Fairphone

Last updated

Fairphone B.V.
Company type Privately held company
Industry Telecommunications equipment
FoundedJanuary 2013;12 years ago (2013-01)
FounderBas van Abel
Tessa Wernink  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Headquarters,
Netherlands
Area served
Western and Central Europe except Malta and Cyprus
Key people
Products Smartphones
RevenueIncrease2.svg 55 million (2023)
Website www.fairphone.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Fairphone is a Dutch electronics manufacturer that designs and produces smartphones and headphones. It aims to minimise the ethical and environmental impact of its devices by using recycled, fairtrade and conflict-free materials, maintaining fair labor conditions throughout its workforce and suppliers, and enabling users to easily repair their devices through modular design and by providing replacement parts. [1] As of April 2024, the company's most recent smartphone is the Fairphone 5, which it plans to provide with security updates and software support, including 5 OS updates, for 10 years. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Fairphone has been dubbed the most ethical smartphone in the world, scoring 98 out of 100 possible points by the British magazine Ethical Consumer. [5]

History

A Fairphone employee meeting tungsten miners at the New Bugurama Mining Company in Rwanda Learning the process (27072280854).jpg
A Fairphone employee meeting tungsten miners at the New Bugurama Mining Company in Rwanda
Back of a Fairphone 2 with transparent cover, showing its modular design Fairphone 2 reverse.JPG
Back of a Fairphone 2 with transparent cover, showing its modular design

Fairphone was founded by Bas van Abel, Tessa Wernink and Miquel Ballester [6] as a social enterprise company in January 2013, having existed as a campaign for two and a half years.[ citation needed ]

In April 2015 the company became a registered B Corporation. [7]

Since version two, the Fairphone is produced in Suzhou, China, by Hi-P International Limited. [8]

In November 2021, the Fairphone 4 was made available.

As of February 2022, Fairphone had sold around 400,000 devices. [9]

In 2023 a consortium of impact investors led by new shareholders Invest-NL, the ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund, and existing shareholder Quadia, with its Regenero Impact Fund, invested €49 million in Fairphone. [10]

Products

NameRelease
date
SoC CPUGPUMemory
(GB)
Storage
(GB)
DisplayCameraInitial
Android
version
Battery
capacity
(mAh)
TypeSpeed
(GHz)
CoresTypeSpeed
(MHz)
Size
(inches)
PPI RearFront
Fairphone 1 Dec 2013 MediaTek MT6589 Cortex-A7 1.24 PowerVR SGX544MP 286116
+up to 64GB
4.32568MP1.3MP 4.2.2 2000
Fairphone 2 Dec 2015 Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Krait 4002.264 Adreno 330578232
+up to 2TB
544612MP5MP 5.1 2420
Fairphone 3 Sep 2019 Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 Kryo 250
Gold+Silver
1.8+1.84+4 Adreno 506600464
+up to 2TB
5.6542712MP8MP 9 3060
Fairphone 3+ Sep 202048MP (12MP output)16MP 10
Fairphone 4 30 Sep 2021 Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G Kryo 570
Gold+Silver
2.2+1.82+6 Adreno 6199506/8128/256
+up to 2TB
6.340948MP OIS,
48 MP Ultrawide,
(ToF + Color) sensor
25MP 11 3905
Fairphone 5 [11] 30 Aug 2023 Qualcomm Snapdragon QCM6490 [12] Kryo 670
Prime+Gold+Silver
2.7+2.4+1.91+3+4 Adreno 6438126/8128/256
+up to 2TB
6.4645950MP OIS,
50 MP Ultrawide,
(ToF + Color) sensor
50MP 13 4200

Social impact and competitors

The phone is modular, which makes it easily repairable and customisable by the user, in keeping with right to repair principles. According to the company, increasing the lifespan of a phone by two years reduces CO₂ emissions by 30%. [9]

The gold and silver in Fairphone 4 has the Fairtrade label, also metals used are said to come from conflict-free mines. [13] The company promises a 5-year warranty period and long-term support for software updating and spare parts. [14] In 2017, Fairphone's founder Bas van Abel acknowledged that it was currently impossible to produce a 100% fair phone, suggesting it was more accurate to call his company's phones "fairer". [15] [16]

In an interview with Will Georgi, Fairphone founder Tessa Vernink mentions:

“There might be a misconception that as a social enterprise, we don’t operate like a ‘normal’ business, but that’s not true. In many ways, most of our choices are the same — we still need to make money and sell phones — but the outcome and the goals are different. Our focus is investing in social innovation, instead of purely technical innovation. When other phone companies design a new phone, they research new technology — we research supply chain improvement.” [6]

A survey conducted by Franziska Verna Haucke in the Journal of Cleaner Production found:

A sustainable lifestyle represents the dominant factor explaining the involvement with the Fairphone. Surprisingly, the findings show that alternative consumption seems to negatively influence the involvement with the Fairphone and social commitment seems to play a minor role in the model. These aspects point to the Fairphone as a technical artifact, centered on a choice for a sustainable lifestyle. [1]

Shiftphone is another small mobile telephone manufacturer with a focus on sustainability, and also developed a modular smartphone. The founder of Shiftphone considers that the two companies working in collaboration could have more influence on bigger competitors. [9]

Recognition and certifications

Tessa Wernink (right) receiving the Tech5 award at The Next Web Conference 2015 Tech5 - TNW Conference 2015 - Day 3 (17255228955) (cropped).jpg
Tessa Wernink (right) receiving the Tech5 award at The Next Web Conference 2015

In 2016, Fairphone's founder and first CEO Bas van Abel was one of the three recipients of the German Environmental Award. [17]

The Fairphone 4 was one of the first TCO Certified smartphones, receiving its designation in 2021. [18] However, the company had previously suggested its phones exceeded the TCO Certified criteria; indeed, a 2015 side-by-side comparison conducted by Südwind Association, the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, and the GoodElectronics Network, found the Fairphone 1 to exceed industry standards on more sustainability and social criteria than even the TCO Certified label. [19]

Fairphone has also received three consecutive annual Platinum ratings from EcoVadis, [20] scoring as high as 88/100 in a rating system that covers four different categories measuring environmental and social metrics. This score placed Fairphone among the top 1% of businesses rated by EcoVadis worldwide.

Operating systems

Fairphones can run several operating systems, including CalyxOS, DivestOS, /e/, iodeOS, LineageOS, Ubuntu Touch, and more. [21] Murena, the company associated with the /e/ foundation, also sells Fairphones with /e/ pre-installed and offers a warranty for them. [22] As of 2023 the official /e/ support for FP3 is based on Android 12.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair trade</span> Sustainable and equitable trade

Fair trade is a term for an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and environmental standards. The movement focuses in particular on commodities, or products that are typically exported from developing countries to developed countries but are also used in domestic markets, most notably for handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, wine, sugar, fruit, flowers and gold.

Ethical consumerism is a type of consumer activism based on the concept of dollar voting. People practice it by buying ethically made products that support small-scale manufacturers or local artisans and protect animals and the environment, while boycotting products that exploit children as workers, are tested on animals, or damage the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Phone Co-op</span> UK based co-operative telecoms supplier

The Phone Co-op was an independent consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom. It provided landline, mobile telephone and Internet services, including web hosting and broadband. In April 2018, the Phone Co-op board agreed for its operations to be transferred to the Midcounties Co-operative, with the Phone Co-op legal entity ceasing to exist. The brand continued to be operated until 1 June 2018, when it was rebranded to Your Co-op following the completion of the transfer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fairtrade Foundation</span> Charity promoting and licensing Fairtrade certification in the United Kingdom

The Fairtrade Foundation is a charity based in the United Kingdom that aims to help disadvantaged producers in developing countries by tackling injustice in conventional trade, in particular by promoting and licensing the Fairtrade Mark, a guarantee that products retailed in the UK have been produced in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade standards. The foundation is the British member of FLO International, which unites FLO-CERT, 25 National Fairtrade Organisations and 3 Producer Networks across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Cafédirect is a UK-based alternative trading organisation.

Traidcraft was a UK-based Fairtrade organisation, established in 1979. Its trading arm, Traidcraft plc, which sold fairly traded products, went into administration in January 2023.

FLOCERT is one of the world’s leading social auditing and verification bodies and the global certifier for Fairtrade. With a vision of combating poverty and securing sustainable livelihoods for farmers in developing countries, FLOCERT's focus lies on auditing global supply chains and guaranteeing compliance with Fairtrade Standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair Trade USA</span>

Fair Trade USA, formerly "TransFair USA", is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that sets standards, certifies, and labels products that promote sustainable livelihoods for farmers and workers and protect the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairtrade Canada</span> National non-profit certification and public education organization

Fairtrade Canada, formerly TransFair Canada, is a national non-profit certification and public education organization promoting Fairtrade certified products in Canada to improve the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers. It is the Canadian member of FLO International, which unites 24 fair trade producer and certification initiatives across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair trade coffee</span> Coffee certified as produced to fair trade standards

Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced to fair trade standards by fair trade organizations, which create trading partnerships that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect, with the goal of achieving greater equity in international trade. These partnerships contribute to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to coffee bean farmers. Fair trade organizations support producers and sustainable environmental farming practices and prohibit child labor or forced labor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modular smartphone</span> Smartphone made of replaceable parts

A modular smartphone is a smartphone designed for users to upgrade or replace components and modules without the need for resoldering or repair services. The most important component is the main board, to which others such as cameras and batteries are attached. Components can be obtained from open-source hardware stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairphone 2</span> Smartphone

The Fairphone 2 is a touchscreen-based, dual-SIM smartphone designed to be easily repaired by the user. First released in October 2015, it was the first modular smartphone available for purchase and has since received both hardware improvements and major software updates, initially shipping with Android 5 "Lollipop" and running Android 10 as of November 2022. Production ceased in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shiftphone</span> Modular easy-to-repair fair-trade smartphone series.

Shiftphone is a modular, easy-to-repair smartphone brand created by the company SHIFT in Germany. The company emphasizes fair trade and ecology, similar to Fairphone. Instead of tantalum capacitors made from coltan, ceramic capacitors are used for their manufacturing. So far, eleven model series have been released. The most recent release was the SHIFT6mq in June 2020. The upcoming device will be the SHIFTphone 8, scheduled for release in 2024.

/e/ is a fork of LineageOS, an Android-based mobile operating system, and associated online services. /e/ is presented as privacy software that does not contain proprietary Google apps or services, and challenges the public to "find any parts of the system or default applications that are still leaking data to Google."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairphone 3</span> Third phone model of the company Fairphone

The Fairphone 3 and 3+ are touchscreen-based smartphones made by Fairphone. The phone has a modular, repairable design and is "constructed out of responsibly-sourced, conflict-free, and recycled materials where possible". It went on sale on 3 September 2019. It comes with Android 9 "Pie" installed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shift6m</span> 2018 Android smartphone model

The Shift6m is a modular smartphone produced by the Shift GmbH from Falkenberg, Hessen, Germany. It was released in May 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SHIFT (company)</span> German information technology company

SHIFT is a German smartphone and phablet manufacturer with its headquarters with design and development department in Wabern in Northern Hesse Germany and Production in China. The company focuses on fairness in manufacturing and sustainability through a modular design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairphone 4</span> Fourth phone model of the company Fairphone

Fairphone 4 is a smartphone designed and marketed by Fairphone. It succeeds the Fairphone 3+ and was succeeded by the Fairphone 5. It was announced on 30 September 2021, and was available for order from 25 October 2021 to December 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairphone 5</span> Fifth phone model by Fairphone

Fairphone 5 is a smartphone designed and marketed by Fairphone, following its Fairphone 4. Announced on 30 August 2023, the Fairphone 5 has been shipping since 14 September 2023. As of August 2023, the company was focused on Western Europe with no planned expansions into the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 Haucke, Franziska Verena (2018). "Smartphone-enabled social change: Evidence from the Fairphone case?". Journal of Cleaner Production . 197: 1719–1730. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.07.014. S2CID   157498710.
  2. Gibbs, Samuel (8 September 2023). "Fairphone 5 review: could this be the first phone to last 10 years?". The Guardian.
  3. Porter, Jon (29 September 2023). "The Fairphone 5 is less about what comes in the box and more about what you get over the years". The Verge.
  4. Hill, Simon (22 September 2023). "The Fairphone 5 Is a Smartphone for a More Ethical World". WIRED.
  5. "Shopping guide: Mobile phone". 25 October 2024.
  6. 1 2 Homerun.co (27 January 2017). "Fairphone: Calling for Change". Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  7. "Fairphone - Certified B Corporation - B Lab Global". www.bcorporation.net. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  8. Hebert, Olivier (19 February 2015). "The path to finding our new production partner: Hi-P" . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 Schweiger, Francesca (22 February 2022). "The mobile phones you can take apart and repair yourself". BBC News. Berlin.
  10. "Impact investor consortium invests €49 million in Fairphone" (PDF). Fairphone. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  11. Vonau, Manuel (30 August 2023). Vonau, Manuel (ed.). "The Fairphone 5 is here, and it's the sleekest repairable phone yet". www.androidpolice.com. Berlin, Germany. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  12. Qualcomm® QCM6490/Qualcomm® QCS6490 SoCs (PDF), 2021, retrieved 30 August 2023
  13. Gibbs, Samuel (15 October 2021). "Fairphone 4 review: ethical repairable phone gets big upgrade". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 19 April 2023. It includes fair trade gold and silver, ethically sourced aluminium and tungsten, plus recycled tin, copper, rare earth metals and plastic.
  14. "Fairphone's latest sustainable smartphone comes with a five-year warranty". www.theverge.com. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  15. Douglas Rushkoff (24 July 2018). "How tech's richest plan to save themselves after the apocalypse". The Guardian . Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  16. Bas van Abel 'Fingerprints on the Touchscreen', March 2017
  17. Lomas, Charlotta. "Fairphone creator: Success is a signal to industry". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  18. "New Fairphone 4 5G meets tough sustainability criteria in TCO Certified". TCO Certified. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  19. "'Fair' smartphones compared – Fairphone scores better than TCO-certified smartphones". GoodElectronics. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  20. Hall, Christine (15 December 2023). "EcoVadis Awards Fairphone for Being Good for the Environment and Labor". FossForce. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  21. "✏ Operating Systems for Fairphones". Fairphone Community Forum. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  22. "Smartphones". Murena - deGoogled phones and services. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

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