Nokia Lumia 820. Photo: AFP
Companies offering interchangeable covers or replacement shells for their smartphone handsets is nothing new, in fact it was Nokia that started the trend back in 1998 with
the 5110 -- the first phone to feature Xpress-on covers. This, however, takes customization to a new level.
Writing in a blog post on Nokia Conversations, Nokia says: "We are going to release 3D templates, case specs, recommended materials and best practices -- everything someone versed in 3D printing needs to print their own custom Lumia 820 case. We refer to these files and documents collectively as a 3D-printing Development Kit, or 3DK for short."
In the post, Nokia also claims that it is the first major phone manufacturer to freely hand over these files but, as 3D printing starts to catch on and becomes more mainstream, it probably won't be the last company to do so.