, but also more generic attributes (or Points of Parity) that relate to the brand in a larger scope: the product or brand category (something that is shared by all brands in the category). By levering from points of differences and by trying to ‘break-even’ with points of parity (generic category advantages that competitors might have), a strong brand is created.

Points of difference

» the ability to detach from the daily ‘overload’ of com-munication by entering a mode in which you are less connected to the world and therefore have more time to focus on the ‘here and the now’ (providing quality time).

» Physical layers and replaceable/upgradable compo-nents in (some) of these layers make that the phone is more environmentally sustainable than current day phones, as a defect in the product will not cause a replacement of the entire phone but solely a part of it.

» the physical appearance of the layers will show what mode you are in (normal or ‘bubble’ mode), providing visual feedback that is meaningful and interactive.

» a lively second-hand market of layers and components will reduce landfills and prevent people from upgrading their phones every 18 months or so.

Points of Parity

» it should still offer the ability to do everything the user would do with a ‘normal’ phone: e-mailing, browsing, social media, calling, etc.

» phones nowadays are small, lightweight, easy to in-teract with and offers a vast amount of functionalities which have become a standard (an Application Store, tools, Media player, etc). This should be taken into ac-count, maybe slimmed down, but not ignored.

» as phones are oftentimes provided when a new con-tract is signed, people choose for this option so they can avoid a high-priced purchase. Pricing the phone too high might scare off people.

Figure 24: Timeline of Nokia products, adopted from: http://www. cellphones.techfresh.net.

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In order to create a brand strategy, the before mentioned implicit values will have to be made explicit. This will be integrated in the marketing mix (product, promotion, place and price).

Product

The product itself is detailed extensively throughout the whole report, and will therefore not be described further here.

People

The target audience for the concept phone will be basically everybody with a sense for the environment and sustain-ability and moreover, are not resistant to get involved themselves. They are very open to innovations on the digital platform and possibly own (smart)phones which are reaching the end of their lifespan and so these people are looking for a new phone to buy. The age category of these people will be anywhere from 18 to 50 with some money to spend. They probably own a decent Smartphone already, but are not resistant of trying out something new, even if it might cost them a bit extra.

Demographically, this audience could live almost anywhere, as long as a shopping centre is relatively close (if they choose to physically hold a Smartphone before they purchase). Nonethe-less, even at remote locations, an online purchase is still possi-ble. But more specifically, people around the big cities in the Netherlands and its surrounding countries (and possibly even further) are part of the target audience as many sustainable initiatives take place there.

Niche market

In order to penetrate the telecom industry, a niche mar-ket might help. By pinpointing a specific group of people, other audiences can be reached from there. This niche will demand certain characteristics. First of all, it should be large enough to reach a decent amount of people, but still be very reachable. Secondly, they should share the a set of values which are addressed by the concept. Third, there must be a clear incentive why these people would buy the product. And lastly, there should not be much competition, as a niche

market typically focuses on a group of users that is eager to adopt your product.

In phase two, we have made different types of users, regarding their Smartphone usage (see figure 25 on this page). Apart from the distinction between rational (phone as empowerment, necessity) and aspirational users (phone as fashion, trend followers), there are four quadrants of behavior segments: business, multimedia, essentials and style-focused.

As for a niche market for the Smart[er] phone, we believe there should be a focus on aspirational, high involvement us-ers: people that can induce a change in the industry and are considered as early adopters rather than being part of the majority of consumers. For the long term, other segments,

4.5 Marketing Mix

Figure 25: Attitude and Behaviour Segments of smartphone users.

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like the Mature acceptors and family providers could follow, when a lively second hand and repurchase cycle has found its way to the surface.

Since we will collaborate with a handset manufacturer, this will greatly determine how the product’s distribution will be handled, these people will be reached through existing pro-motion and sales channels.By choosing such a niche market, the three characteristics are met:

» it is large enough to reach a decent amount of people, as style oriented, aspirational users make up a fair group of the total user range.

» they will share the same values that relate to our planet, society and sustainability; they are aware of current problems regarding environmental impact.

» the incentive to buy the sustainable Smartphone is found in progression/innovation: as these people want to differentiate from other people they are eager to take up new conceptual products and are not hesitant for radical changes.

Promotion

For the promotion of the concept, advertising and word-to-

mouth are important pillars. Over time, awareness will be created through experiences with the phone. The incen-tives for using the phone are mostly long-term oriented as rewards for using it are only visible after a certain amount of time. Because the phone excels in making it easy to upgrade or replace, there first needs to be the need of doing this, which will take time (anywhere between 1 and 3 to 4 years). However, the customer buying experience and the incentive to buy such a device, will have to be oriented on the short term as well, short term rewarding is key to sell the prod-uct. Therefore, when using advertising, this should be put forward.

Short term benefits are situated around the fact that the phone is a sustainable, no-nonsense device which ultimately will save you money thanks to its upgrading/replacing capa-bilities. The advertisements around the new product will be placed at spots were the target audience is present (these spots are not distribution channels, but merely places where brand exposure is appropriate):

» at eco-friendly stores and sites » The Body-shop or other fair-trade/community-trade

stores » Slow food movements venues/stores

» Sustainable Blogs (e.g. <www.treehugger.com>, figure 26) » At sports brands stores like Adidas, a top ranked sus-

tainable company (<www.forbes.com>; Adidas ranked 28th of all big companies worldwide)

» At telecom stores such as Vodafone (being connected to Enviu)

» Enviu website and on websites of partners (HybridTuk-Tuk, Sustainable Dance Floor, etc.)

» All other promotion channels that are used by the col-laborating handset manufacturer

The reason why companies like the Body Shop are put here (which has no interest in selling Smartphones) is simple: having referred to the frame of reference before, this sustainable Smartphone has quite a broad area of associations. What the Body Shop, Adidas, and the concept-brand have in common is a care for the envi-ronment and their corporate sustainable impact on the world. Although they go about these topics in different ways, with dif-ferent production techniques and completely different products, their communal aim to act more sustainable is present. Both the Body shop and the new Smartphone brand will profit from shared sustainable mental model. The frame of reference for sustainable business is quite broad; specific product categories are no longer the most important factor in bringing brands together.

Figure 26: http://www.treehugger.com homepage example

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Place

The place refers to the locations at which the product can be purchased. The first obvious place would be telecom retail-ers, which people visit in need for a new phone. Here, they will have the option to choose for the sustainable Smart-phone.

But offering the phone at these retailers alone will not with-stand. As the product creates a new category of products (namely: sustainable Smartphones), placing it next to tradi-tional category products will not emphasize its points of dif-ferences (POD) well enough. For a good brand to stand out, its POD’s need additional attention and a suitable surround-ing. Therefore, the frame of reference can be extended to ‘sustainability products’ and as such be placed at eco-friendly retailers (which might not sell phones as their core business) and online web-shops that offer sustainable products.

Next to these somewhat ‘experimental’ places, the product be purchased through all existing distribution channels of the collaborating handset manufacturer. Their established network of stores, online web shop and distribution partners can be put in action.

Price

Pricing is key in finding the right branding strategy. If the price is too low, people might not value the product as a replacement for their phone. If it is too high, or if a skimming price strategy is applied (keeping a high price to attract early adopters) people might not take the risk of switching to an unknown, unfamiliar new brand which is radically different from what they are used to.

The pricing strategy is based on a leasing system. In the first year, the customer pays 60% of the ‘would-be-selling price’ (the price of the phone if it was to be purchased at once). After the first year, the contract price drops to 40% of this price and after two years it stays at 20%. Looking at the cu-mulative revenues, the company would break-even after two years (which does not include the phone’s manufacturing costs). See figure 28. Within this contract period, as mentioned in the business model part, users are free to have their phones repaired or replaced when there is a defect.

The price of the individual layers will probably vary, as some layers are more complex than others. Users are discounted when they hand in their used, to-be-replaced layers so that a buyback system is assuring an optimal recycling/re-usage environ-ment and the phone’s hibernation period will decrease (the time be-tween the moment that a phone is discarded and its recycling/re-usage/

buyback).

The exact prices of the phone and the layers are hard to determine. However, we believe that since the product is a highly compatible and offers high advantage, a skimming price could be applied. Although a skimming price indicates a higher-than-average starting sales price, this should be decided on with caution as users should not be lured to lower priced competitors. Therefore, the handset manufac-turer that will decide on a price has to keep in mind that the product must be considered as high-category product (as with the current advanced Smartphone market: HTC, Nokia and Samsung having a broad range of products from fairly cheap to high-priced phones). The price of the layers will be determined likewise.

Figure 27: Example of in-store dis-play of layers.

Figure 28: Pricing Strategy

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5. Smart[er] phone: Proto- typing

To present the concept to Enviu, and for them being able to show it stakeholders, we have created a prototyping installation that can be used as a stand-alone pre-sentation device. It incorporates a wooden box with all the layers, which interact with an animated presentation.

The Smart[er] phone concept is radical, smart and takes a huge leap in comparison to all devices currently out there on the market. This is only realized by changing the rules of the game drastically. In order to convey the core messages that make the Smart[er] phone actually being smart and being easy to understand, a simple and powerful demonstration installation (prototype) has been developed, that intuitively tells the story behind each of the core components of this multidimensional phone.

Demonstration subjects

The installation presents the core components that have been developed during the final concept development phase, but only which ultimately adds direct value towards the end-user. Due to strict selection criteria for a powerful presentation model, the technological implications and the entire business model, that supports the concept, are mentioned only briefly. The reason for doing so, is that the presentation should only reveal the direct impact on the viewers their lives. This direct impact is approached from the Lay[er] and Bubb[le] concepts,

being translated to a physical level. For this installation, a display, a laptop (with a custom written application) are re-quired, beside the custom made installation model(s).

Lay[er]

The lay[er] prototype is the modular stackable physical embodiment of the Smart[er] phone. Through a unique (to be developed) interfacing standard, the layers can be con-nected on top of each other. All together, the layers resemble the total phone, supported by each of the layer’s unique and required abilities. Each of the lay[er] is made out of opaque glossy acrylic, with a customized laser-cut engraved design. The laser-cut design exists out of different important ele-ments: interface connection, inter-layer connection and the core function indication. The layers only differ in their core function indicator (figure 29), which essentially represent the hardware modules available on the subjected layer. Each layer is positioned on a the installation-box, that emphasizes each of the layers function.

5.1 Prototype ExplanationFigure 29: function indicator dis-

played at the to of each layer.

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5.1 Prototype Explanation

Usage

At start, the user asked to put his or her phone down, on the special allocated box on the installation-box, after which the installation directly detects it and anticipates on it by triggering the viewer his/her view on current phone their impacts.Each of the layer then is required to be stacked onto each other, keeping in mind the intended order from bottom to top: Senses, Brain, Heart and Body. Every time a layer is added (figure 30) on top of the prior one, the installation will detect each of the layers and displays specific information about that layer on the display. Each layer added will bring the installation closer to completion, and when the final layer (figure 31) is added, the installation will show the Smart[er] phone assembled after which a transition phase in the instal-lation is activated. The installation switches towards the Bubble mode, which then is presented by interacting through a secondary prototype model.

Bubb[le]

The Bubb[le] mode is activated when all layers are stacked on top of each other, only then the Smart[er] phone can be used. The Bubble mode demonstration is done by showing

different animations of the possible interface, interactions and the system features that are integrated in the Bubble mode. Throughout the Bubble demonstration, a second physical prototype is used to create a direct link between digital abstract information that is demoed on the display and perceptual (tangible) information. This digital informa-tion is translated by using integrated RGB LEDs and a vibra-tion motor, that are controlled by a congruent software application (written by WTF), that is ran by the laptop and the Arduino. This part of the installation is mainly about the software domain of the concept; to clarify the fact that the interface is supposed to run on a phone (not on a external display) an iPhone was used to run the video to instigate interaction with the ‘interactive’ elements of the interface (which was demoed only through an animation).

Installation Production ProcessElectronics

The installation has been build by using basic core compo-nents in combination with a programmable advanced mi-croprocessor: Arduino (only for demonstration purpose).

The Arduino was connected through a Serial Proxy to Adobe Flash, which therefor could interact based on physical events, detected by the Arduino. Through a unique method, the dif-ferent layers can be detected, whether they are connected or not. All layers conduct the prior their current through the interface connection, that creates a direct shortcut be-tween the +5 and the GND (over several 10kOhm resistors).

Figure 30: Layers placed on top of each other Figure 31: All layers complete

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Secondly, during the Bubble Model, a RGB LED and vibration-motor are activated through a Pulse Width Modulation event, by which a slow fading movement can be realized. Lastly, a LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) is used to detect whether or not a phone is been placed on the installation. Which requires a very specific connection, that is directly connected (as are all above components) to the Arduino.

Flash Patch

The flash patch is completely build on custom made animations that are played according to the input, determined by the Arduino. In between the Arduino and the Flash Patch, a Serial Proxy moni-tor, monitors all in- and outputs of the Arduino-board. A custom made Flash application uses all this information and acts on changes on in- and outputs. Since this installation is going to be used by Enviu, to present the Smart[er] phone to both potential endusers and investors / partners, the installation requires to act fully autonomous.

The installation is therefor build to be ran as an standalone application, that does not require any technical nor developer insights. Running the installation is as easy as hit and run.

Installation-box

The installation box is the embodiment of the total presentation model, that houses the most important components and acts as the interactive board. All different layers have their own engrav-ing, together with the stacking location, location to put the user’s phone and the interactive Bubb[le] prototype. The installation box is, similar to the acrylic layers, made through laser-cutting the ma-terial based on a CAD / Illustrator design. Due to the high exposure of the material, the prototype(s) needed to be made from high quality and good (and sustainable) looking materials.

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Far left: Arduino with resistors and connection wiresLeft: Setup of wooden box + connected laptopTop right: Laser cutting of acrylic layersBottom right: Laser cutting of wooden box.

6. Sum- mary

The third phase began with a rough combination of three con-cepts. By focusing on the core, and detailing the three domains, the concept emerged as a holistic concept: The Smart[er] phone.

The Smart[er] phone is our solution to countering and reducing the environmental impact of the mobile phone industry. We hope it will not only influence the Smartphone market, but also function as a starting point for questioning the ever-increasing throughput of all consumer electronic products. Consequently, companies should not only aim at reducing the environmental impact, but also generating awareness about “true” sustainabil-ity and change consumer perspective on materiality.

It furthermore tackles the social and personal consequences of increased connectivity and the dependencies it causes, by giving back the user control of their own information usage and connectivity. This is also hoped will have a lasting impact on the norms and standards that dictate the current cultural expecta-tions that everybody should be reachable 24/7.

The Smart[er] phone is compiled of four layers that are easy to replace or repair and can be upgraded according to the us-ers’ needs. This takes advantage of (and too strengthens) the trend of focusing more on software and interaction and less on hardware, which has emerged in the industry over the last years. Naturally, such a layered Smart[er] phone poses technical challenges to ensure its manufacturability. Therefore a technical feasibility study was carried which indicated that the concept would be indeed feasible.

Through several user- tests and -studies, an interaction concept based on a Bubble mode has been developed. It lets the user detach from the stresses caused by the everyday constant con-nectivity, into a mode that enables the user to be more present in the moment, as unimportant information and notifications are prevented from interrupting the user (‘by bubble-bouncing them). The system encompasses a remainder, a soothing way of entering the mode, information and contact management, a

information rebound function, a specifically designed feedback system and an update of the pending information when one leaves the bubble mode.

If change towards sustainability is to be accomplished, product changes are not enough. The system that supports the existing practices of un-sustainability also has to be changed. The proposed commercialization is a radical change in the form of a leasing sys-tem for the layers. Users sign a contract where they pay a monthly fee for the layers (including free repairs) and for a network contract. When the initial contract expires, a significantly cheaper contract takes its place. After a minimum time has lapsed, the user can easily upgrade the layers of choice. Together with a point system, Karma points, the user is encouraged to keep their phone for as long as possible. The branding of the phone complements the com-mercialization strategy, and is used as a vehicle to contribute to the proposed radical (transformational) changes in the industry.

Since Enviu will not develop and launch the product themselves, it is assumed that the company behind the Smart[er] phone will be an existing actor in the mobile phone industry. The marketing plan proposed is therefore more generic in nature, as the specif-ics in such a plan are too dependent on the launching company for it to be possible to describe in any credible fashion.

The final delivery to Enviu also consists of a physical prototype, a key delivery for them in fulfilling one of the requirements for the governmental funding of the Our Mobile Generation(OMG) platform.

The Smart[er] phone is the sustainable Smartphone of the future, delivering strong potential for the three pillars of sustain-ability and creates a win-win-win situation for the company, the user and the planet. It is simply a Smart[er] phone.

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7. Refe- rences

Academic Material

Drucker, P. (1999). Shaping the Managerial Mind, by John E. Flaherty, Jossey-Bass, 1999

http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/most-sustainable-com-panies-leadership-citizenship-100.html

Lubin & Esty, Harvard Business Review, May 2010, pp. 49.

Guiltinan, J. P. (1999). Launch Strategy, Launch Tactics, And Demand Outcomes. Journal of Product Innovation Manage-ment, 16 (6), 509-529.

Keller, K. L., Tybout, A. (2002) The principle of positioning. Market Leader, Issue 19, Winter, 65

Drucker, P. F. (1998) Peter Drucker on the Profession of Man-agement. Harvard Business Review Book

Mugge, R., Schifferstein, H.N.J., Schoormans, J.P.L., (2006). Product Attachment and Product Lifetime: The Role of Person-ality Congruity and Fashion. European Advances in Consumer Research, Volume7. Delft University of Technology.

Park, M. (2005). Sustainable Consumption in the consumer electronics sector: Design solutions and strategies to mini-mise product obsolescence. 6th Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production. Melbourne, 10 –12 October 2005.

Peyton Jones, S. L., Hardie, M. S. (1991). A Futurebus Interface from Off-the-Shelf Parts. IEEE Micro 11, 1 (January 1991), 38-41, 84-93.

Schifferstein, H.N.J., Zwartkruis-Pelgrim, E.P.H., (2008). Consumer-Product Attachment: Measurement and Design Implications. International Journal of Design Vol.2 No.3

Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, Basic books

Tybout, A.M. & Calkins, T. (2005). Kellogg on Branding, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ

Feasibility study:

http://www.ifixit.comhttp://www.chipworks.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhonehttp://www.apple.com/iphone/http://www.howstuffworks.com/http://www.phonewreck.com/http://www.zdnet.comhttp://www.ti.com/http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/http://www.skyworksinc.com/http://www.triquint.com/http://www.broadcom.com/http://www.st.com

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8. App- endix

1 Feasibility Study

2. List & Diagram of Comp.

3. Creative Session

4. Bubble Mode feedback test

5. Business Models evaluated

6. Detachment interviews

7. Path testing

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Unknown devices

ProcessorA4 Samsung,ARM Cortex A8 core(1GHz when used in iPad)

3 axis gyroscopeST MircoAGD1 - L3G4200D

338S0626 - unknown

Camera - 5 MP camera with 720p video at 30 FPS, tap to focus feature, and LED flash

Second camera - front-facing VGA camera

Skyworks SKY77541 GSM/GRPS Front End Module

Skyworks SKY77542 Tx–Rx iPAC™ FEM for Dual-Band GSM/GPRS: 880–915 MHz and 1710–1785 MHz bands.

Power AmpTriQuint TQM676091

Broadcom BCM4750IUB8 single-chip GPS receiver.

SRAM36MY1EE NOR - unknown use

Samsung K9PFG08 flash memory

Cirrus Logic 338S0589 audio codec (Apple branded) Speaker - 2nd

speaker - Earpiece

Micophone

Touch Screen ControllerTexas Instruments 343S0499

DisplayCapacitive Touch Screen

Buttons/switches; power (on/off), volume, hold, main enter button

Battery 3.7V 1420mAh Li-Polymer

Power Managementmagnetic sensor

AKM8975 - newest

mobile DDR

Vibartor motor

Broadcom BCM4329FKUBG 802.11n with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and FM receiver.

Antennas – UMTS, GSM, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all integrated into the stainless steel frame

3-axis accelerometerSTMicro STM33DH(3mm x 3mm)

Simcard reader

Input devices

Communication devices iPhone4 Component Oerview

1. Feasibility Study

49

Processor - Samsung 620 MHz ARMARM1176JZF. Stacked on the SDRAM, two 512 Megabit chips.(14.5x14.5)

Wolfson audio chipWM8758BG and 73AFMN5(5.5x5.5)

Linear Technology 4066 USB Power Li-Ion Battery Charger(4.5x4.5)

MARVELL, W8686B13, 702AUUPMarvell's 802.11b/g 18.4mm2 chip(5x5)

Edge Power ampli�erSkyworks GSM/ (SKY77340)(8.5x6)

Single chip radio and baseband IC for Bluetooth 2+EDRCSR BlueCore4-ROM WLCSP (4.5x4.5)

In�neon M1817A11338S0289 and 8G60710(7x7)

Intel Wireless Flash stacked 32 Mb NOR+ 16 Mb SRAM chip. Part numbers 1030W0YTQ2, 5716A673, and Z717074A(10x8)

338S 0297 G0719(6.5x9)

Multimedia engine. In�neon PMB8876 S-Gold 2Part numbers: 337S3235, 60708,and EL629058S03.(10x10)

Samsung chipK9MCGD8U5M(22.5x14)

50.3mm

Logic Board - iPhone1.0

50

Simcard reader

Serial Flash memory1MBSST SST25VF080B

Display InterfaceNational SemiconductorsLM2512AA

Application Processor Samsung and DDR SDRAM

AccelerometerST MicroelectronicsLIS331 DL

Power Management ICIn�neon SMP3i SMARTi

Power Amp ModuleSKYWORKSSKY77340

UMTS TransceiverINFINEON

Power AmpTriquintTQM666032WCDMA/HSUPA

Power AmpTriquintTQM676031WCDMA/HSUPA

Power AmpTriquintTQM616035WCDMA/HSUPA

Pseudo SRAMNUMONYXPF38F3050MOYOCE16MB NOR +8MB

Digital Baseband ProcessorPower Management

NXPBattery Charger/USB ControllerLINEAR TECHNOLOGY LTC4088-2

HAMMERHEAD ii GPS In�neonPMB2525

Audio CodecWOLFSONWM6180C

Touchscreen controllerBroadcomBCM5974

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Lists and diagrams of components in a Smartphone From the analyses an overview of typical Smart phone com-ponents their functionality, relationship to other components, indication of Technical(Fashion) and Functional longevity was devised.

Processors

Application processor Description – Is a Microprocessor Integrated chip, the CPU of the Smartphone, it controls all applications on the phone.Longevity – There are continual developments in processor

for mobile devices, becoming faster, smaller and cheaper. The speed and capacity of the proces-sor directly relates to how much functionally a phone can have and as such the market is continually driving for more powerful proces-sors. The market brings out new processes on an annual basis.

Memory

Flash memory Description - Flash memory is non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. Non-volatile means that no power is needed to maintain the information stored on the chip.Longevity – This is one of the

faster developing components in a phone, tending to double in capacity per size and price every year.

NOR SRAM and Nand memoryDescription - flash memory is one of the two popular types of flash memory. The other is the newer NAND flash memo-ry.Longevity – The speed the processor can work is dependent on this memory, therefore it needs to be updated only as often as the processor.

Power ManagementDescription – Controls the power provided to the device de-pending on it requirements. Thereby reducing unnecessary use of the battery and extending its life. Longevity - Needs to meet the requirements of the Proces-sor.

Connectivity

Baseband processor Description – Additional processor used for all devices con-nected to an antenna. Longevity - This only needs to match the transceiver and Power Amp developments (maybe 3-5 years)

Wi-fi Bluetooth Transceiver Description- Bluetooth is a wireless protocol for exchang-ing data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks.Longeveity – These protocols change relatively slowly, devel-opments tend to come one a new superior protocol replaces an old one. Slower increases are achieved in increasing range and bandwidth.

GPS TranceiverDescription- Global Positioning System was developed by the United States’ Department of Defense. It uses between 24 and 32 Medium Earth Orbit satellites that transmit precise microwave signals. This enables GPS receivers to determine their current location, time and velocity. The GPS satellites are maintained by the United States Air Force.

2. List & Diagram of Components

53

Longevity – The range of GPS is upheld by the US Air Force and extremely strong. Therefore the transceivers don’t chance so much just maybe become smaller and cheaper.

Power

BatteryDescription – Rechargeable battery provides power to all devices on the phone.Longevity – the same Li-Polymer batteries have been used for many years. However the functional life of these batteries is limited as their load capacity decreases over time and with additional recharges, they last an average of 1.5 – 2 years before this starts to affect performance.

Audio

Audio CodecDescription – The term ‘codec’ comes from encoder-decoder, fittingly an audio codec encodes analog audio coming from the mircophone as digital signals and decodes digital back into analog to be played by the speakers.Longevity - Dependant of new formats of audio? Hi-def etc? Dependant on the resolution of the speakers and mic.

Speakers and earpieceDescription - an electro-acoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input.Longevity – Improvements are occurring to provider better sound quality, cheaper, smaller and at higher volumes.

Mic –Description - an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal.Longevity - Improvements are occurring to provider better sound quality, cheaper, smaller and at better resolution.

Screen

Touch screen controllerDescription – Translates the changes in capacity on the surface of the screen as measured by a number of sensors (varying depending on the type of touch screen) into to a digital signal.Longevity – Needs to be updated at the same speed as the screen.

Touch screen

Description – several types of capacitive touch screen can be found in mobile devices these days. While they vary in method they all contain sensors that measure the changes in capacity on the surface of the screen. Longevity – There is a large push for higher screen resolution, and an increase in multitouch sensors.

DisplayDescription – Backlite LED monitor are currently the most common in mobile and smartphones. Analog signals through the matric of pins determine the colour of pixels on the screen which are used to display information to users.Longevity – Fashion obsolescence is continually pushing for clearer, higher resolution screens.

Fixed

Simcard readerDescription – Digital / Analog. A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module (SIM) on a removable SIM card securely stores the service-subscriber key (IMSI) used to identify a subscriber on mobile telephony devices (such as mobile phones and computers).Longevity – The technology simcards are based on has remained virtually unchanged since the popularisation of

mobiles 15-20 years ago.

Mini USB portDescription - Universal Serial Bus (USB). Used to transfer digital signal and power from and to an external source via a USB connection.Longevity – EU regulations will soon come into place to standardise all mobile and smartphone chargers and data transfer to mini USB format, this will ensure that it remains the standard for some years to come.

Head phone jackDescription - A TRS connector (tip, ring, sleeve) three pin analog audio out connector used to listen to the phone audio via a headset or headphones. Longevity – Commonly many handset manufacturers use customised jacks, if these were standardised by regulation there longevity could be increased.

Sensors:

CompassDescription - fibre optic gyrocompass, which detects the magnetic directions without potentially fallible moving parts.Longevity – These are a reality new development with mo-bile device and therefore hard to judge the speed of develop-ment. However their functionality should remain constant for many years.

CameraDescription - A camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. The camera consists of a lens and a Bayer filter to capture the image. Longevity – The quality to size ratio of mini cameras for such portable devices continues to be pushed with a 1-2 megapix-

54

el increase in resolution every 1-2 years, this trend is likely to continues.

GyrosDescription – A VSG (vibrating structure gyroscope) is a rela-tively inexpensive device that converts vibrations in different planes to digital or analog data that can be used to deter-mine position with 6-degrees of freedom. Longevity – These are also a relatively new addition in such devices and currently only found in some Smart phones. Making it hard to determine their speed of development.

AccelerometersDescription - multi-axis accelerometers are used in some Smartphones to detect magnitude and direction of the ac-celeration as a vector quantity, and can be used to sense orientation, acceleration, vibration, shock, and falling.Longevity – Such sensors have become increasingly common in Smartphones and seem like to remain as they allow for richer interactions with the phone. Once again they are a re-ality new inclusion in Smartphones making it hard to predict their speed of development. However while their size, price and resolution may improve their basis functionally shouldn’t change. Buttons (power, volume, etc)

Description – Buttons mechanically make or break electronic connec-tions to allow users to control aspects of the device. Longevity – Individual physical buttons are increasingly being replaced by the touch screen interface on Smartphones. Many handset manu-facturers have reduced the number of buttons to simply power on/off, volume up and down, and an action button. With the exception of the on/off button these could also be replaced by the touch screen. Little advancement in these areas has occurred in recent years and their

functionally would not decrease if they were keep for many years.

Setup for Creative session/User testing with Yoga group: Transitions between Normal and Bubble mode

Users:

We plan to conduct a creative session/ user testing workshop with a group of Yoga students to gain an insight into the types of actions that people could associate with detaching and re-engaging. The results of which will be used to help determine the actions required to switch the Phone4Life from Normal Mode to Bubble Mode, and back. We plan to test from 5 to 8 users.

Research questions:

» What movements/actions stimulate a sense of detach-ment/relaxation in a user?

» What movements/actions stimulate a sense of engage-ment/reawakening in a user?

Research setting:

The research was placed in the yoga school itself, in order to leave the users in a comfortable environment and to profit of the relaxed mind state brought by the place itself. A camera was placed behind them, over a shelf. In this way the whole session was documented but the users did not have the impression of being “studied” or observed. The test runners also took part to the yoga class that preceded the session, in order to let the users feel on the same level with them and not like 2experiment subjects”.

Plan

What background info; participants will be informed that “we are working on a project looking at ways to use a physical object to help us detach/unwind/relax/step-back from the stresses of our daily lives.”

1. Full body actions with word prompts – Participants will be asked to perform an action that they feel embodies each of the following verbs:

Normal-Bubble » Detach, » unwind, » let-go, » relax

Bubble-Normal » Engage » Reawaken » Focus

2. Hand gestures to word prompts with an object – Participants will be given an object representing a Smartphone and asked to perform a gesture they feel achieves the following;

Normal-Bubble » Putting the phone to sleep, » Forgetting about the phone, » Detach from the phone

Bubble-Normal » Wake up the phone » Reconnect with the phone

3. Predefined actions – Participants will be given an object representing a Smartphone and asked to perform a

» Twisting corner prototype » Blowing » Twisting » Flipping » Rubbing » Shaking » Slapping » Squeezing » Push-away

3. Creative session

55

Setup for User testing: Different Feedbacks for Bubble mode

Users:

We plan to test from 5 to 8 users, between 20 and 30 years old and owning/using a smartphone in their everyday life.

Research questions:

» What vibration pattern can be associated to Bubble mode?

» What light between red and blue can be associated to Bubble mode?

» Are the users likely to have vibration and/or sound for the Bubble mode notification?

Research setting:

The test was run from one person from the team (test moni-tor) who was in charge for making the system work. During the test, the user was holding the feedback prototype and was asked to answer three main questions.

Question 1

The users were asked to assign each of the following seven interactions to:

» A situation (business, free time, trvelling, etc.) » A notification (call, sms, mail etc.)

They were also asked to specify if they would have liked to add a ringtone to each of them

3 interactions with Red light on Rgb LED + vibrating motor » a1. Continuous vibration and light on for 5 seconds » b1. Blinking light + blinking vibration repeatedly very

fast on and on for 5 seconds

» c1. Fading light + fading vibration both from min (0) to max (255) VERY FAST repeatedly for 5 times (the motion goes only from min to max, never from max to min, when repeating it just jump back to min)

4 interactions with Blue light on Rgb LED + vibrating motor » a2. Slowly fading LED from min (0) to max (255) and

then back from max (255) to min (0); fading vibration from min (180) to max (250) and then back from max (250) to min (180); all repeated three times. Three seconds to go back and forth (min/max/min), all the three repetitions have the same length, with no time interruption between them.

» b2. Slowly fading LED from min (0) to max (255) and then back from max (255) to min (0); fading vibration from min (180) to max (250) and then back from max (250) to min (180). Three seconds to go back and forth (min/max/min). [Practically it is the same than before but without repeating].

» c2. Blinking led + blinking vibration (1 blink only, not repeated)

» d2. Slowly fading LED from min (0) to max (255) and then back from max (255) to min (0). Three seconds to go back and forth (min/max/min), repeated three times. No vibration.

Question 2

The users were asked to assign an emotion or mental asso-ciation to the use of the red light and the blue light.

Question 3

The user were asked to pick up one of the four bubble mode interactions to be assigned to that mode.

4. Bubble Mode Feedback test

56

Different business models evaluated

The suppliers give the parts to SMARTcompany on order. This gives SMARTcompany full control over the branding, launch plans and income stream. The business model is further built upon the notion of self-control for SMARTcompany, that they are so driven by the goal of sustainability, that they only re-lease new models when older expire, and thus, do not purse the notion of maximising profit.

SMARTcompany creates the standard that other suppliers can use to reach user that have bought into the platform. This model opens up the industry, as it allows smaller suppli-ers and developers the chance to specialise in certain niches. Thus, there can be developed for example sensor layers that are optimised for exercising or mountaineering, etc. How-

ever, how to ensure that this situation does not become even worse than the present is not know. Instead of having one phone to be replaced, suddenly all four layers are continu-ally replaces as new models appear, and are pushed by the companies.

SMARTcompany develops the standard that the Smart[er] phone employs. It works in the same way as Android. It is open for other to do what they want, as long as it is within the regulations that are set-up. Thus, SMARTcompany will function as a gatekeeper between the suppliers and the us-ers.

This model is built around the hook and bait model: Selling the initial combination of layers together for a smaller price, and then selling the upgradable layers more expensive. It would enable us to sell the initial phone for a lower price,

but too high a price for the layers, and the customer will be discouraged from upgrading at all. Thus, loosing out on the needed revenue, as well as not improving the environmental impacts.

Summary of the models:

The main challenge is how to ensure that the company’s need for profit does not result in a push for the customers to buy new products at a fast pace. None of the four business models solves this issue, as it will never be in the interest of the company to sell as few as possible of the phones: some-thing we have been striving to achieve.

5. Business models evaluated

57

Detachment interviews

Set up

The interviews were done using a book-let as sensitizing material and platform for discussion of the theme. Ten people have been interviewed on the theme of detachment. The first part of the inter-view was set to define a visualization and mental model of what detachment is in general. Then the focus was set into com-munication field and so testing the idea of a communication detachment “space”. The interviews were held in an informal way in order to achieve a discussion rather than a detailed interview. The user tested were both smartphone and non smartphone users in a age range of 20-35.

6. Detachment interviews

58

Path testing

Set up

In order to understand whether a certain gesture would bring to a state of relax in the user, several paths were tested with different variables. The users were told to follow a certain path on the screen with their finger with a Talking out loud feedback.A smartphone was set up with an animation of the paths to follow.The interviewer would observe the reaction to the dif-ferent paths and ask question on the reactions to the

different variables of gesture.The variables tested were:

» Background » Path » Speed of the gesture » Length of the interaction » Position of the phone.

Ten random user were tested in different situations and context in order to achieve variation in the hold on the phone and on the reactions to the test.

7. Path testing

59