A slightly longer-lasting smartphone

Fairphone is a Dutch electronics company that produces modular smartphones made according to the principles of sustainable development, where users can replace parts themselves. The operating system side has also been thought through to an even greater extent, as the manufacturer keeps its Fairphone 2 smartphone up to date with the Android 9 update for five years after its release.

The Fairphone 2 phone was originally shipped with Android 5. By bringing Android 9 to the Fairphone 2 for its 5th anniversary, Fairphone is showing the industry that it is possible to keep phones updated for longer than 2–3 years and thus create a more responsible smartphone industry.

The Dutch manufacturer has now confirmed Android 9 certification for the Google-certified Fairphone 2 and has started distributing the update. Thanks to the Fairphone’s unique modular design, users find it easier to use the phone for longer, reducing their environmental impact.

The Fairphone 2, released five years ago, was the world's first modular smartphone. The concept and design of the phone were among the first of its kind, demonstrating that the electronics industry can also be more responsible. In total, more than 115,000 Fairphone 2 smartphones were sold.

The majority of smartphone manufacturers on the market promise up to two years of functionality updates.

”The Google certification of Android 9 for the Fairphone 2, just as smartphone support reaches five years, is a great achievement for the Fairphone and an unprecedented feat in the electronics industry. Approximately 477,000 Google tests must be passed to obtain the certification. The project makes us truly unique in the mobile phone industry, as other players in the field do not usually take on such design challenges. We want to show the industry that this is possible, and that smartphones do not have to be discarded after two to three years, but that their lifespan can be extended,” says Eva Gouwens, Managing Director of the Fairphone.

The Fairphone 3 and 3+ will also receive long-term hardware and software support. For the latest Fairphone generation, the company offers, among other things, the release of the Android 11 update in the second half of 2021; at least one major Android update that will be made without the support from Qualcomm that ends in July 2021; spare parts and accessories for at least until August 2024; and a complete roadmap for future software updates, which will continue until 2024.

”Our goal has always been to give our phones at least five years of support from the time of release. Fairphone designs phones that are intended to last as long as possible and have the least impact on the environment – and long device and software support is a big part of that. With our promise of long-term support, we show users that they can use their phones for as long as possible,” says Ewa Gouwens.

For example, Fairphone phones are sold in Finland Giant.