After hanging around this forum for some time, it seems that many of the conversions are of disappointed owners of Fairphones and suggestion how to fix their problems in order to prolong their usage. It reminded me of this proposition made by apple:
“Brownlee also shared some snippets of conversation with John Ternus, Head of Hardware Engineering at Apple, about why iPhones are so difficult to repair. Ternus says Apple focuses more on making a product that never fails rather than one that isn’t super reliable but is super easy to repair, a comment that will likely spark some debate.”
Hello
I would find the comment slightly confusing if labelled under the rugged category as they are not so obviously related.
If your screen shatters, and you cannot change it, it does not matter how reliable software is or how waterproof your device is.
I think it is the question of priorities. I would of course love FP to have higher IP rating. But I am aware that even devices with very high IP lose it when opened.
The fundamental question remains: if a phone remains operational for 3-5 years cause it is very sturdy and does not require repair, maybe it is preferable to a repairable phone that last 5-6 years during which its internals were changed several times - meaning ewaste was produced to keep it working?
The data shows that the most carbon footprint is produced with the motherboard.
But I would say if the software is buggy and people stop using the phone, it is not eco friendly or sustainable (also). It is not within a rugged category but perhaps wider - a sustainable one.