In a bid to reduce global electronic waste, Fairphone has created a smartphone that owners can repair themselves. What makes its technology so sustainable?
It is not green to repair a phone, it is green to get a case for your phone so you don’t destroy it in the first place.
Also I saw way more phones and laptops go into the trash because I could not buy a replacement part (2,5y old Acer Laptop, according to Acer end of life, could not find a new battery) or because software support ended (Windows 10 support will end 2025, lots of laptops don’t meet the hardware requirement for Win11, or smartphones like Galaxy S20 only getting 3y of security updates) is a WAY bigger factor than „easy repairability“.
I also don’t agree that something is difficult to repair, just because you need some tools or have to peel of some glue that prevented water damage of thousands of smartphones. I also don’t agree with the iFixit conclusion that it is anti consumer that the iOS tells the customer if the screen, battery or something else was replaced, which could potentially be of worse quality. As long as the device does not block these parts (which it does not to my knowledge) I think it is pro consumer because it prevents second hand ripoff’s.
I think I see where you’re coming from, but a few points don’t stick. I think ease of repair, availability of replacement parts and software support are often used in combination to dissuade the continued use of a product. I ended up ditching my (at the time new) Samsung S8 because it was so difficult to repair, well before it’s scheduled end-of-life. It had a case, but shit happens.
And I think the more recent Iphones do actually block certain functionality if a part is replaced by a 3rd party, genuine article nonwithstanding. Having the part identified as genuine, 3rd party or non Apple installed in the settings or something would probably be fine, but that’s not what’s happening.
And for the last point, mostly agreed, but a business profiting from a customer’s desire to do good doesn’t disqualify the good that a business might do while also profiting. It would be great if there was some not-for-profit/governent run rating on device longevity/repairability, as some countries do for electricity/water useage, but I’ll take the imperfect solution until then.
And I think the more recent Iphones do actually block certain functionality if a part is replaced by a 3rd party, genuine article nonwithstanding. Having the part identified as genuine, 3rd party or non Apple installed in the settings or something would probably be fine, but that’s not what’s happening.
I think that is exactly what is happening, but I am very open to new evidence.
but a business profiting from a customer’s desire to do good doesn’t disqualify the good that a business might do while also profiting.
God no, and I hope that my writing did not come off like that. English is not my native language. No, I think they do an excellent job, I just take what they say when it comes to repair regulations with a grain of salt.
I agree with you 95%, but a case can’t stop the battery from eating itself after 500 cycles or 4 years, so that does need to be replaceable (at a workbench, with proper tools, by someone with a modicum of care and patience).
(In fact, to some degree cases make it worse, by holding heat in during charging.)
Which major smart phones over the last ten years have not had replaceable batteries?
Even if the iPhone battery can only be replaced by an Apple-certified repair shop, you can just calculate that added tax into the overall price of using the phone over 5-6 years. I don’t really see what the issue is. It’s not like it’s expensive to have your battery replaced, and you only need to do it literally once over the useful lifespan of any phone.
I always charge my phone when it’s still over 50% that way the “fast charge” doesn’t kick in the temperature is just a little warm, but when I forgot to charge before I leave home and ended up like 20% left, I remove the case and let it fast charge. Otherwise I always opt for slow charge.
The case like he said actually really helped alot, dropped my phone many times it’s still fine, no crack no weird malfunction.
Of course batteries do degrade overtime but at least the phone case did the job to prevent many parts replacements.
Yeah, I prevent fast charge by charging from a USB port on my PC. Typically I plug in at 30-40% and stop at 70%. I do have a crack though… in the screen protector, which I will get around to replacing eventually, I swear.
Totally agree. But to be fair, it is pretty easy to replace a battery for most phones and laptops. It is way harder to get none Aliexpress battery replacement. Especially if you bought some random Acer or Asus model. Then even iFixit is not able to sell you a battery.
It is not green to repair a phone, it is green to get a case for your phone so you don’t destroy it in the first place.
Also I saw way more phones and laptops go into the trash because I could not buy a replacement part (2,5y old Acer Laptop, according to Acer end of life, could not find a new battery) or because software support ended (Windows 10 support will end 2025, lots of laptops don’t meet the hardware requirement for Win11, or smartphones like Galaxy S20 only getting 3y of security updates) is a WAY bigger factor than „easy repairability“.
I also don’t agree that something is difficult to repair, just because you need some tools or have to peel of some glue that prevented water damage of thousands of smartphones. I also don’t agree with the iFixit conclusion that it is anti consumer that the iOS tells the customer if the screen, battery or something else was replaced, which could potentially be of worse quality. As long as the device does not block these parts (which it does not to my knowledge) I think it is pro consumer because it prevents second hand ripoff’s.
I think I see where you’re coming from, but a few points don’t stick. I think ease of repair, availability of replacement parts and software support are often used in combination to dissuade the continued use of a product. I ended up ditching my (at the time new) Samsung S8 because it was so difficult to repair, well before it’s scheduled end-of-life. It had a case, but shit happens.
And I think the more recent Iphones do actually block certain functionality if a part is replaced by a 3rd party, genuine article nonwithstanding. Having the part identified as genuine, 3rd party or non Apple installed in the settings or something would probably be fine, but that’s not what’s happening.
And for the last point, mostly agreed, but a business profiting from a customer’s desire to do good doesn’t disqualify the good that a business might do while also profiting. It would be great if there was some not-for-profit/governent run rating on device longevity/repairability, as some countries do for electricity/water useage, but I’ll take the imperfect solution until then.
I think that is exactly what is happening, but I am very open to new evidence.
God no, and I hope that my writing did not come off like that. English is not my native language. No, I think they do an excellent job, I just take what they say when it comes to repair regulations with a grain of salt.
I agree with you 95%, but a case can’t stop the battery from eating itself after 500 cycles or 4 years, so that does need to be replaceable (at a workbench, with proper tools, by someone with a modicum of care and patience).
(In fact, to some degree cases make it worse, by holding heat in during charging.)
Which major smart phones over the last ten years have not had replaceable batteries?
Even if the iPhone battery can only be replaced by an Apple-certified repair shop, you can just calculate that added tax into the overall price of using the phone over 5-6 years. I don’t really see what the issue is. It’s not like it’s expensive to have your battery replaced, and you only need to do it literally once over the useful lifespan of any phone.
I always charge my phone when it’s still over 50% that way the “fast charge” doesn’t kick in the temperature is just a little warm, but when I forgot to charge before I leave home and ended up like 20% left, I remove the case and let it fast charge. Otherwise I always opt for slow charge.
The case like he said actually really helped alot, dropped my phone many times it’s still fine, no crack no weird malfunction.
Of course batteries do degrade overtime but at least the phone case did the job to prevent many parts replacements.
Yeah, I prevent fast charge by charging from a USB port on my PC. Typically I plug in at 30-40% and stop at 70%. I do have a crack though… in the screen protector, which I will get around to replacing eventually, I swear.
Totally agree. But to be fair, it is pretty easy to replace a battery for most phones and laptops. It is way harder to get none Aliexpress battery replacement. Especially if you bought some random Acer or Asus model. Then even iFixit is not able to sell you a battery.