Summary
The Fairphone is very unique in the Android ecosystem. A phone that goes against most widely established conventions and goes out of its way to be more modular and repairable. Now, the Fairphone 6 is here, and it’s better than ever.
Fairphone has just launched the Fairphone 6, the successor to theFairphone 5, with significant improvements over its predecessor. The phone has a 6.31-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2484 x 1116 pixels. The screen features a variable refresh rate, ranging from 10 to 120 Hz, and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, so it has almost nothing to envy its non-repairable competitors. The screen has a typical brightness of 800 nits, with a peak brightness of 1400 nits, so you’ll be able to stare at your screen just fine even if you’re under the smothering sun that we’ve all been complaining about these past few days.
Of course, you’re probably here to see how repairable it is. The device is designed to be easily opened without the need for specialized tools, as no glue is used in its core assembly. This allows users to replace up to 12 different components themselves, including the battery, screen, and speakers. Fairphone has also introduced a modular accessory system that attaches to the back of the phone, offering options like a card holder, lanyard, or finger loop. According to the company, over 50% of the materials used in the new phone are “fair or recycled.” This includes recycled aluminum, copper, steel, and plastics, among other materials, as well as materials like gold that are sourced from mines with “fair” conditions.
Internally, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 memory and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. If you happen to need more space, we still have an old trusty microSD card reader, which supports expansion up to 2TB. An absolute rarity as far as Android phones go these days. The phone also has aremovable4,415mAh battery, which the company claims can last over two days with mixed use or provide up to 12 hours of continuous web browsing. The phone also supports 30W fast charging, and it’s reportedly capable of reaching a 50 percent charge in 25 minutes. Not bad.
As far as the camera goes, it has a 50MP Sony Lytia 700C primary sensor with optical image stabilization. This is complemented by a 13MP ultrawide camera and a 32MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls. Other hardware specifications include a USB 2.0 Type-C port, stereo speakers, and a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button. The phone is rated IP55 for dust and water resistance and supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and dual-SIM functionality with a nano SIM and an eSIM for 4G and 5G connectivity.
The phone is available with /e/OS, a de-Googled version of Android developed by the /e/ Foundation, for €649. Customers in the United States can purchase this /e/OS version throughMurena, which is currently accepting pre-orders with an expected shipping date in August. I hope you don’t scoff at the $899 price point there, though.
Murena Fairphone 6
Powered by /e/OS operating system, the Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6) protects your data at all times, while at the same time protecting the planet. Made by 50% fair and recycled materials, in fair conditions and with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the market.
