Fairphone (Gen. 6+): A Smartphone You Can Fix Yourself and Keep for a Decade!

While the industry tries to convince us that a smartphone is a disposable piece of glass and glue that needs to be replaced every year, Fairphone continues to stay true to its mission. The new Fairphone (Gen. 6+) seems like a challenge to those used to paying half the device's cost for a screen replacement.

Repair with ease

The main feature of the device remains unchanged — it is still the most "owner-friendly" device on the market. Users can independently replace up to 12 components. The list includes not only obvious things like the battery or screen but also camera modules and even the USB-C port. To become a service engineer, you don't need laboratory equipment — a single screwdriver is enough. This is precisely the approach that often brings the brand's devices to the top of iFixit rankings for ease of maintenance.

Hardware and display

Inside the Fairphone (Gen. 6+), there has been a noticeable upgrade. Instead of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and 8 GB of RAM found in its predecessor, the new version features the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC and a solid 12 GB of RAM. It's a good foundation for a mid-range Qualcomm platform.

Other specifications are as follows:

• Display: 6.31-inch LTPO OLED (energy efficiency is in place).
• Memory: 256 GB of built-in flash memory.
• Battery: Capacity 4415 mAh with support for 30W fast charging.
• Cameras: Main sensor of 50 MP, ultra-wide module of 13 MP, and a front camera of 32 MP.

Support until the next decade

Fairphone promises to release updates for the device until 2033. This is not a typo — the company plans to support the model for nine years, ensuring at least six major Android updates. Against the backdrop of the standard 2-3 years of support in the market, this looks like common sense taken to the extreme.

Interestingly, the Fairphone (Gen. 6+) became the company's first smartphone to officially and directly enter the US market. Previously, Americans had to rely on middlemen who installed the specific /e/OS without Google services. Now the device is delivered with the standard version of Android. In the US, the price is $649 (29,000 UAH), in the UK it's £569 (34,500 UAH), and in Europe, the device is priced at €649 (33,700 UAH).

While Fairphone fights for ecology and the right to repair, other manufacturers take the path of maximum user simplicity, like the Redmi M100, which offers a massive battery and a special simplified mode.