People are used to seeing multiple phones get released each year. Each phone is more powerful and has better features in each version. But what if there could be a phone that doesn’t need an upgrade every other year?
A start-up named Fairphone is putting this question to the test. According to Fairphone, they have replaced the glass backing held together with adhesive, with a simple plastic back that can be removed within seconds. Components are also held in with basic screws, meaning specialty screwdrivers are not needed to open the phone.
Fairphone claims this gives people the opportunity to easily repair and upgrade their phones in a matter of minutes. Customers no longer have to buy a brand-new device if they wish to have upgrades. They simply buy the upgrades and put them in their current phone.
Fairphone claims they have enough replacement parts for their newer model to last until 2027. The company still has replacements parts for the Fairphone 2, which was released 7 years ago.
A big goal for Fairphone is to lower the amount of electronic waste being produced. According to United Nations figures, electronic waste has gone up 21% in the last 5 years, with only 17% being recycled. BBC Reported, “Fairphone argues that by making phones easy to fix they can have a longer working life, generating less waste and so having a positive impact on the environment.”
Some phone repair workers like Urs Lesse have taught people how to repair their Fairphones on their own. “I don’t repair phones if I don’t have to, but I have always been strongly motivated to encourage people to try to fix their own Fairphones by themselves,” Lesse told BBC.
A New York Times review of the phone said, “The experience of taking the phone apart was empowering. I had the confidence that if I had to do a repair or some basic maintenance, like swapping in a new camera or battery, I could do so in minutes and for cheap.”
Fairphone claims a new battery would cost $30. A replacement camera would cost $80. For comparison, Apple estimates a back camera repair for an iPhone 13 Pro Max at $199. A new battery would cost around $69.
According to Fairphone, they take many steps in making their phones sustainable and environmentally friendly. They source their raw material from non-conflict mining areas, make their phones and replacements recyclable, and make their devices long-lasting.
Fairphone’s goals are more than growing its company. In a BBC article, Fairphone states, “We don’t want to necessarily become the biggest of the industry, but we want to become the most influential and make sure other manufacturers mirror some of the initiatives that we have,”
In a review by The Verge, they claim the performance of the Fairphone can be compared to other mid-range devices. Since the company’s biggest concern is sustainability, it is not expected to compete with the higher-end phone brands when it comes to sheer performance. The phone ran about 35 percent slower than Google’s Pixel 6 when checking emails or doing other simple tasks. The camera performance also had a lot more grain and less attractiveness than more recognizable brands. Due to Fairphone having a small team, its technology is not competing with large tech companies such as Apple and Google.
Their newest phone, Fairphone 4, was released on October 25, 2022. The phone was £569 ($660) for the base model and €649 ($753) for the upgraded model with more RAM and storage.
