ABSTRACT
Transitions towards a circular economy (CE) are based on the complementary development of novel circular business models and innovative product designs. Among the most prominent design strategies are modular product architectures that break products down into components that can be independently and easily replaced or reused. So far, most research has focused on technological and business model requirements for modular products but neglected the role of consumers. With the example of smartphones, the chapter shows how the co-shaping of technological and consumer trends does not provide an easy starting point for the modularity of smartphones in a CE. It investigates modularity as a sociotechnical arrangement embedded into people’s everyday lives and reveals that different forms of modular designs and accompanying services need to be implemented to move towards a more sustainable use of smartphones. The chapter concludes that an efficient and sufficient use of modularity as a part of transitions towards a CE cannot be enabled by modular product designs and services alone but would need more political regulation and standardisation.
