this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2025
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The single best thing for sustainability is long lifetime of the phone. Now that EU mandates it and Apple, Pixel and Samsung all offer 7 years of updates Fairphone's advantage here is slim. The rest are just vague promises. Apple also promises to support people and communities involved in its supply chain: https://www.apple.com/supply-chain/ All the companies try to avoid sweatshops because it's terrible for PR but unless you are actually going to assemble the phone in EU you don't really know who made it. For me the difference between two phones made in China is not big enough to pay double.
Sure, I just showed you the report, you may draw your own conclusions upon reading it. But in my opinion they've long proven to be transparent and actionable when it comes to improving the industry, e.g. by co-founding the Fair Cobalt Alliance. And maybe they even had something to do with those changes in legislation, the EU itself seems to recognise as much...
"Fairphone has made a tangible impact by improving working conditions for miners and factory workers, increasing the use of fair-trade and recycled materials, and extending product lifespans to combat e-waste. Its advocacy has influenced industry giants and policymakers to adopt fairer, more sustainable practices."
Probably. I'm not saying that Frairphone is bad and that what they are doing doesn't have any value. What I'm saying is that their phones were always too expensive for me and now that there are other phones with 7-8 year lifespan on the market it's even harder to justify the expense. I'm glad that enough people had the money to support Fairphone and I'm grateful for their contribution in changing the legislation. Maybe in 5-6 years, when I have to change my phone, I will get a Fairphone.