Think of the Duo as an all-in-one PC that just needs a display to work. This separation means you can attach your all-in-one PC to a handheld screen, a large 4K monitor, or even a projector, alternating between them while still having all your data in the same place. Scale that down to something handheld and you’ve got the Duo, a Phonebloks-style concept that has two simple parts… The display, and everything else.

The ‘everything else’ or as designer Roc H Biel calls it, the ‘electronics module’ is in this case, a tiny, portable thumb-drive-sized device that snaps to the back of a screen. You could attach the electronics module to a 6-inch smartphone screen, or to a 12-inch tablet display, and the Duo works instantly, seamlessly switching between the two interfaces, while keeping the data constant. The touchscreen displays end up being the input and output, but Roc H Biel says that having a display isn’t entirely necessary. The Duo electronics module possesses the ability to work without screens too, relaying information in a non-visual format, the way smart-speakers do. Moreover, the Duo’s tiny size makes it easy to carry around by simply clipping it to your pocket (or potentially even to the neck of your tee shirt), while its ergonomic voluminous form eventually acts as a good gripping mass while holding your phones in one hand. I wouldn’t mind living in this future, tbh.

Designer: Roc H Biel