technology news: Is Huawei working on Moto Mod-style cases of its own?

Motorola made quite a splash back in 2016 when it revealed its Moto Mod platform, offering advanced cases for the Moto Z series. These cases offered functionality such as a standalone camera, projector, gamepad, and more.

Now, it seems like Huawei/Honor is working on cases of its own, according to a Bluetooth SIG filing. The filing lists dozens of Bluetooth-enabled "smart device" cases. The Bluetooth compatibility suggests that they'll connect wirelessly rather than using magnetic pins like the Moto Mod series (if they are indeed smartphone cases).

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The filing also gives us clues as to the nature of these accessories, listing game cases, snorkeling cases, "health" cases, and "amplification" cases. We've previously seen a snorkeling case for the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and P30 Pro, giving users a proper waterproof housing and a camera button.

We're not sure about the other cases, but their names suggest similarities to other Moto Mods. Motorola offers a case with an integrated gamepad, a health case that tracks various vital signs, and a case with a built-in speaker.

The filing also appears to note several potential features for the health case, such as weight scale integration, glucose monitoring, blood pressure and thermometer support, a pulse oximeter, and heart-rate functionality.

Cases for upcoming devices?

A gamepad Moto Mod.

It's also interesting to note that these cases have various names attached to them, such as Audrey, Kelly, Elsa, Danube, Volga, Maxwell, Sulawesi, and Wagner. The latter name also pops up in a separate Bluetooth SIG filing for a keyboard accessory. We're not sure about the significance of these names, but we're guessing that they could indicate case families or even device code-names.

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Then again, the P30 phones were reportedly code-named Elle, Vogue, and Marie Claire, and these names are missing from the list. That doesn't rule out the possibility that these are accessories for new or upcoming Huawei/Honor phones, but it certainly would be a little disappointing if Huawei didn't support its current flagship line.

Another potential question is whether these cases will be forwards-compatible, allowing you to upgrade your Huawei phone but keep the case. If Huawei were to take this route for apparent Moto Mod-style cases, then this could limit the company's ability to offer drastically different designs.

Would you buy Moto Mod-style cases for a Huawei smartphone? Give us your thoughts in the comments!