Jeramy Johnson is from the Central region.
I wanted to get my hands on a Fairphone device before I joined. I've followed the company's story over the past few years and have been inspired by its courage and leadership, but I'm completely appalled at how unsustainably the tech industry as a whole operates.
It was sobering to learn that the tech industry is unsustainable and unfair because I'm passionate about it and cover it for a living. In learning about the Fairphone story, I got to see how the sausage was made, so to speak, and I didn't like it one bit.
I was delighted to get my hands on the latest device from the company, the Fairphone 3. I spent a few weeks using it in and around my house, and what follows are my thoughts and experiences. It's difficult to get your hands on it if you live outside of Europe, as it's not the best device in terms of performance. I think it's a product that can and should appeal to the casual smartphone user, as well as the enthusiast.
The Fairphone 3 isn't the most impressive phone when it comes to looks, but it is one of the most responsible, ethical, and sustainable devices available today. If you are a person who cares about the environment, fair trade, and labor practices, and you want to be on the leading edge of a social and business movement, then you will appreciate this phone. If you're just looking for an affordable phone, then you'll be disappointed.
Purchase supports fair trade.
The hand feel, size, and weight are great for small phones.
There is no bloatware.
Good battery life.
There is no rating for the intellectual property.
There is no wireless charging.
The camera is poor.
The software and processor will be old quickly.
The source is Fairphone.
The Fairphone 3 went on sale in Europe and select markets on September 3, 2019. It was originally priced at 450 and can now be had for 399. The Fairphone 3 was followed by the Fairphone 3+ in August 2020, which featured an upgraded camera module and a backplate made of more recycled material. The 3+ was launched with a price of 469, but now can be found for around 439. The camera and back panel can be replaced with parts from Fairphone's website and iFixit. The Fairphone 4 is the company's most sustainable and repairable device to date.
Fairphone 3 has a background.
Jeramy Johnson is from the Central region.
We've all heard about the "3 Rs" of sustainable living, but we don't always think about the other two Rs. One of the best ways to prevent e-waste and pollution is to just use the devices you have for as long as possible, and reuse the products you already have. It's not a message that most producers want to spread, and it's also not a message that most tech companies want to spread.
The ideas of reduction and reuse have been addressed by some companies. After four or five years, Apple's devices receive software updates that encourage or reward people who hold on to the phones, pass them down, or resell them. The company proudly points out its environmental efforts whenever it can, because it has a respectable device recycling program.
Some of the best eco-friendly phone accessories and the mesh covering on the Nest Mini speaker are made from recycled or sustainable materials.
The story of Fairphone is different than most others. It started out as a social awareness campaign and later became a for-profit company. Fairphone wants to sell phones and make money, but it sees itself as a leader in trying to tackle issues of sustainable living.
It is possible to source the raw materials and minerals from mines and distributors that practice fair trade and fair labor practices.
Ensuring fair working conditions and wages for contractors and employees is something they are working on.
Whenever possible, they build their devices out of recycled materials.
The concepts of self-repairability and modularity are being pushed forward.
Sharing the company's experiences, successes, and failures with governments, NGOs, and the tech industry at large to encourage wider acceptance and adoption of these sustainable practices.
There are some specifications.
Fairphone 3.
There are dimensions.
158 x 9.89 x 71.8mm
The weight.
189g is about 6oz.
OS.
The operating system for cellphones is called Android 10.
The processer.
The qualcom is a processor.
There is RAM.
4 gigabytes.
There is storage.
64 gigabytes.
It can be expanded with a microSD card.
There is a battery.
3,000mAH.
There is a display.
The Full HD is 5.65 inches.
The aspect ratio is 18:9.
There is a rear camera.
12MP f/1.8.
The front camera has something on it.
8MP f/2.0
Payments using the Near Field Communication.
Yes.
Jack is the headphone.
Yes.
There are components and sensors.
There is a device called ausb-c.
There is a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The phone is a little bit of a mixed bag, as the mission and goals of the company are admirable, but as far as specifications and components go, the phone is a little bit of a mixed bag.
The 3,000 battery is more than capable for the device's size. A lot of lower-end phones don't have features like the one you get for payments. It has a nice rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, a nice rear-mounted audio jack, and a niceusb-c port.
The 18:9 aspect ratio makes it difficult for smaller hands to reach the top corner of the phone.
There is no mention of water resistance, wireless charging, or a fancy high refresh rate screen.
Let's see how those specifications translate into everyday use.
Fairphone points.
Jeramy Johnson is from the Central region.
The things I like best about Fairphone 3/3+ are the ideals it represents and not how it fares as a phone. The mission of promoting a more sustainable, more circular economy is admirable, and I think that the influence that this company and movement can have and is having on the industry at large is noteworthy.
Fairphone has built up a community in Europe and around the world. The Fairphone Angels group is an ambassador program that extends the company's message and customer support outreach. It reminds me of a more grassroots version of the Apple Genius Bar.
The Fairphone 3/3+ is not going to win any performance awards, but it does pack a number of features that are valuable in a budget to mid-ranger, including a good rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a headphone jack.
The battery gave me a full day of use, and when I wasn't using it very much, the times when the phone wouldn't work were similar to the ones on the iPhone. During my time with the phone, I didn't get to use it for three or four days at a time, but I would return to it to find it still had more than 60 percent battery.
The shape and feel of the device reminded me of an Apple device. It looks like an iPhone 12 series in that it is narrow and easy to hold with one hand, has flat sides, and feels lightweight as well.
I didn't have any issues with sluggishness or performance even though it has a mid-range processor. It was released before the other two, but has since received an update to the other one. Fairphone will continue to receive security patches. Fairphone recently announced that its five-year-old Fairphone 2 would be getting an update to the new version of the software, so it's clear that they are committed to supporting their phones for as long as they can. Fairphone's skin is close to stock Android for what it's worth, and I liked that there were no manufacturer or bloatware apps pre-installed on this unlocked device. Fairphone encourages users to put alternative operating systems on the device.
The fact that you can take the phone apart on your own and replace components like the battery, camera, speaker, backplate, and even the display is amazing. The phone received a perfect score for repairability from iFixit. I liked the transparent rear cover and the slogan on the battery that "Change is in your hands", which was exposed by showing off the phone's internals.
The idea of modular manufacturing has been around for a while, but it hasn't been able to gain traction with consumers. Maybe that's because in the past it was seen as a way to prolong the lifespan of the phones, rather than as a way to sell more accessories?
The photos that this phone produces can be okay in the right conditions, but I'm sure it's no surprise to you that a phone camera at this price range isn't top-notch.
There are a few examples of daylight shots indoors.
Here are a few examples of daylight shots.
I was more enamored with what the phone represented than what I liked about it. It should come as no surprise that I have some issues with the Fairphone 3 as a viable alternative for the average person.
The processor and OS are the first things we should start with. The phone is not on the most current version of the OS, and likely won't get an update beyond the current version. If the goal is to use this repairable, sustainable-built phone for as long as possible, that doesn't instill a lot of confidence in future-proofing. The core audience for the Fairphone 2 appears to be highly motivated to make the proposition of long-term use work, as Fairphone has a fair number of happy customers who are still rocking the Fairphone 2. The Fairphone 2 did receive another platform update, and a partnership with /e/OS means that users can install alternative operating systems to keep their devices going for even longer. You can buy Fairphone 3 and 3+ devices with /e/OS pre-installed.
It doesn't surprise me that a low to mid-range phone doesn't have some of the special extras that we love on higher-end devices. I don't see how those features could work in a modular phone.
I said that the phone felt good in the hand, but there were some hardware issues that bothered me. The buttons are on the left side and not clicky. I was disappointed when I found the power button, it was very hard to find and it had very little travel.
I turned off the motor because it was awful. The backplate of the phone has a headphone jack that bleeds into it. I don't know if that's an intentional part of the design or if it's a defect on my device, but that's not going to win it any style points.
The photos this camera took in good lighting conditions were good, but they weren't good enough for nightime and low-light photography. You can see how things change when you open them. For reference:
The price and availability of the Fairphone 3/3+ are drawbacks. The phone is overpriced for what it is based on specifications alone, as it retails for 399 and higher. Fairphone has to pay a fair price for materials, distribution, labor, etc., so I don't fault the company for pricing the phone the way it did. It's something to keep in mind.
Most people can't get this phone if they want to. The Fairphone 3 isn't generally available outside of Europe. When I asked Fairphone if they were planning on expanding their global availability, I was told that it was something they were exploring but that they did not have a time frame for it.
Fairphone 3 is a competition.
Jeramy Johnson is from the Central region.
The Teracube 2e is the best sustainable and repairable phone. The 2e costs half as much as the Fairphone 3/3+ and has a four-year warranty. The case and screen protectors are made up of at least 25% recycled plastic.
The Fairphone 3/3+ is a very repairable phone, and the 4a is even cheaper than that. It will get at least three platform updates and as many monthly security patches.
If you live in Europe, you should consider the SHIFT6m. The Fairphone 3/3+ earned a perfect score from iFixit, and this phone has a similar value proposition.
Should you buy it?
Jeramy Johnson is from the Central region.
You would like a more sustainable phone.
You like to fix your own devices.
You like to update your OS.
You live outside of Europe.
The best hardware is what you want.
You want the latest features.
I'm torn when asked if the Fairphone 3/3+ is worth it. I wouldn't say it's a great value for the physical device and components you're paying for, if you're looking at it like any other mid-range phone. Is that not the whole story?
A lot of what you're paying for when you buy a phone like this is an idea, an image, and a lifestyle, as my colleagues have said concerning expensive foldables like the Samsung Z Flip or the RAZR. The Fairphone 3/3+ is definitely an aspirational product, even though it doesn't have the wow factor of those other phones.
This is not a phone for people who care about the latest and greatest, and it's certainly not a phone for people who are constantly looking for the best. Those people should look elsewhere.
The Fairphone 3/3+ is for people who think that good enough is, well, good enough. It's for people who believe in the idea of a circular economy and the mission of true sustainable living. It's for people who like to take their tech apart, repair and rebuild it, and feel like they own their device.
The Fairphone 3/3+ is an anti-enthusiast phone and the perfect enthusiast phone because you can tinker with the hardware and software to your heart's content.
The Fairphone 3/3+ might be a good fit for you. I would love to have one in my hands on a more consistent basis, and I look forward to seeing how Fairphone continues to innovate and push the tech industry forward.
The torch is being carried.
The Fairphone 3 is one of the most repairable and sustainable phones out there. The third iteration of the company is its best yet, and it continues to be a pioneer in creating a circular economy.
Better specifications for less.
One of the best warranties in the business is offered by the Teracube 2e. The Fairphone 3 is available for purchase in the U.S., but it offers better specifications and build quality.
The article was published in April 2020.
The following changes were made in December 2021.
There is a link to review and mention of Fairphone 4.
The following changes were made in May 2021.
Pricing has been updated to reflect recent sales.
There are modular components available for the Fairphone 3.
The price and availability section has been added.
Competition section has been added.
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