TECNO wins IFA gold for its ultra-thin modular smartphone

TECNO has added fresh September 7 momentum to its IFA 2026 presence by highlighting two Global Product Technology Innovation Awards, including a Gold Award for its Modular Phone. The smartphone concept is only 4.9mm thick yet uses proprietary magnetic interconnection technology combining a precision magnet array with pogo-pin connectors. The idea is to let users attach specialised hardware modules without permanently increasing the phone's thickness.

TECNO says the base handset retains a battery in the 3,000–4,000mAh range, while connected modules draw power directly through the interface. Modular phones have repeatedly struggled commercially because proprietary accessories often fail to achieve enough scale, but TECNO's unusually thin implementation makes the concept technically interesting. The company is positioning modularity partly as a response to the increasing space requirements of AI hardware and specialised mobile computing.

TECNO also received an IFA award for its compact Tonino Lamborghini-branded gaming PC. The Modular Phone remains a concept rather than an imminent mainstream release, but the recognition keeps modular design alive as an alternative to permanently thicker devices.