Tag Archives: fairphone

Fairphone Fairbuds TWS earbuds tout replaceable batteries, titanium drivers and microphones

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Fairphone has strongly proposed the idea of a repairable and modular smartphone, and they ventured into a new product category last year with the release of Fairphone headphones dubbed Fairbuds XL. The pair of cans offered a more flexible ecosystem of individual components that give audio lovers the option to swap an outdated or broken piece of hardware. That’s in the landscape of big names like Sony, Sennheiser and Bose who don’t give this liberty.

Now the Dutch electronics manufacturer has revealed a similar option for listeners like me who prefer the compactness of a pair of true wireless earbuds. While the audio accessories come with a host of advantages few disadvantages could cost you money. Prime on being, losing one of them down the street potholes, or battery going rouge after frequent cycles of use. With the Fairphone Fairbuds you don’t have to worry about either of them!

Designer: Fairphone

The pair looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Buds with the usual features like ANC, multipoint connectivity and IP54 rating for water and sweat resistance. What makes them different is the flexibility to replace seven parts without any hassle. These replaceable components include the battery on the buds, the charging case battery, microphones, silicone ring and earbud ear tips. That means you are no longer forced to throw the buds in the trash can once the battery goes dead. Fairphone will also replace one of the earbuds if you are the more carefree audio listener who’s always searching for them after a couple of hours of non-listening time. The red cherry on top is the three-year warranty for complete peace of mind.

For listeners who value sound quality more than anything else, you’ll not be disappointed either. The Fairbuds come loaded with 11mm titanium-coated drivers and three microphones on each bud for superior ANC and call quality. These can seamlessly switch between two devices courtesy of Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The earbuds will last around five hours with ANC turned on, and the charging case extends that number to 26 hours in total. The intuitive app (Android and iOS) offers an 8-band equalizer.

The best thing is the offer price of €149 (~$162) in Europe and £140 in the UK which makes Fairphone Fairbuds so lucrative. Considering some premium earbuds cost $300 or more for the same set of features, the Fairbuds stand out with their value-for-money proposition.

 

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Highly repairable Fairphone 5 boasts eight years software update, gets decent hardware out of the box

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The Fairphone 4 launched two years ago left a whole lot to be desired, and the sustainability-focused electronics startup from Amsterdam has now launched the next version to reignite hopes. This is the Android 13 powered Fairphone 5 modular phone which is the most repairable device out there for good reason.

The silver lining with this modern-looking device honing a translucent back panel is its whopping five years of OS support and eight years of security patches promised by the ethical company. They are striving to get that number up to 10 years. Also, there’s a 5-year warranty, so you have nothing to worry about for a long time. How much better can that get?

Pros:

  • 8 years of software support and 5 years of warranty
  • Decent hardware specification compared to predecessor
  • Made from ethically sourced material
  • Upgradable storage of up to 2TB

Cons:

  • High price tag
  • Average processor

Designer: Fairphone

Just like their select suite of other products, the Fairphone 5 is made from ethically sourced materials and is designed to be easily pairable at home. Of course, it comes with the freedom to upgrade the hardware, and we’re glad that this time around the device is more of a modern mid-range phone that ignites interest. It has a 6.46-inch OLED display with 1224×2770 resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. On the rear reside the duo of a 50MP primary lens and a 50MP ultrawide shooter. Interestingly, the selfie camera on the front inside the hole punch is also a 50MP shooter.

The number of repairable modules has been increased to 10 as now you can replace the rear camera module and the module having SIM and SD card slots. That beefed-up 4,200mAh battery with 30W charging support is user-replaceable and good for 1,000 charging cycles. Since the phone is targeting a niche set of users, don’t expect it to compete with the current flagships on the market.

It’s powered by the Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset designed specifically for industrial applications and mated to an Adreno 643L GPU and 8GB of RAM. The processor is somewhat similar to the more identifiable Snapdragon 782G in terms of specs. Out of the box, the phone comes with 256GB storage that can be upgraded to 2TB via a separate module. While modular smartphones are not particularly water-resistant, still Fairphone managed to get IP55 water and dust resistance for the device.

For someone who’s looking to buy a mid-range device that has a long-term commitment guaranteed, the Fairphone 5 is a fair recommendation. If so, the device can be pre-ordered right away with shipping in Europe promised on September 14. There are no plans for a US release, but that could change in the coming months. For a price tag of around $750, the Fairphone could just tickle your fancy with the features it has.

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The most sustainable smartphone is coming to the US with a very big catch

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Finally recognizing the important role they play in saving the environment, smartphone manufacturers have started to implement steps to minimize their adverse effects on the planet. But even before “sustainability” started trending in the smartphone industry, there was one startup that dared to get the ball rolling and discussions started on how sustainable smartphones ought to be made. Since 2013, Fairphone has been putting out easy-to-repair handsets, though its limited availability has made it a deal-breaker for many interested buyers. That narrative is changing a bit with the arrival of the Fairphone 4 in the US, but it comes with a very big caveat that can be just as much a deal-breaker anyway.

Designer: Fairphone, Murena

When it comes to sustainable and eco-friendly smartphones, it’s hard to deny that the Fairphone is the cream of the crop. Although it’s practically impossible for now to have a 100% sustainable phone, the Fairphone still checks the most boxes compared to any other brand. It uses recycled materials where possible and ensures they are all ethically can responsibly sourced. It has a system in place for the proper disposal of completely dead devices, but it also delays that inevitable fate by making it easy for owners to repair their own phones with replacement parts they officially sell. The latter is a practice that is thankfully now getting traction even among the likes of Apple, Google, and Samsung, though with more limited components and heart-stopping tedious processes.

The biggest problem with the Fairphone (aside from its slightly outdated specs) is its availability, limited primarily to the European region unless you’re willing to take the extra steps and risk importing one. That is changing now that the Fairphone 4 is being made available in the US, one of the largest smartphone markets. Fairphone isn’t the one selling it directly, though, and has partnered with another company named Murena not only to distribute the phone but also to put the latter’s own version of Android on it named /e/ OS.

Therein lies what might be the biggest determining factor for those who want to buy the Fairphone 4 in the US. /e/ OS is billed as a privacy-focused mobile platform, which practically means it doesn’t ship with Google apps and services. Instead, it provides its own app store, replacements for Google services, and the like. It might be possible to install Google Play Store after the fact (“sideload”), but the process might also be more involved than what consumers would be willing to put up with.

In short, the Fairphone 4 now being sold in the US is both sustainable and very private, and you can’t easily separate the two. It might be fine for those who do espouse both ideals equally, but others who simply want the most sustainable “regular” Android phone might have to continue looking elsewhere.

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Fairphone Fires Shots at the Wearable Audio Industry with their First Repairable, Sustainably-made Headphones

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It’s been a hot minute since the folks at Fairphone released a new product category. The company rose to popularity for encouraging the idea that smartphones didn’t need to be solid, welded/glued hunks of metal and glass that couldn’t be opened, repaired, or upgraded. The company was founded in 2013, and Fairphone even announced their 4th smartphone last year, a modular device with support for 5G connectivity, dual 48MP cameras with optical image stabilization, an IP54 rating, and MIL810G drop test certification.

The problem that Fairphone is tackling is a highly systemic one, and doesn’t just apply to smartphones. Lack of user or third-party repairability is real, as is planned obsolescence… and the company’s shifted its approach to the audio industry with the Fairbuds XL, their first-ever pair of wireless headphones that are also designed to be sustainable, modular, and repairable.

Designer: Fairphone

Drawing inspiration from their groundbreaking phone design, these headphones embrace the concept of modularity, allowing users to easily replace faulty or worn-out components, thereby extending the lifespan of the product. Notably, the Fairbuds XL takes modularity to new heights, making both a visual as well as ethical statement that hopes to be an antithesis to companies like Apple, who discourage repairability, and Skullcandy, who look to flood the market with cheap audio gear that’s notoriously short-lived and unrepairable.

With the Fairbuds XL, Fairphone aims at showing that making a product modular, sustainable, and top-notch is indeed possible. There’s really no need for compromising anywhere, and it shows with the Fairbuds XL’s design and features. The headphones look all sorts of fashionable, with modern, minimal design cues, contrasting colors, and the use of speckled plastic cups that just scream ‘recycled’. On the inside, the Fairbuds XL promises an immersive sound with clear highs, balanced mids, and deep bass, thanks to its advanced 40 mm dynamic drivers. To enhance the listening experience, Fairphone offers a free companion app that provides EQ settings and personalized audio calibration in collaboration with sound calibration specialist, Sonarworks.

At a €249 price point, you’d be right to expect features like ANC and Transparency mode, and the Fairbuds XL deliver on that front. The headset does boast active noise cancellation, as well as audio-passthrough or transparency, allowing you to either drown the world out or listen in on the world around you for important sounds, cues, alerts, etc. Moreover, an 800 mAh battery offers up to 30 hours of playback on a single charge, ensuring long-lasting enjoyment.

Delving into the construction of these headphones reveals a notable level of customization and versatility. With eleven modular parts, including a headband cover, headband, headband base, speaker-to-speaker cable, left and right speakers, ear cushions, headphone battery, speaker covers, and a joystick, the Fairbuds XL boasts a strong focus on being able to swap out older parts for newer ones in the hopes of extending a product’s life-cycle. Apart from its modular design, the Fairbuds XL prides itself on responsible manufacturing. Fairphone proudly integrates Fairtrade gold into its supply chain, ensuring ethical sourcing, and even offers all its employees a fair living wage. Additionally, the product is crafted from a combination of recycled aluminum, recycled tin solder paste, and recycled plastics, significantly reducing its environmental impact. The inclusion of vegan cushions and a recycled textile pouch for storage and portability further underlines Fairphone’s commitment to sustainability.

The Fairbuds XL comes in two colors (Green or Black) starts at €249 (around US$268), and ships with a 2-year warranty along with the option to replace/repair parts on your own. The price doesn’t include the USB-C 3.2 charging cable, which Fairphone sells separately in a bid to reduce e-waste… and although built for wireless use, the headphones also support wired use along with a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable, which is sold separately too.

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The Fairphone 3 packs in features while keeping its green credentials

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Fairphone, the company that wants to get ethically-responsible smartphones into the hands of consumers worldwide, has unveiled the third iteration of its modular device. Fairphone 3, launched under the tagline, "The phone that dares to be fair," is a...