How often do you upgrade your phone? Fairphone, the Dutch eco-friendly mobile phone brand known for its modular design and easy repairs with just a screwdriver, officially launched in Taiwan yesterday (the 8th). Fairphone advocates extending the lifecycle of mobile phones, reducing electronic waste and carbon emissions, and its first Asian market expansion is in Taiwan. The fourth-generation "Fairphone 4," sold exclusively by Royal Telecommunications and Far EasTone Telecommunications, comes with a two-year warranty in Taiwan and a three-year warranty internationally, along with a five-year parts supply and software update guarantee.
Fairphone 4, an eco-friendly phone with easily replaceable parts, launched in Taiwan
Mobile phones bring convenience to people's lives, but both the extraction of raw materials and the disposal of discarded products place a heavy burden on the planet. Labor rights issues have also been a frequent concern during the manufacturing process. Fairphone, an environmentally friendly mobile phone brand from the Netherlands, was founded in 2013. It advocates for fair production conditions, easy repairability, and a high proportion of recycled materials, bringing environmentally and human rights-friendly alternatives to the market.
Fairphone launched the fourth generation "Fairphone 4" last year and held a press conference for its launch in Taiwan yesterday (8th). It will be sold exclusively by Royal Telecommunications and Far EasTone Telecommunications. Fairphone co-founder and project director Miquel Ballester Salvà said that Taiwan is the first market outside of Europe to enter. "Seeing people holding Fairphone 4 on the streets of Taiwan is a step towards a fair and sustainable world."
Chen Bozhou, Business Marketing Director of Fairphone distributor Royal Telecommunications, further pointed out that the Fairphone 4 is the world's first mobile phone to achieve 100% "E-Waste Neutral". For every phone sold, an equal weight of electronic waste is recycled or another old phone is given a new life.
Mobile phones assembled like building blocks solve consumers' pain points when changing phones
A Fairphone survey revealed that the top three reasons consumers upgrade their phones are cracked screens, depleted battery life, and insufficient camera pixels. Disassembling a phone is a challenging endeavor, with parts difficult to find and tightly glued together, ultimately forcing users to send their phone in for repair or simply replace it. In contrast, the Fairphone 4 features a modular design, making it easy to repair with just a screwdriver.
The Fairphone 4 consists of nine parts: screen, back cover, motherboard, battery, front camera, main camera, earpiece, speaker, and USB-C port. These parts are connected with screws and latches, without adhesive. After purchasing the parts from Fairphone retailers, customers can assemble them easily, just like building blocks. iFixit, a renowned electronics disassembly website, has awarded the phone a perfect 10 for repairability. Not only can consumers replace cracked screens themselves, but they can also upgrade substandard lenses, similar to the Fairphone 3, reducing the chance of the phone becoming obsolete.
Chen Baizhou added that mobile phone carbon emissions mainly come from the manufacturing stage. The modular design not only makes the product easier to repair, but also reduces production and carbon emissions.
To make your phone last 5, or even 5.5 years, warranty parts and software updates are essential.
Typical phones offer two to three Android version upgrades, and new features are no longer available after the third year of use. Fairphone's "sustainability" stems from its continuous operating system updates, saving consumers the need to upgrade their phones every few years.
The Fairphone 2, launched in 2015, just celebrated seven years of continuous software updates. The Fairphone 4 uses the Android 11 operating system, with an Android 12 update expected by the end of the year. Chen Bozhou noted that the average global mobile phone lifespan is currently around 26 months. He hopes to achieve "five, or even 5.5, years of use" through repairs, warranties, and software updates.
The Fairphone 4 also offers a five-year warranty, significantly longer than the typical one- to three-year warranty offered by other manufacturers. However, the Fairphone 4's warranty in Taiwan is only two years. Chen Bozhou explained that since it was imported through a distributor, repairs beyond two years but less than five years will require the phone to be sent to the original manufacturer overseas. Furthermore, the Fairphone 4 promises a five-year parts supply, allowing users to repair their phone themselves.
Raw material recycling, labor rights, the only "Fair Trade Gold" certified mobile phone
In addition to extending the lifespan of the phone, Fairphone also utilizes a high percentage of recycled and fair-sourced materials. Fairphone's Circular Materials and Supply Chain Development Manager, Kang Yuxuan, explained that the solder paste used on the Fairphone 4 motherboard is 100% recycled tin, and the proportion of recycled magnesium alloy has been increased from 30% to 90%. The back cover plastic is 100% recycled plastic, bringing the overall recycled plastic content of the device to 60%.
However, current technology does not allow the entire device to be made of recycled materials. For the raw materials that still need to be mined, Fairphone 4 also strictly controls them. It is the only mobile phone brand to obtain "Fairtrade gold" certification, and the aluminum mine is also certified by the "Aluminum Stewardship Initiative" (ASI).
Fairphone also continues to support workers' rights, such as helping workers form unions. It is also the world's first electronics brand to implement a "living wage" subsidy program. For every Fairphone 4 manufactured, assembly workers can directly receive a subsidy of US$1.99.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/235658)
