Nokia lets customers build custom Lumia 820 cases

Nokia Lumia 820 owners will be able to create their own cases for the handset.

Nokia today announced that it's now releasing 3D templates, case specs, and recommended material guidance to help Lumia 820 owners produce their own shell to replace the removable case on the back of the handset. Nokia has offered several cases for customers to choose from, but didn't allow owners to develop their own.

In order to actually create the cases, however, users will need to have access to a 3D printer. With 3D printing, users can input material and churn out their creation.

Of course, 3D printers are by no means ubiquitous, and can cost several thousand dollars. In a blog post today, Nokia community and developer marketing manager John Kneeland said that his company is focusing heavily on 3D printing because of its belief that it's the future of the technology industry.

"My own view is that the hype is justified, and that 3D printing is indeed A Very Big Deal," Kneeland said. "I don't think it's an exaggeration to call it the sequel to the Industrial Revolution. However, it's going to take somewhat longer to arrive than some people anticipate, and that may disappoint people. For now, it's a bleeding-edge technology for bleeding-edge early adopters--which is exactly where Nokia is aiming its 3D printing community efforts."

Nokia's 3DK files giving case designers the specs they need are available for free on the company's Web site.

(Via Slashgear)