A concept phone that instead of using complex social media apps and games that cause users to become addicted to their devices, focuses on providing practical functions while still utilising the latest cutting edge technology, such as high resolution touch screens and capacitive touch buttons. Any current phones which provide these simple functions do not provide an intuitive user experience and use outdated technology with little attention to aesthetics. The low processing power required by the phone means production costs are kept low and competitors are undercut.

Aside from coming up with a way to combat smartphone addiction I was inspired by looking at the current trends in smartphones and attempting to gaze into the future use of materials. I wanted to get away from the black box look that many consumer electronics designers have opted for in the past. As rapid urbanisation conquers the world i wanted to utilise materials such as oak that remind users of a natural environment instead of an engineered piece of technology.

As with all consumer electronics design I started with technical research into what will be possible in the future and the potential of varying materials. Once I understood the technology and materials I wanted to use I moved onto quick sketch work to collate my ideas. The final idea was modelled in Solidworks and then rendered in Keyshot. User interface design was created using illustrator and photoshop.

Overall feedback was extremely positive and people were intrigued by the concept of a low cost and responsible phone that is aimed at a market currently dominated by manufacturers who are supporting a consumerist culture. This project helped to develop my understanding of mobile technology and progress my skills in analysis of future trends.

Hugo Hope-Wynne

Highly self motivated and passionate product designer studying at Nottingham Trent University. Always looking for new opportunities.

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