Fairphone 6 Debuts with Modular Design and Swappable Accessories
The Fairphone 6, the company’s most recent sustainable and repairable smartphone, was released two years after its last update. The larger 4,415mAh battery in the new model, which is 9% lighter and smaller, lasts up to 53 hours and is simple to change with just seven screws. Fairphone’s dedication to eco-friendly design and user-friendly repairs is further reinforced by the increased modularity that enables additional customization with add-ons like a card holder and finger loop that fasten to the rear.
The Fairphone 6 costs €599 (about $696) and is currently offered for sale on the company’s website and at various European shops. White, green, and black are the available colors. However, like to earlier iterations that go all the way back to the Fairphone 3, the new model will only be accessible in the United States via Murena, with delivery anticipated in August. The Fairphone 6 Murena will run a privacy-focused, de-Googled version of Android, which the firm refers it as /e/OS, in place of regular Android. For $899, you can preorder it right now.
A Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 mobile engine, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of expandable storage up to 2TB via an SDXC card are features of the Fairphone 6. Additionally, it has a 6.31-inch LTPO OLED screen, which is marginally smaller than the 6.46-inch screen on the Fairphone 5 but has a refresh rate increase from 90 to 120 Hz.
A 32MP hole-punch camera for selfies and video calls is located on the front, while a 50MP primary camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera are located on the back. Compared to the Fairphone 5, which has three cameras with 50MP sensors, it is a major drop down.
Although the lenses on the rear of the Fairphone 6 are now situated directly on the back panel rather than on a little camera bump, the device’s overall design is identical to that of the previous model. Now that the panel is more modular, the lower part can be taken out with just two screws and swapped out for alternatives that offer extra features, such as a wallet to keep cards or a finger loop to grip the phone more firmly with one hand. The concept is akin to the interchangeable accessories that Nothing provides for its CMF Phone 1 and Phone Pro 2, but the practicality of the system will rely on the quantity of accessories that Fairphone produces.
Fairphone continues to prioritize repairability, and the new phone maintains the modular design of previous iterations. Instead of utilizing specialist equipment, you can use a single common screwdriver to access and replace out 12 various parts, such as the screen, battery, and USB port, thanks to the modular design.
The company guarantees eight years of software support through 2033 and a five-year warranty to further prolong the Fairphone 6’s lifespan. The Fairphone 6’s restricted IP55 classification for dust and water resistance is a drawback of not having everything inside the phone sealed tightly and cemented in place. Although it can be splattered or even blasted by a water jet, it cannot withstand an unintentional submersion.
Fairphone appears to be sticking with its most recent smartphone, which includes performance enhancements and new modular attachments. However, it is also launching Fairphone Moments, a new software feature. With the use of a physical button on the side of the phone, you can “switch between a fully functional smartphone and a minimalist experience.”
