🇬🇧 Interesting links / news articles somehow related to Fairphone

Discuss The Industry
,
442

The reason why I’m linking to the following 36-seconds video below is coming just after the 0:25 mark (apparently no manual skipping forward possible): The possibility to get a spare part sent to the device owner if a defect qualifies for a warranty repair (the alternative option of sending in the whole device is mentioned right afterwards). While this was possible at times in the past, I had not heard of this for quite a while now.

(If you find a better video source, feel free to provide it.)

8 Likes
444

Illegal tin?

On May 15th Follow the Money published this article: “Nokia, Volkswagen and Ericsson: Major EU firms source tin from Indonesian company tainted by corruption” authors: Shabrina, Tom Walker and Ties Gijzel (@tiesgijzel.bsky.social)

tags: tin mining indonesia #timah #corruption #pollution environment #ecocide #smartphone fairphone

From Volkswagen, to Philips, to Nokia: major companies in the EU have recently sourced tin from an Indonesian company that has been embroiled in a major corruption case, an investigation shows.

The central question is to what extent tech companies use illegal or contaminated tin in their products, such as smartphones.

One of the discussed companies is Fairphone. Angela Jorns, head of impact innovation at smartphone company Fairphone, said that the current RMI (Responsible Minerals Initiative) process “is just not enough”.
Jorns:

“We need to go beyond the basic conflict mineral stuff,” she added. She said that while more than half of Fairphone’s tin comes from recycled sources, some of the rest could come from PT Timah.

She added that Fairphone is looking for ways to encourage mining regions to improve working conditions and reduce environmental damage.

The article contains also a significant video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNkdJzNijQ

The article is free for at most 24 hours. For a fresh link, drop me a line at harriebaken@protonmail.com. The Dutch version is from May 12th and can be found here.

2 Likes
445

Not news, not English, but … a wonderful & realistic love letter from :point_right: Florence :it: to the cause we are all into:

@mpolito1969 I am happy that you are “one of us” here! :hugs:

6 Likes
446

Just a bit of advertising in the Fediverse :grin:

5 Likes
447

Fairphone 6 review by TechAltar:

Nebula: Fairphone gen 6 review: much better! | Nebula

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ghki_O5Ukc

5 Likes
448

Fairphone 6 review and detailed teardown videos by Sr. Geek (in Spanish, but YT can translate it if needed…):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLarPNHuU4oDIAHeNXynFq2foYodEOSI_x

4 Likes
449

Generally quite favourable review, teardown and abuse of The Fairphone (Gen. 6) by JerryRigEverything:

  • Around the 1:48 mark, a liquid contact indicator is shown at the top of the battery tray.
  • Jerry finds the Torx T5 better, but on the other hand less common (so less likely to already have the right screwdriver at home)
  • demonstrates working display only connected with the press connector and otherwise loose from around the 7:20 mark
12 Likes
450

What a rude handling starting at 8:13 :scream:
Good to see the phone resists, with scars.

2 Likes
451

After the review of the Fairphone 5 answered by one of the co-founders of Fairphone, here comes the review of the Fairphone 6 by Linus. In this case it seems a bit more positive :slight_smile:

6 Likes
452

Review of the Murena Fairphone :six:

This includes (the first time I noticed) a direct confirmation attributed to Gaël Duval of the reasoning behind the premium price tag Murena charges for the Fairphone 6 in the USA:

$899, a price that Murena founder and CEO Gaël Duval told me reflects tariffs on US imports

No surprise, but still good to see it somewhat officially confirmed.

5 Likes
453

Look who came for … lunch @Diemenstraat

Full plain text

A big Fairphone welcome to Framework! We’re excited to have our friends from Framework over at our HQ in Amsterdam. We both share a vision: proving that technology can be built to last with modular, repairable and sustainable design at its core. It’s always great to see how different companies, each in their own way, are re-shaping the industry toward a more sustainable future. These exchanges help us learn, reflect, and reinforce the belief that positive change in electronics is not only possible, it’s happening right now. Thank you Framework for visiting. We truly appreciated the meaningful conversations and the shared commitment to our mission.

Full-size :right_arrow: picture

11 Likes
454

Miquel Ballester, co-founder of Fairphone, has made some statements for a major Spanish technology blog, Xataka (in Spanish :spain:).

A brief summary of his words:

  • In general, the industry has improved in terms of using more ethical materials.
  • They are very satisfied with the balance found in the Fairphone (Gen 6) despite having made sacrifices. He gave the example that they were too ambitious with the FP4 and that with the FP5 they did not want to close any doors either. With the FP6, they dared to make more delicate decisions.
  • The market they are interested in for now remains Europe, and they have agreements with operators that are important for their business. He comments that the Spanish market is a little different from the rest of Europe because people do not spend as much money on phones, and their price range does not work very well here (and they cannot lower it any further or they would have to do without things they do not want to).
  • He admits that it is difficult to compete in such an aggressive market as a company with only 150 employees. That is why they do not maintain layers of customisation such as Fairphone OS in their early models, as they consume too many resources. “Moments” is their bet this time around. He says they are taking steps towards customisation in line with the Fairphone identity.
  • He comments that for him the name should be “The Fairphone” and not a number, as they have now done.
  • He acknowledges that they now have a more generic user profile: at first it was a more activist profile, more willing to take risks. Now their users want the mobile phone to work and have extended software support.
  • He is ambitious and aims to multiply sales in the coming years. He acknowledges that the Fairphone (Gen 6) is performing well in terms of sales and they are very pleased with the reception.
  • He says they will continue to focus on smartphones and the audio segment. For the time being, they are not considering expanding into other product categories.
13 Likes
455

We have a spanish topic as well😉

2 Likes
456

Thanks for the translation and summary! :slight_smile:

3 Likes
457

Fairphone themselves shared this on Instagram today (and CEO Raymond van Eck has liked more than one LinkedIn post including this link), so I would guess this is definitely not just Murena’s existing offer of Fairphones and Fairbuds in the USA. Headphones first, phones later.

grafik
grafik948×421 56.4 KB

:right_arrow: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/europes-fairphone-enters-us-market-tapping-right-to-repair-demand-2025-11-05/

P.S.: Make sure not to miss the final paragraph … :neutral_face:

9 Likes
458

Hi
thanks for sharing:)

The relevant LinkedIn Post, Fairphone is coming to the United States. Everyone deserves technology that is built to last, easier to care for, and fairer for the people who make it and the planet. That is the future we have… | Fairphone
mentions also

This move is backed by an extremely successful quarter for Fairphone, where we saw our revenue grow by 61% compared to Q3 in 2024. Our home base, The Netherlands, led with 96% growth, followed by record-breaking performances in France, the UK, and Germany.
Our 2024 financial statements are also out now [bolded by me], showing a return to profitability with a positive EBITDA of €1.7 million and a 36% increase in gross profit, marking a new phase of financial resilience for Fairphone.

and yes, they are (will try to find some time this week to check them out)

9 Likes
459

I think “controversial” is putting it mildly.

(I first noticed this from a share by Murena’s Gaël Duval)

6 Likes
460

man, I’ve been interested in GrapheneOS for a while now, checking out what they’re up to and what not, but it feels like their team gets more and more paranoid and deranged in their accusations with time.

1 Like
461

FP6 review by MrMobile

my only nitpick is him saying the /e/OS version is “without Android” ._.

6 Likes
462

Fairphone is not listed though.

2 Likes