Summary
Personally, I love the Fairphone range. It goes against everything that’s “normal” in the smartphone ecosystem to put together a repairable, long-lasting phone. Now, an iFixit teardown reveals that the new Fairphone 6 is, indeed, every bit as repairable as you’d expect it to be.
iFixit has just uploaded its teardown of the Fairphone 6, giving us a good look at how it’s put together from the inside. And it’s not exactly surprising to see that not only it’s not a regression from its predecessors, but does almost everything right as far as repairability goes. The battery, for instance, is secured with screws, allowing for a straightforward removal and replacement process. It’s not exactly “removable” in the same fashion phones from over ten years ago had them, as you may’t just pull it up with your finger, but it’s still relatively easy to remove nonetheless.
It’s one of the very few hardware products reviewed by iFixit to earn a perfect 10/10 score. And it’s very deserved. The screen, one of the most commonly damaged components of a smartphone, is also designed for easy replacement. All it takes is removing a few screws and clips, making it insanely straightforward to swap out if you ever need to do so.
The display itself, as a reminder, is a 6.31-inch LTPO OLED, a significant upgrade from its predecessor, with nearly double the peak brightness and a variable refresh rate of 10 to 120 Hz. And this modular philosophy extends to nearly all of its key components. The USB-C port, daughterboard, and all cameras—including the front-facing and twin rear-facing cameras—are designed to be easily accessible and replaceable.
Still, it should be noted that there are still some trade-offs compared to regular smartphones from major brands. The Fairphone 6 utilizes USB 2 instead of the faster USB 3, and while its camera sensors arejustokay enough to not be awful, they clearly do not compete with those found in flagship-tier products.
This is fine, though. You’re probably not buying this phone because you want the very best specs out there, and this caters to a very specific niche of users that care about repairability and like the components in their phone to be modular and ethically sourced. Fairphone phones have always ticked these boxes, and the Fairphone 6 continues to do so
As a reminder, this phone is not available in the US through your typical retail channels, but you can buy iton Murena’s websiteif you really want one—just be mindful of carrier compatibility and the fact that its flavor of Android comes without Google apps.
Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6)
The Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6) is the perfect option to bring together privacy and sustainability. Powered by the /e/OS operating system, the Fairphone (Gen. 6) protects you and your data at all times, while at the same time protecting the planet.
