Today’s smartphones may be more advanced and more powerful than ever, but they still suffer from the same ailments that their ancestors experienced more than two decades ago. Screens get cracked, charging ports get worn down, and batteries die. Unlike the mobile phones of the past, however, the complex designs of modern smartphones make it impossible to even just replace a bloated or dying battery. Of course, companies have always defended this practice as protecting their brand and their intellectual property, but thankfully they’ve started turning around, and Apple just made what is perhaps the biggest step in that direction, short of simply letting owners pop off the iPhone 16’s back, pop out the old battery, and pop in a new one.
The new “feature” that has the Internet abuzz involves the removable of those unwieldy “pull tabs” that doubled the work since you’d often still have to resort to some isopropyl alcohol at the end of the process. Instead, Apple’s new adhesive can dissolve under low electrical current, which means you can hook up the back of the exposed iPhone 16 or 16 Plus to an ordinary 9V battery and have that adhesive go away in a minute and a half. The voltage actually determines the length of waiting, and iFixit’s test showed that a 20V charge would have the battery ready to be removed in just 20 seconds.
This makes battery replacement significantly easier and less error-prone, though you’ll still have to do some alcohol cleanup to completely remove adhesive residue before installing a new battery. Considering batteries are one of the first things on a smartphone to die from natural wear and tear, they are also the most common parts that need to be repaired or replaced. This major improvement in repairability also improves the iPhone 16’s overall sustainability, as it reduces CO2 emissions in the long run.
The catch is that this groundbreaking adhesive is only available on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The more advanced Pro models, ironically, still use the pull tab system, but Apple did make a little change to make that process less nerve-wracking. The shells of these batteries are now made of hard steel instead of soft pouches, so the chances of accidentally puncturing these sensitive and volatile batteries are now lower, which is very important since you’ll still need to pry them off without that magical dissolving adhesive.
The rest of the iPhone 16 teardown is pretty uneventful, which also means that Apple has retained its improved DIY repair experience this year. This helped the iPhone 16 garner a 7 out of 10 on iFixit’s repairability scale, which is pretty high for a “regular” smartphone that doesn’t promote the same kind of repairability and sustainability as the Fairphone. Hopefully, this new material will eventually land on the iPhone Pro models next year, becoming a major sustainability feature of all iPhones moving forward.
The Nokia brand was famous for its innumerable smartphone designs, some of which have stood the test of time and are being revived today. Although not as old as those, the Nokia Lumia with its blocky silhouette, curved sides, and raised 2.5D screen is just as distinctive, becoming the DNA of the product line until its demise. HMD Global, who now eagerly wants to remind everyone that its name stands for “Human Mobile Devices,” is bringing back that iconic form but with a twist. The HMD Skyline might be a blast from the past, but it is also the most forward-looking of its kind thanks to its strong self-repair spirit.
The Skyline is notable for two things. The first is, of course, is design that is both dated yet ironically fresh to people’s eyes today. The more geometric block is almost in line with art trends today, and its neon pink colorway definitely shouts for attention. Given the retro design craze gripping multiple industries, its arrival couldn’t be more timely.
This juxtaposition also shows itself in the HMD Skyline’s other strength: its easy repairability. Sure, it’s not as easy as popping off the back plate with a fingernail and swapping out batteries in a snap, but it’s still worlds apart compared to most smartphones today, including its mid-range buddies. There’s only one screw to lift the back panel, which you can gently pry off with plastic cards or guitar picks, then other connectors can be easily unscrewed or lifted. It’s probably the least risky process around when it comes to replacing the screen. And all that while still having an IP54 dust and water resistance rating.
The irony is that HMD is positioning this Gen 2 repairability as an attractive feature for Gen Z users who, it claims, are more likely to keep their phone if they can repair it themselves. That said, this is also the generation that lives for the latest and greatest designs, convenient services, and near-instant gratification from social media. Then again, it’s also the maker culture, so there might be some DIY DNA running through their veins as well, waiting to be awakened.
The HMD Skyline’s specs are a bit less impressive, but it’s actually almost a miracle that some of them are even there. The 6.55-inch 1080p, for example, is capable of 144Hz refresh rates, and its 4,600mAh battery supports magnetic wireless charging. There’s a massive 108MP camera teamed up with a 50MP telephoto shooter and a 13MP wide-angle camera. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, however, clearly marks it for the mid-range class. All things considered, the $500 Android phone isn’t as bad a deal, especially if you’re truly into retro designs that you plan on maintaining for a very long time.
It has only been a month since Microsoft unveiled its latest Surface-branded computers, and while the tech industry was awash with discussions on the company’s aggressive Copilot AI push and ARM-based Snapdragon X silicon, the products’ design may have left some people less than impressed. The Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop, for all intents and purposes, look exactly like their forebears, making one wonder if Microsoft has run out of creative juice or is desperate to milk its current design until it runs dry. Fortunately, that isn’t the end of the new Microsoft Story, as it turns out that the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop computers have one “invisible” upgrade it didn’t really talk about much: an easier repair process that has even the meticulous and stingy iFixit impressed.
Laptops have come a long way from being impregnable fortresses that made even the smallest repairs or upgrades a hellish experience, though there are still some companies living the past in the present. Initially, the Surface Laptop was part of that group, requiring cutting through fancy Alcantara fabric just to open the laptop to replace a battery or upgrade the storage. This year’s design almost makes a complete U-turn with a bottom plate that’s only held down by four screws and magnets; no adhesive in sight. Even the battery can be easily removed by just removing screws and a few layers of parts blocking those.
Tablets are even worse news for repairs, especially with displays that are glued on top of the frame. To its credit, Microsoft has at least made changing the Surface Pro M.2 SSD painless by having an accessible magnet-locked panel to get to that storage instantly. The 11th-gen model takes things further by employing as little adhesive as possible, though you still have to go through the risky process of removing the screen first. Fortunately, getting to important parts like the battery is less of a grueling task, especially since it’s only held down by screws as well.
Even more impressive, however, is the fact that Microsoft officially supports such self-repair processes. It has made repair guides publicly available since day one and has even clearly marked out the number and types of screws that hold certain components in place. It’s far from perfect and definitely not on the same level as a Framework laptop, but it’s still an unexpected yet pleasant surprise, especially considering it’s Microsoft we’re talking about.
Once upon a time, mobile phones weren’t the fragile and replaceable devices they are today. Sure, they were still expensive during their period, but accidentally dropping one didn’t always mean the end. Replacement parts, officially or unofficially, were easy to come by and the actual process of repairing these phones didn’t require a degree. But as mobile phones turned into powerful yet complicated smartphones, much of the repairability of the past also got thrown out the window. Granted, very few consumers will dare to open up their iPhones or Pixels on their own, so why is there a lot of noise these days about having the ability to repair yours? As it turns out, the ability to repair smartphones more easily benefits not just the planet or buyers but even the phone brands themselves.
Designer: Fairphone
Right to Repair
Part of the rhetoric around the smartphone repair situation involves the general Right to Repair movement. As the name implies, it is pushing for legislation, policies, and awareness that would allow owners, as well as third-party businesses, to repair the products that they have bought. It might come as a surprise given how it seems to go against common sense, but the situation with electronics, which includes smartphones, basically disallows anyone but the company and its authorized service centers from opening up and repairing these products. Although it’s not an accurate comparison, it would be like being forbidden from repairing the dress or furniture, requiring you to go to the boutique or shop you bought them from to have them fixed.
Designer: Apple (via iFixit)
To be fair, smartphones are complex beasts, and opening them up risks further damaging the device. Companies also have the obligation to protect their intellectual property from snooping eyes, but that isn’t a blanket reason to design phones to be nearly impossible to repair. iFixit, one of the biggest proponents of this Right to Repair movement for consumer electronics, has reached a middle ground with companies, providing official repair guides and a store for buying replacement parts so that anyone with the skill and courage can do it, whether they’re the owner or a small repair business.
Repairable Phones Are Sustainable Phones
Legal arguments aside, proponents of making smartphones more repairable often appeal to the harmful effects the current state of business has on the planet. The number of smartphones made and shipped every year has probably already exceeded the population of the world, which raises the question of what has happened to these devices over the years. While manufacturers do have programs for sending them your old or broken phones for proper disposal, just how many people actually make the effort to do that? More often than not, they simply stow old phones until they’re forgotten or, worse, mindlessly throw them in the trash so that these non-biodegradable objects ultimately end up in landfills.
Designer: Fairphone
Smartphones aren’t immortal or invincible, of course, but the longer we can keep using them, the longer they’ll stay out of the trash. Truth be told, the biggest reason why people change phones isn’t because of the latest trends but because their old ones have become nearly unusable. A cracked screen, bloated or failing batteries, or a broken charging port are the most common causes, so being able to change these easily helps keep electronic waste down to a minimum and for longer periods of time.
Repairable Phones Save You From Stress
There are definitely people who switch to the latest and greatest models after just two years or sooner, but the majority of users would like to keep their phones for years as long as they’re still usable. It isn’t as much about fondness for the device as the stress of switching to a new one. Even with all the advancements in cloud storage, backups, and phone transfers, people still experience loss and stress when their phones no longer work and have to switch to a new one, often from scratch.
Designer: HMD Global
You still should back up your phone and its data regularly, of course, but improving these devices’ repairability lessens or shortens the anxiety and stress that owners experience. Your phone goes empty in less than a day? Simply change the battery and it’s as good as new. USB charging port feel loose and unreliable? Swap it out for a new one and be on your way. It also saves people from the stress of an unplanned major expense, especially when they can get a better model when the time really comes for them to upgrade.
Repairable Phones Are Good Business
Being able to repair smartphones easily might save consumers money and give small repair shops some business, but manufacturers and their shareholders will probably see it more as a revenue loss. After all, the longer people hold on to their old phones, the less they will buy new ones. Unfortunately, there is definitely some truth to that, which is why even big phone companies hesitate to encourage self-repairs or third-party services. It is, however, an outdated mentality that no longer reflects the reality of our present. Even Apple is realizing that profits are no longer coming just from outright hardware sales but also from software, services, and other sources. It’s definitely high time for these brands to be creative in how they can make more money without busting people’s wallets or killing the planet.
Designer: Samsung
Manufacturers can, for example, profit from selling those replacement parts, but that also needs to be done in moderation. Recent news on this front demonstrates not what to do, which is to make those parts too expensive to the point that it becomes less economical to repair the phone in the first place. iFixit announced it is cutting ties with Samsung for that very reason, with parts beyond the reach of most people anyway.
Companies also need to see repairable phones from a different angle, particularly in how they actually reduce their operational costs and waste. They can cut down on the production of surplus units, keeping their stocks tight. This, in turn, reduces their reliance on costly materials that are either hard to acquire, harmful to the environment, or might even be controversial for being conflict materials. It forces companies to rethink their business, which is currently unsustainable both in the environmental sense as well as the economic sense, driving innovation that could hopefully create a greener tomorrow for its customers.
As expected, the Internet is abuzz over the new M4 iPad Pro’s ultra-thin design, but there are also reasonable concerns over the device’s durability and longevity because of that design as well. Fortunately, a bend test proved that the tablet has enough resistance to withstand accidents within reason, but accidents will still happen regardless. Displays will get cracked and batteries degrade and, sooner or later, the new iPad Pro will become old and will need to be repaired. When that time comes, how easy and expensive will it be to open up the thinnest iPad in the world and replace those broken parts? It turns out, that Apple made one very important step toward improving the device’s repairability, at least for one of the most common types of repairs.
Whether it’s a smartphone or a tablet, mobile devices have two or three parts that easily get damaged or need to be replaced. Screens crack or shatter after accidental falls, charging ports get damaged or blocked, and batteries start to lose their charge faster or, worse, start to bloat. For the iPad Pro, getting to any of these parts has always been a chore and a risk, but the M4 iPad Pro has surprisingly made it easier to remove and replace the battery without removing as many important parts.
Opening up the iPad Pro is still an exercise in patience and dexterity, perhaps even more so now with a new Tandem OLED display. A closer look at that screen reveals not the dual-layered panels that Apple used to explain the technology, but, for all intents and purposes, it practically functions the same way. Long story short, there’s a high chance that the screen will be damaged beyond repair when you try to open the iPad Pro just to replace the battery.
Fortunately, the battery itself is easy to reach, as it is immediately exposed after removing the display. There are a few parts that need to be unscrewed to gain access to the pull tabs, but there’s no need to remove daughterboards, logic boards, or even speakers. Considering this is Apple we’re talking about, that’s a rather ground-breaking change and a step in the right direction.
Unfortunately, Apple’s “size zero” design does also come with its drawbacks, like many of the parts now glued down rather than screwed down, just because there’s virtually no space left for screws. And then there’s the new Apple Pencil Pro that’s still an expensive disposable accessory as far as repairability is concerned. All in all, the M4 iPad Pro represents a significant step forward for Apple when it comes to making the tablet a more sustainable option on top of being one of the best of its kind.
eBook readers, often just called eReaders, have come a long way since the earliest days of the likes of the Amazon Kindle. Not only do some of them now support pen input for jotting down notes, some even have color E Ink screens that add a bit of life to There are also some that are practically Android tablets with e-paper displays instead of LCDs or OLEDs, offering a more eye-friendly digital lifestyle. Unfortunately, those new features do add up, making the newer generation of these devices more expensive than their forebears. That means that these color eBook readers are even more of an investment than before, and their longevity is now more important compared to the past. Thankfully, manufacturers are taking notice and may have started the journey toward a greener future for this market with Kobo blazing the trail.
Amazon’s Kindle might be the household name when it comes to eBook readers, but it is hardly the only game in town, not by a long shot. In fact, when it comes to innovation, you could even say that it lags terribly behind, banking only on its industry clout and expansive library to maintain its lead. As far as major brands are concerned, Kobo can be considered second place, but its latest moves have definitely put it ahead of the game in some aspects.
It has recently launched three new eReaders, two of which have color E Ink screens. While the technology is hardly new, it is the first time a major brand adopted it. In contrast, Amazon has only been rumored to be working on a similar device, but given how long it took to come out with a pen-enabled Kindle, it might still take a while. Then again, now that Kobo has stolen its thunder, it might be a bit motivated to expedite its schedule.
What’s more interesting, however, and one that almost flew under the radar, is that Kobo’s three new readers will also be its most repairable devices. It has apparently partnered with self-repair experts iFixit in making the new Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Clara Colour, and Kobo Clara BW more repair-friendly, which means that repair kits and instructions will be made available. As of this writing, details are still non-existent, but it’s still a huge step forward and a first for the eBook industry.
What this practically means is that these three devices could very well become the longest-lasting of their kind, allowing owners to replace certain parts for as long as those parts are available. As eReaders graduate from cheap and almost disposable plastic devices into powerful and sophisticated machines, the need to make them more durable and resilient also grows. To its credit, Kobo has been making major strides toward sustainability, including the use of more than 85% recycled plastic in its devices. This pleasant surprise goes above and beyond what any eReader manufacturer has so far done, putting Kobo on the same track as the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google in the smartphone market.
Foldable phones are generally considered to be less durable than their single-form counterparts because of the fragile flexible screen as well as the hinges that give them their titular feature. Considering the complications of this design, repairing foldable phones is relatively more expensive and more difficult to pull off by trained technicians, let alone even the most advanced phone user. It’s, therefore, a bit surprising but nevertheless welcome move that Samsung has announced that you can now legally and officially repair its latest foldable phones on your own. That said, there are still details that are left unknown, making it questionable how meaningful this announcement really is.
It wasn’t too long ago when phone manufacturers vehemently denounced any repair done by anyone other than authorized service providers. Officially, this is meant to protect their intellectual property and product quality, but some see it as a cunning ploy to monopolize the repair service industry and squeeze out more money from customers. Brands such as Apple, Google, and Samsung have reached a sort of compromise where they provide official parts and replacement guides via a third party like iFixit, practically allowing anyone or any shop to repair some phones on their own.
Unsurprisingly, the list of supported devices under these Self-Repair programs is rather short, but Samsung just made a big splash in how it’s expanding that to more devices and more countries. 30 European countries, including Denmark, Greece, Hungary, and Portugal, have been added to the list, bringing the total to over 40 countries across the world. It’s still a small number, admittedly, but a lot better than the total sum of zero from two years ago.
Samsung is also expanding the list of supported devices to include its latest products, not just the Galaxy S23 series but also tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S9 and even the Galaxy Tab A9. More surprising, however, is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are included in the announcement. In fact, given their reputation, you could almost say that they’re the highlight of that announcement. After all, wouldn’t it be interesting to have a foldable phone that could be repaired by yourself or some third-party service?
While that’s technically true, the major caveat is that the official self-repair program only supports replacing a phone’s battery, rear glass cover, and USB-C charging port. With the design of Samsung’s foldable phones, even those might be more difficult compared to regular phones. Unfortunately, iFixit hasn’t updated its list yet, so we don’t have the full picture of what you can do with this new information, but you can definitely be sure you won’t be replacing that foldable screen on your own any time soon.
Chairs are designed to be comfortable to sit on unless they’re meant to be art or statement pieces rather than usable furniture. Of course, not all designs hit the mark, and some tend to value other traits like aesthetics or features over comfort. That isn’t always intentional, though, especially for chairs that are meant to be sold commercially. This lounge chair, for example, seems to check off boxes like minimalism, repairability, and sustainability, but its rather imposing industrial aesthetic might make some think twice about parking their bodies on its thin body, even if there’s a comfy cushion on the seat.
Truth be told, the AL13 lounge chair doesn’t inspire much confidence because of its super thin construction. Each component is made from laser-cut aluminum sheets that seem to be too thin to support heavy objects, like your body for example. Of course, looks can be deceiving, and this chair was designed to be really stable and safe, at least enough to be sold and used both for indoor as well as outdoor use.
The chair’s extra-wide seat is flanked by extra-wide armrests that might seem too high for actually placing your arms on them. Instead, they function better as small side tables to hold your phone, book, or drink, though you have to be careful with the latter that you don’t accidentally knock it over with your arm. It can also hold your laptop, but it might not be comfortable much less ergonomic to use it in that position.
Perhaps the more interesting aspect of the AL13 lounge chair is its somewhat modular construction so that parts can be easily disassembled. This makes it easy to repair, replace, or recycle parts, which are just bent sheets of aluminum. Its distinctive shape and the added function of the armrests make the chair suitable for any spatial environment, whether indoors or outdoors.
That said, the rather hard and cold appearance of the chair might feel a little intimidating, especially if you’re a fan of softer and cozier chairs. There’s an option for upholstered seat cushions, but that still leaves out the back and armrests, not to mention making it unsuitable for outdoor use. It’s still an interesting brutalist design, though, and could be an inspiration for other variations that add a bit more comfort to the equation.
Although probably not as numerous as smartphones, laptops are still a common sight in almost any situation that calls for a computer. Sales of PCs have even skyrocketed in the past two to three years thanks to the rush to buy new portable computers for working and studying at home. This, of course, means that we will also see a rise in the e-waste and total carbon emissions of laptops, especially as they become older and get broken over time. While smartphones and tablets are still closely guarded walled gardens, laptops have slowly started to open up their secrets, but just enough to upgrade memory and storage or replace a battery. They still lack the flexibility and freedom offered by desktop computers, but the new Framework Laptop 16 is proving that you can go big in size and power while also providing an upgradable, repairable, and sustainable laptop.
The Framework Laptop 16 is the brand’s biggest attempt at a modular laptop in more ways than one. As the name suggests, it breaks into 16-inch territory, up from its standard 13-inch models. More than that, however, it also brings in the big guns in terms of silicon, providing top-of-the-line AMD processors, including optional discrete AMD Radeon graphics. The clincher is, of course, the fact that you won’t be stuck with that GPU forever and can even remove it if you want to go light for a bit.
Modularity is the name of the Framework game, and the Framework Laptop 16 seems to pull all the stops with this newer and larger offering. You can, for example, remove the discrete graphics module altogether and replace it with the Expansion Bay module, letting you, not the manufacturer, decide on the configuration you want or need at a given moment. And although there isn’t any other GPU module available, it’s not hard to imagine Framework making an upgrade available in the future. After all, that’s one of the benefits of a modular design, allowing owners to not only replace broken parts but also upgrade outdated ones.
Being a bigger laptop means it has more space to use, which also means more configuration options that owners can change at any time, presuming they have the right modules. For example, they can choose between a centered keyboard flanked by two spacers, or an offset keyboard with a numeric keypad to the side. The number of Expansion Card slots is now 6, providing more possible combinations of input and output ports that won’t be limited to just USB-C. Of course, all these modules are available from Framework itself, so you don’t have to sweat over where to get them.
The Framework Laptop 16 is definitely not cheap, but it’s surprisingly near the same figures as non-modular laptops with similar specs. The design and engineering done on this product prove that there are very few technical restrictions on a modular laptop. It’s simply an industry practice that has existed for decades, one that will hopefully change as more manufacturers become even more aware of their effects on the environment and their responsibility in ensuring the future of the planet that their customers live on.
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.
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.
