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I've had my current hand me down phone for the past two years, which is now slowly dying, so this video comes at a great time for me! I am definitely considering a Fairphone. Thanks for making this video!
nope! as great as the fairphone sounds ethically, it unfortunately has slightly less than mediocre user experience! I've been using an iphone 6s plus for 4+ years and it works just fine! i've also used an iphone 4s for 3+ years and it worked fine for me too! also i rarely throw any electronics away, either i keep them, sell them or give them away to someone that may need them! we shouldn't have to compromise everything just to reduce our impact, especially because the top 10% produces 50% of the worlds emissions! i prefer low impact over zero waste, the zero waste community must one of the worst communities out there, i felt like i committed a crime for every "mistake" i did!
Yes please. I recently started using ubuntu on my computer and now i kinda want to add ubuntu to my phone too and guess what? Ubuntu touch works on fair phone :p well atleast the older ones did. Not sure if the new one does.
I have a fairphone and I really love it. I shied away from it for a long time because of the bad reviews, but I can honestly say, I have no problems with version 3
I love that he always tries to show both sides of the problem and he's not convincing you to anything. The viewer has to chose what he believes and make his own opinions on the subject.
I have lost my smartphone in December and I started using a Nokia from 10 years ago instead. I got used to it and felt no need to replace it, but my Grandma just got a smartphone herself and she really wanted to be able to share memes and such with me, so she urged me to buy a new smartphone. I told her I can only consider a Fairphone, so she eventually got it for me. I am so happy.
This is the first time I have heard of the fair phone (probably because I'm american) but it sounds like such a good idea. It would literally be so cool to just go and buy a new part for my phone. You could upgrade or replace a broken part as you need it. It would work a lot like a PC, you can just put the parts you want/need in it.
The problem with Fairphone is that they change the part's form factor every generation, they were able to make an upgradeable part thingy with the Fairphone 3 and 3+, these two have the same form factor, so you can just get Fairphone 3+ parts and upgrade Fairphone 3 parts. However the Fairphone 2, 3 and 4's parts are not interchangeable. I think they should have a parts standard like PCs do.
@@Kromiball On the other hand, wouldn't that trick us back into consuming? Upgrading lots of parts we didn't need? I guess if the alternative is to buy a whole new phone it is better to get some parts, but really shouldn't we just try to NOT upgrade? So that best would be to have something that didn't get outdated, and that could be repaired. My iPhone 6s from 2015 has a bad battery and the cable for the home button if broken. If Apple didn't force software updates on me to sell new phones I would just repair this one and keep using it, but if I could upgrade the phone little by little I probably would. Just to get a better phone.
While I absolutely support raising awareness about sustainable smartphones, I'm disappointed that most videos only mention FairPhones. They surely were the first and are currently are the largest sustainable phone manufacturer, but I think it's important to acknowledge others as well: ShiftPhones and Purism for example. Even just mentioning the fact that FairPhone isn't the only one could address some concerns that people might have regarding modular phones: outdated hardware and few models to choose between. ShiftPhone's 6m and 6mq for example are some high-end (but also high-price) alternatives to FairPhones, while Purism's Librem 5 and its Linux-based OS might appeal to people who dislike Android because of Google.
Is it really though ? Genuine question, but right now buying refurbished Iphones for example makes it easier to sell old IPhones so anyone who wants to buy the new iPhone every year can easily do it since selling their previous phone is easy. And if every potential Fairphone customers think it's environmentally better to buy refurbished, how does this company actually can grow and attract more customers, develop better products etc ... ? Those are questions I ask myself and still haven't found an answer :/ I agree fully about building a new system but it's going to take time and right now I feel like "green company" are trying to grow but their customers are anti- consumerist so that's a bit of a paradox ...
Great video, thank you for making it. I loosely had the idea of buying a Fairphone when my current phone eventually dies, but it's now definitely at the front of my mind, and will almost definitely be my purchase, unless there is a more sustainable second hand option.
I've had my current phone for about 4 years, I think, and I started thinking about getting a new one as it's getting slower When I decide to buy a new one, fairphone sounds like a great choice, but it can wait a bit longer
i bought a fairphone a few months ago because my iphone6 showed repeated signs of giving up, so far it stayed strong though... should have waited until the iphone stopped working all together. i am part of the issue it appears :(
I'm looking to get a Fairphone when my current mobile is beyond repair, so it was really good to see this, thanks. Admittedly my only real worry is the availability of cases for it. I'm very clumsy so to maximise a phone's life I go for big, heavy-duty cases (think Supcase). So many companies only make cases for Apple and Samsung phones now, it's a battle to find anything else.
It doesn't really have heavy-duty cases. But I have one and it survived a lot of falls and never broke. You can also try making your own heavy-duty case.
also think its really cool how much emphasis you put on worker rights even though your main point is environmental impact bc not a lot of people realize that environmental exploitation and worker exploitation go hand-in-hand. really like your stuff dude 👍 keep it up
Excellent video as usual! I’m learning so much from you on creating environmental education videos. Thanks a lot for the informative content. You’re doing a much needed service and I hope to follow your footsteps.
When my Mom needed to replace her old S5mini after she used it as long as possible, I immediately checked on Fairphone and the 3 was just about to be released! She got one since then and is very happy I think :D If I ever need a new phone, I would also go with Fairphone, or Shiftphone, who also try to make things better.
I honestly dont understand why you would need the newest high-end phone. Like I use it to take photos, search the internet and sometimes use sociall media. Why would I need a 1000 dollar phone for that when a 400 dollar one is just as good.
Well, technically a fairphone is already too expensive for the hardware that you get out of the 400€ price tag. I suppose it would be smarter to invest into some really great legacy hardware with custom ROM support (yes, I'll say it 'LinageOS') and enjoy a perfectly great hardware for a low price with super long software support. The LinageOS dudes are awesome!
@@Freakyjohnsson1 A few years ago I would argue that a high end phone would be better for most, since it would last longer (in terms of software and speed). Now though I think that there are many mid-range phones that is powerfull enougth for most. There is though two benefits with the high end phones (often) longer software support (still to short in my opinion) and a better camera.
Agreed, but I still try to make more ethical choices where I can, simply because I can and I hope to make some difference. Mostly I'm working on de-brainwashing myself out of consumerism.
@@TheCopperLife if I may recommend some channels I think Second Thought gives great content as an introduction to socialism, especially concerning all the problems of capitalism from an American perspective. Halim alrah makes good introductory videos of socialist theory as well. Hakim is very knowledgeable of more in depth theory and he lives in Iraq so this gives a unique perspective as well. Yugopnik is someone who lives in a former socialist country - Yugoslavia, and he makes good content as well. Luna Oi lives in Vietnam, so her channel is great if you want to learn more about Vietnam and its history. If you want someone to debunk myths about socialism and communism in the modern era Bay Area415 is excellent (he's also an attorney so he knows his legal jargon). If you want to read an article about socialism I think Albert Einstein's "Why socialism?" is a great one to start with. Of course concerning climate change I think the best is none other than Our Changing Climate but I'm sure you already subscribed to that :)
@@luc6284 Thanks for such an thoughtful answer! Socialism is very familiar to me since I live in Sweden, but as talked about in the video moving from capitalism to a new form of socialism sounds interesting. That big of a change can't happen over night so is degrowth and ecosocialism a good/viable way to start that positive transformation in a western society?
@@luc6284 Also, the biggest change will be limiting the profit that investors/owners earn and giving power to the employees. That is very far from capitalism so I foresee it beeing very difficult.
I like the concept of the Fairphone, and would love to see the philosophy in other products too. Too bad that they don't make s smaller version, modern phones are too big for my taste. I'm still using a phone from 5 years ago, and it's working well, so not going to change any time soon. But when it becomes necessary, it would be nice to have a suitable Fairphone option.
Here's a f'd up scheme I know about, in some places in California, garbage companies have to regularly scrap the entirety of there fleets and replace them in order to conform to state emissions guidelines, I'd love to see if you guys could do a video on the impact of replacement vs the benefits of extending the use of products already created.
I got the Fairphone 3+ some months ago and I love everything about it I love the design that goes against everything I hate about today's smartphones, I love the fact that I won't have to worry about security updates (my last phone I had a really hard time struggling with custom ROMs just so I could have a secure and up to date OS), I love the surprisingly long battery life, I love the robustness of the phone and I love the fact that it can do everything I need it for just flawlessly and will probably continue to do so for at least five years
You could also make a video about the Shift phones. It's a german company that produces modular phones (and tablet pcs in the future) with great emphasis on the environment and sustainability
Many years abo i was in "De Waag" in Amsterdam and the to be fair phone team had a bunch of nice displays, taken apart phones showing all parts so like the back plastic part, all pcbs, screen front part. Just a bunch of different brands and models that made all parts clear to see. It has always been a nice thing to see them actually make it and be at version 3. Just awesome sending people all around the world to get cleaner base materials without the social and environmental impact, just awesome and something I hope more will do and support. Knowing them way before there was an actual phone this is one of the companies actually worth supporting nice to see a vid about them.
I hope big companies do more to improve their environmental impact like Fairphone. I currently have an iPhone 6 and I've had it for about 6 years. But recently it's been kinda slow and I'm thinking about getting a new one. I searched for sustainable options and found Fairphone but as mentioned in the video, they don't ship to countries outside of Europe. Should I just get the newest iPhone to avoid having to change it often?
Apple deliberately slows down the performance of their older phones to encourage you to upgrade. You'd be better off looking for an alternative if you're going for a long-lasting option. Could you put a new battery in your current phone?
I would buy a Fairphone in a heartbeat if band compatibility in the US wasn't an issue. Fairphone if you are reading this - people in the US want this product.
I would like to buy a phone like that. It sucks when I collect money to buy new phone and then my phone became older version and the parts just not working like it used to. I'm hoping they will sell their products worldwide
I had one of these from the first generation and it did NOT end up being what they promised. They completely stopped the support and updates for it after 3 years, didn't produce anymore replacement parts and if your battery broke down, you had to get one from someone who still had one lying around. Didn't buy another new phone since then and now always go for used ones.
You should make a video about the ocean and how it plays a huge factor in climate change. The show on Netflix called seaspiracy is great and shows all of the effects the ocean has and how It’s the thing we need to protect the most.
To all the phone manufactures out there: start using screws instead of glue, make the phone easily repairable by allowing easily access to the internals, focus on battery life and optimization instead of gimmicks, and lastly please for the sake of god standardize the batteries.. make 20-30 battery form factors to accommodate any phone and stick with those for god's sake. If you take any phone brand phone by phone you won't be able to interchange their batteries because they're all different. Standardizing the batteries would also cut costs because you wouldn't have to build a brand new battery for every new phone model.
Woah, seeing this after looking into getting a fairphone last week is kinda trippy Unfortunately it doesn't work with Verizon here in the US so the decision was sorta made for me :/
thank you for the video and insight in the fairphone. never heard of it before. After watching the video it became a major thinking stone when i'll need to buy a new phone. keep up the good work. :)
This idea of replacing parts rather than the entire phone is brilliant and works well for reliable long-lasting vehicles which I'm guessing have figured out that selling parts can be even more lucrative than selling entire vehicles, or in this case phones. Who says being environmentally responsible is not good for business? I think it’s the future. Great work.
Let's make a video explaining and talking about your vision of an economic system! This is the change we need to hear about. Super interested to hear about it! Cheers!
Just got a used Fairphone 2 to replace my old, also sustainable, shiftphone. Had the old one for about 5 yrs. Problem now is the software update - I couldn't use some important apps anymore. Fortunately Fairphone 2 still goes strong and I just updated this one to Android 9. So if you think about getting one maybe you'd like to check out an older version first. Got mine for about 40 bucks. Can't argue with that!
So glad you did a video on this 😊 I first learnt about this phone in 2015, & have since been waiting for them to be offered here in Australia... Love what they're doing. Like you said, its an imperfect system (personally, I can't wait till we get to a day when mining can stop altogether), but love that they're doing what they are, & keeping pretty transparent about most things... Next time I'm in Europe (or they come to Aus) I'll be buying one for when mine dies... After all this time its nearly there though... Glad you taught more people about this 🌈
I saw this video when it first came out, and came back to it now that I’m looking into a new phone - as my current one is at 5 yrs and running, and has started to shut down randomly, spazz out, etc. I usually get about 5 yrs out of my (new) phones (I’ve previously had 4-5 secondhand phones for around 1-2 yrs each, and I’ve had a phone since 2008), and I’m now trying to decide which new phone I should get - a Fairphone, or another Samsung, as my previous 2 smartphones were. The new phone I get now will be my 3rd new phone, and I will have gotten 5 yrs out of the previous two, and that’s just my use of them, as I tend to hand down or lend out my old phones to friends/family, or save them as backups in case of accidents etc, which isn’t the best use-per-pollution rate, but compared to a lot of my friends (early 20s) I think I’m nearly doing the best I can do within my sustainable ambitions.
I know the raspberry pi is not usually marketed as an eco thing, but it could be interesting to see the impact of the rapberrypi4, especially because of its low power usage
We definitely need a new model for growth. Recently, Danish newspaper zetland has covered "the fishing boat model", which is essentially worker coop with 20% profit sharing and 50% worker stock ownership, empowering workers.
I've lived the past few years trying to lower my impact by buying either used, or broken phones/laptops and repairing/upgrading them to the spec I needed, one less new device bought by me, one less repairable device being recycled. My next phone will likely be a fairphone, although my problem with their device is that it isn't upgradable where I feel it should. Why can't I pop in a new eMMC chip when the 64GB one becomes too small? And no, uSD is not the answer. After all that's the reason I had to give away my perfectly functioning LG G6 a few months ago. Why can't I upgrade the CPU+RAM combo when they can no longer keep up the pace? In the hardware hacking community these things are a regular occurrence, even if companies try to make it as difficult as possible. I replaced the eMMC chip in my 2015 tablet upgrading from 32 to 64GB, but that took a hot-air rework station and a lot of research.
I bought the Fairphone 3 about over a year ago and can recommend it. Handles really well, the only negative thing is that the letters on the back came off after about 6 months. I put a bit of white paint in the sockets and it looks even better now. Good choice, if you need a new phone.
I learned about Fairphone back in 2014 from a New Zealander that I became friends with. It's not available in South Africa but I really hope the concept gains even more traction.
My first Smartphone ever was a Fairphone 2 - acutally the same Fairphone 2 I still use to this day. (Although it might be a bit of a Phone of Theseus at this point.)
This piece goes completely to the heart of the problem. I know someone who used to work as a quality control engineer in a massive consumer electronics firm and he told me the pressure to deliver products faster and cheaper meant less testing time, less reliable components (especially capacitors on chips!) and so generally products with shorter lifetimes. Even so, the competition from Asian imports was so intense the factory was continually at risk of being shut down. As Charlie says in the video, the Fairphone itself is almost more important as a symbol which will hopefully spearhead a new kind of tech future premised on build quality, reparability and minimising waste and emissions. We can't hope to beat the climate crisis if we don't massively start campaigning for this, and we need to get the big tech reviewers like unbox therapy and MKBHD to get on board with promoting this message.
There are two main things that make phones hard to last long, and that's battery and software. Batteries don't last forever, and even Samsung flagship phones only get 2 years of software updates.
Which OS does Fairphone use? If it's Android, forget it - I wouldn't touch Android with a 40-foot pole. (I currently still use my old Blackberry running BBOS, based on QNX - Blackberry's implementation of UNIX.)
The most important part for me is modularity. Obviously, ethically made phones are important, but modularity is the feature in my opinion that allows us to fight this consumerism system. One of the greatest problems we have today is programmed obsolescence, so being able to repair your stuff is a huge deal. Hope they get bigger and still manage to be "fair", also sparkling the debate and encouraging other brands to do something similar.
I'd be interesting in seeing how a service model can be implemented. I would be willing to pay for long-term software and security updates, as well as updates about the production process and discounts on new phone modules.
The smartphone replaces dozens of gadgets (phone, camera, GPS, computer, TV, newspapers/books/magazines etc...) that we used to own. So in this sense, it has quite lowered our carbon footprint and at the same time increased access to information to the masses.
Just came from Curiositystream watching "Engineering the Future" which is about new renewable technologies and a really good watch! I can recommend using the link in the description here, good content
If you need a better phone, a used android flagship is a good option since it devalues quick but doesn't exactly slow down easy cause its updates stop earlier than iphones but software gets supported for the older versions more, android 4 still has software support or did when i used it in 2023
It's insane that it's so diffucult to produce and consume sustainably. (Currently I dont think there is any way to consume sustainbly unless youre buying plants from a very local organic farm or neighbor).
Very surprised an iPhone got a score of 6/10, was under the impressions that iPhones were even worse, given their reputation for tanking after a years use.
@@TitanSKiZlz I did have a relatively similar experience with my old iPhone 5s, it lasted for a very long time! Maybe the reputation is with their newer models?
Also worth notice that a tiny percentage of your carbon footprint in rich countries comes from your phone, so compared to something like buying a used/smaller car (or any number of other things) it is relatively insignificant (but not unimportant)
Only 5 years of support is quite disappointing. Even 7 years isn't all that much. It'd be nice if (at least some) components for newer phones (like, the camera) could be backwards compatible. That way they wouldn't need to keep stocks of old cameras for ages just in case someone needs on in 10 years, btu you could still repair your old phone. Interesting video! Fairphone is definitely a product I've considered getting on multiple occassions, but I ended up with a second hand device since at the time money was an issue. (And I can still get (probably offbrand) replacement batteries for my 7 year old tablet...) But I'll definitely consider it again next time I need a new phone.
What I like about Fairphone is that they don't act like they are 100% perfect. They are transparent about the issues and do their best to change the business, ground up. Very happy with my FP3.
Bought my first smartphone (Galaxy Xcover) around 2011 but had to replace it with the OnePlus One in 2014 because the storage was so limited that nothing but WhatsApp fit on it. Dropped the OnePlus in 2018 and couldn't repair it (because of the screen) so I replaced it with the OnePlus 5t. Been using that since then and hope that I don't have to place it anytime soon, but if I do I probably go for a (refurbished) fairphone.
I don't know. I'd probably never want to change only the camera of my phone. I'd want to change it all to get upgrade in all components not just the camera. In fact it might not be possible to get full benefit of camera upgrade in many instances without also upgrading CPU that provides optimizations for algorithms necessary to process real time image. We probably will not have a sustainable model as long as we keep improving performance of literally all phone parts (screen, battery, CPU, GPU, wireless, camera, sensors) as quickly as we are today. If we make noticeable improvement that can do more than existing devices - this alone immediately makes existing devices obsolete. The only way to make it more sustainable is to slow down the pace of improvement so that noticable improved performance would come out every 10-20 years instead of every 2-4.
Needs less bezels and/or a smaller body. I get the feeling the Fairphone should be targeting minimalists - people who like life simple. But no minimalist will be happy with something that big and chunky. I'm not expecting something as small as my 12 mini. I'm expecting the 4 to come out around when I'll be looking for a new phone, so hoping that can be the one for me. Maybe a used FP3 will tempt me as a backup phone.
Im curious how long the stock parts last until you need to order a new battery, speaker, etc. from them? Also, I buy my phones used but I’m also relying on others to constantly upgrade so I can buy their phones. If I buy something new and name brand with the confidence that, if I don’t like it, I can just sell it on Facebook or Craigslist or Plato’s Closet, then I may be more likely to consume new products. That being said, do we jump ship and gravitate towards sustainable companies and buy new, or do we keep buying used mainstream products? All this, of course, after our current phone is riddled obsolete or destroyed.
Updates and Support length. It is why I bought him. But can by smaller, till 145mm. Europe Comision should change, why desktop OS is supported by updates almost decade and is easy replace him by new one but on phone it isn't possible.
I've been considering upgrading my phone recently, it's a Windows phone from 2016, the app store is closed and since Microsoft stopped supporting the phones it's lost a chunk of functionality, the battery life is getting pretty bad as well. Might consider picking up a Fairphone, but I've no idea if it's available in the UK.
💡 Do you think you would ever want a Fairphone?
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I've had my current hand me down phone for the past two years, which is now slowly dying, so this video comes at a great time for me! I am definitely considering a Fairphone. Thanks for making this video!
nope! as great as the fairphone sounds ethically, it unfortunately has slightly less than mediocre user experience!
I've been using an iphone 6s plus for 4+ years and it works just fine! i've also used an iphone 4s for 3+ years and it worked fine for me too!
also i rarely throw any electronics away, either i keep them, sell them or give them away to someone that may need them!
we shouldn't have to compromise everything just to reduce our impact, especially because the top 10% produces 50% of the worlds emissions!
i prefer low impact over zero waste, the zero waste community must one of the worst communities out there, i felt like i committed a crime for every "mistake" i did!
Yes please. I recently started using ubuntu on my computer and now i kinda want to add ubuntu to my phone too and guess what? Ubuntu touch works on fair phone :p well atleast the older ones did. Not sure if the new one does.
I have recently lost my phone, I will definitely consider it. Thank you for this video.
I have a fairphone and I really love it. I shied away from it for a long time because of the bad reviews, but I can honestly say, I have no problems with version 3
This is one of the most fascinating UA-cam channels out there.
Yes!
It deserves way more attention, he does incredibly good work!
I love that he always tries to show both sides of the problem and he's not convincing you to anything. The viewer has to chose what he believes and make his own opinions on the subject.
Exactly. Super talented person on a mission to educate people in important matters.
Yeah, it recaps complex issues in a very understandable but not shallow way.
Smartphone sustainability is probably one of the most overlooked topics. Loved this video.
Laptop as well
Loved watching this! Thanks so much for the in-depth analysis as always (:
Your smiley face is the wrong way round :(
I have lost my smartphone in December and I started using a Nokia from 10 years ago instead. I got used to it and felt no need to replace it, but my Grandma just got a smartphone herself and she really wanted to be able to share memes and such with me, so she urged me to buy a new smartphone. I told her I can only consider a Fairphone, so she eventually got it for me. I am so happy.
This is the first time I have heard of the fair phone (probably because I'm american) but it sounds like such a good idea. It would literally be so cool to just go and buy a new part for my phone. You could upgrade or replace a broken part as you need it. It would work a lot like a PC, you can just put the parts you want/need in it.
The problem with Fairphone is that they change the part's form factor every generation, they were able to make an upgradeable part thingy with the Fairphone 3 and 3+, these two have the same form factor, so you can just get Fairphone 3+ parts and upgrade Fairphone 3 parts. However the Fairphone 2, 3 and 4's parts are not interchangeable.
I think they should have a parts standard like PCs do.
@@Kromiball On the other hand, wouldn't that trick us back into consuming? Upgrading lots of parts we didn't need? I guess if the alternative is to buy a whole new phone it is better to get some parts, but really shouldn't we just try to NOT upgrade? So that best would be to have something that didn't get outdated, and that could be repaired.
My iPhone 6s from 2015 has a bad battery and the cable for the home button if broken. If Apple didn't force software updates on me to sell new phones I would just repair this one and keep using it, but if I could upgrade the phone little by little I probably would. Just to get a better phone.
While I absolutely support raising awareness about sustainable smartphones, I'm disappointed that most videos only mention FairPhones. They surely were the first and are currently are the largest sustainable phone manufacturer, but I think it's important to acknowledge others as well: ShiftPhones and Purism for example.
Even just mentioning the fact that FairPhone isn't the only one could address some concerns that people might have regarding modular phones: outdated hardware and few models to choose between. ShiftPhone's 6m and 6mq for example are some high-end (but also high-price) alternatives to FairPhones, while Purism's Librem 5 and its Linux-based OS might appeal to people who dislike Android because of Google.
I didn’t know about those brands, thanks for sharing them! Are there other sustainable brands that you know about?
Watching on my Fairphone, hope this'll have a happy ending 👀
Same :[]
same lol
Same
Same :D
@@sashavonb2570 is it trash?
It is great but the most eco - friendly thing to do is stay with your old phone
Or, if you really, really need a "new" phone: Buy it used or refurbed
Yes! Definitely!
I'm very glad both occ and the Fairphone company mentioned that in the video.
@@danielsykes7558 Yeah, that just proofs again that they actually care and don't want to empty your wallet like Apple, Samsung, etc.
Is it really though ? Genuine question, but right now buying refurbished Iphones for example makes it easier to sell old IPhones so anyone who wants to buy the new iPhone every year can easily do it since selling their previous phone is easy. And if every potential Fairphone customers think it's environmentally better to buy refurbished, how does this company actually can grow and attract more customers, develop better products etc ... ? Those are questions I ask myself and still haven't found an answer :/
I agree fully about building a new system but it's going to take time and right now I feel like "green company" are trying to grow but their customers are anti- consumerist so that's a bit of a paradox ...
I'd love to see a laptop version of this!
Me too!
There is one in the works at the company Shift. They are very similar to Fairphone
Framework's modular laptop:
ua-cam.com/video/XFrJcjCbCA8/v-deo.html
That's a good idea
Theres framework which is very similar
Great video, thank you for making it. I loosely had the idea of buying a Fairphone when my current phone eventually dies, but it's now definitely at the front of my mind, and will almost definitely be my purchase, unless there is a more sustainable second hand option.
Great minds think alike! Great video Charlie!
Must be great because he agrees with you!
You guys should totally team up to overthrow capitalism! :D
I've had my current phone for about 4 years, I think, and I started thinking about getting a new one as it's getting slower
When I decide to buy a new one, fairphone sounds like a great choice, but it can wait a bit longer
i bought a fairphone a few months ago because my iphone6 showed repeated signs of giving up, so far it stayed strong though...
should have waited until the iphone stopped working all together. i am part of the issue it appears :(
same !!!! however i live in asia so ill ask a friend in spain to buy it for me and ship it to me. im voting with my wallet!!!!!
@@aintnobodylikeu but but... the carbon foot print of it traveling all the way from spain? ;P
6:14 that edit must have been really difficult to do. Props
Why though it is a transparent (greenscreen) stock video from which he removed it and added a text background.
Am I missing something?
@@keybraker Being a video editor, yeah that's pretty much it.
For a second I thought the rocks fell around the text and not in front
I'm looking to get a Fairphone when my current mobile is beyond repair, so it was really good to see this, thanks. Admittedly my only real worry is the availability of cases for it. I'm very clumsy so to maximise a phone's life I go for big, heavy-duty cases (think Supcase). So many companies only make cases for Apple and Samsung phones now, it's a battle to find anything else.
It doesn't really have heavy-duty cases. But I have one and it survived a lot of falls and never broke. You can also try making your own heavy-duty case.
Absolutely phenomenal, a company taking genuine accountability is so rare these days!
So interesting to learn about how technology and sustainability can be evaluated!
It’s criminal how small the following of this content is for how good it is... Has to be one of the most under followed channels on UA-cam
Ah yes, the small following of 200k+ subscribers
so true king. i never see people talking about the rise in consumerism as activism so im really glad youre using your platform to get that out 💯
also think its really cool how much emphasis you put on worker rights even though your main point is environmental impact bc not a lot of people realize that environmental exploitation and worker exploitation go hand-in-hand. really like your stuff dude 👍 keep it up
The company that made fairphone really just did a “fine, I’ll do it myself”
The channel lures you in with a review on phones, sneakily throws in a call to overhaul the economic system. Nice.
The two subjects are inherently intertwined, dawg.
can I just say,this video has a very consistent style throughout...That’s dope
Excellent video as usual! I’m learning so much from you on creating environmental education videos. Thanks a lot for the informative content. You’re doing a much needed service and I hope to follow your footsteps.
Thanks Ankur! Glad you're getting something from the videos!
When my Mom needed to replace her old S5mini after she used it as long as possible, I immediately checked on Fairphone and the 3 was just about to be released! She got one since then and is very happy I think :D
If I ever need a new phone, I would also go with Fairphone, or Shiftphone, who also try to make things better.
I actually thought about buying one lately because I don't need high end smartphones anymore. Better safe some money and use it for better things.
I thought the same and having been enjoying mine since.
I honestly dont understand why you would need the newest high-end phone. Like I use it to take photos, search the internet and sometimes use sociall media. Why would I need a 1000 dollar phone for that when a 400 dollar one is just as good.
Well, technically a fairphone is already too expensive for the hardware that you get out of the 400€ price tag.
I suppose it would be smarter to invest into some really great legacy hardware with custom ROM support (yes, I'll say it 'LinageOS') and enjoy a perfectly great hardware for a low price with super long software support. The LinageOS dudes are awesome!
@@overflow7276 while the custom OS sounds neat, the low price you mention is often comes with bad working conditions or wages for the product
@@Freakyjohnsson1 A few years ago I would argue that a high end phone would be better for most, since it would last longer (in terms of software and speed). Now though I think that there are many mid-range phones that is powerfull enougth for most.
There is though two benefits with the high end phones (often) longer software support (still to short in my opinion) and a better camera.
There is no ethical consumption under capitalism :/
Either way, it is great to see a company doing its best to show people a better world is possible
Agreed, but I still try to make more ethical choices where I can, simply because I can and I hope to make some difference. Mostly I'm working on de-brainwashing myself out of consumerism.
I need tips; What are the alternative to capitalism and where can I learn more. What are the search words? Ecosocialism?
@@TheCopperLife if I may recommend some channels I think Second Thought gives great content as an introduction to socialism, especially concerning all the problems of capitalism from an American perspective. Halim alrah makes good introductory videos of socialist theory as well. Hakim is very knowledgeable of more in depth theory and he lives in Iraq so this gives a unique perspective as well. Yugopnik is someone who lives in a former socialist country - Yugoslavia, and he makes good content as well. Luna Oi lives in Vietnam, so her channel is great if you want to learn more about Vietnam and its history. If you want someone to debunk myths about socialism and communism in the modern era Bay Area415 is excellent (he's also an attorney so he knows his legal jargon). If you want to read an article about socialism I think Albert Einstein's "Why socialism?" is a great one to start with. Of course concerning climate change I think the best is none other than Our Changing Climate but I'm sure you already subscribed to that :)
@@luc6284 Thanks for such an thoughtful answer! Socialism is very familiar to me since I live in Sweden, but as talked about in the video moving from capitalism to a new form of socialism sounds interesting. That big of a change can't happen over night so is degrowth and ecosocialism a good/viable way to start that positive transformation in a western society?
@@luc6284 Also, the biggest change will be limiting the profit that investors/owners earn and giving power to the employees. That is very far from capitalism so I foresee it beeing very difficult.
I especially love the idea of dematerialization and moving from phone as a product to a service. Well done Charlie! 🙌
I like the concept of the Fairphone, and would love to see the philosophy in other products too. Too bad that they don't make s smaller version, modern phones are too big for my taste. I'm still using a phone from 5 years ago, and it's working well, so not going to change any time soon. But when it becomes necessary, it would be nice to have a suitable Fairphone option.
Degrowth is the biggest thing I'm waiting for. I hope that this spirit of many young people catches on and changes the world for the better.
Here's a f'd up scheme I know about, in some places in California, garbage companies have to regularly scrap the entirety of there fleets and replace them in order to conform to state emissions guidelines, I'd love to see if you guys could do a video on the impact of replacement vs the benefits of extending the use of products already created.
I got the Fairphone 3+ some months ago and I love everything about it
I love the design that goes against everything I hate about today's smartphones, I love the fact that I won't have to worry about security updates (my last phone I had a really hard time struggling with custom ROMs just so I could have a secure and up to date OS), I love the surprisingly long battery life, I love the robustness of the phone and I love the fact that it can do everything I need it for just flawlessly and will probably continue to do so for at least five years
This video was great! I was researching fairphone just a couple weeks ago and I still learnt some things. Thank you!
I was waiting for a video on Fairphone!! awesome work
You could also make a video about the Shift phones. It's a german company that produces modular phones (and tablet pcs in the future) with great emphasis on the environment and sustainability
How timely! My phone is in the process of dying and I've been looking into Fairphone and Shiftphone so this was really interesting.
Many years abo i was in "De Waag" in Amsterdam and the to be fair phone team had a bunch of nice displays, taken apart phones showing all parts so like the back plastic part, all pcbs, screen front part. Just a bunch of different brands and models that made all parts clear to see. It has always been a nice thing to see them actually make it and be at version 3. Just awesome sending people all around the world to get cleaner base materials without the social and environmental impact, just awesome and something I hope more will do and support. Knowing them way before there was an actual phone this is one of the companies actually worth supporting nice to see a vid about them.
I hope big companies do more to improve their environmental impact like Fairphone. I currently have an iPhone 6 and I've had it for about 6 years. But recently it's been kinda slow and I'm thinking about getting a new one. I searched for sustainable options and found Fairphone but as mentioned in the video, they don't ship to countries outside of Europe. Should I just get the newest iPhone to avoid having to change it often?
Apple deliberately slows down the performance of their older phones to encourage you to upgrade. You'd be better off looking for an alternative if you're going for a long-lasting option. Could you put a new battery in your current phone?
These are some pretty cool ideas, thanks!
I would buy a Fairphone in a heartbeat if band compatibility in the US wasn't an issue. Fairphone if you are reading this - people in the US want this product.
I would like to buy a phone like that. It sucks when I collect money to buy new phone and then my phone became older version and the parts just not working like it used to. I'm hoping they will sell their products worldwide
Great video!!! Thanks for the research + interviews!!
I had one of these from the first generation and it did NOT end up being what they promised. They completely stopped the support and updates for it after 3 years, didn't produce anymore replacement parts and if your battery broke down, you had to get one from someone who still had one lying around. Didn't buy another new phone since then and now always go for used ones.
You should make a video about the ocean and how it plays a huge factor in climate change. The show on Netflix called seaspiracy is great and shows all of the effects the ocean has and how It’s the thing we need to protect the most.
This is awesome. Thx for the hard work. I look fwd to supporting this
It would be great to see this available in Australia
To all the phone manufactures out there: start using screws instead of glue, make the phone easily repairable by allowing easily access to the internals, focus on battery life and optimization instead of gimmicks, and lastly please for the sake of god standardize the batteries.. make 20-30 battery form factors to accommodate any phone and stick with those for god's sake. If you take any phone brand phone by phone you won't be able to interchange their batteries because they're all different. Standardizing the batteries would also cut costs because you wouldn't have to build a brand new battery for every new phone model.
Woah, seeing this after looking into getting a fairphone last week is kinda trippy
Unfortunately it doesn't work with Verizon here in the US so the decision was sorta made for me :/
@@Fairphone woh
Wew she summoned Fairphone
@@Fairphone please bring fair phone to Brazil! I'd be incredible!
thank you for the video and insight in the fairphone. never heard of it before. After watching the video it became a major thinking stone when i'll need to buy a new phone.
keep up the good work. :)
This idea of replacing parts rather than the entire phone is brilliant and works well for reliable long-lasting vehicles which I'm guessing have figured out that selling parts can be even more lucrative than selling entire vehicles, or in this case phones. Who says being environmentally responsible is not good for business? I think it’s the future. Great work.
I have had one for a year. It's basic and I love it. I don't need the glam of a flagship.
That was crazy good and professional. I had no idea
I would be interested on a video on another Modular and Fair Phone. For example the Shiftphones from Shift GmbH from Germany.
Let's make a video explaining and talking about your vision of an economic system! This is the change we need to hear about. Super interested to hear about it! Cheers!
Check out Richard D. Wolff's channel Democracy at Work.
ua-cam.com/video/xQ0VBhAGgbo/v-deo.html
The only thing I hate about the Fairphone is that their market doesn't reach in my country so I could not able to buy one
I would love to see a sister video to this on myteracube. As an American I can't get fair phone and myteracube seems similar
Just got a used Fairphone 2 to replace my old, also sustainable, shiftphone. Had the old one for about 5 yrs. Problem now is the software update - I couldn't use some important apps anymore. Fortunately Fairphone 2 still goes strong and I just updated this one to Android 9. So if you think about getting one maybe you'd like to check out an older version first. Got mine for about 40 bucks. Can't argue with that!
So glad you did a video on this 😊 I first learnt about this phone in 2015, & have since been waiting for them to be offered here in Australia... Love what they're doing. Like you said, its an imperfect system (personally, I can't wait till we get to a day when mining can stop altogether), but love that they're doing what they are, & keeping pretty transparent about most things... Next time I'm in Europe (or they come to Aus) I'll be buying one for when mine dies... After all this time its nearly there though...
Glad you taught more people about this 🌈
You do awesome investigative journalism
Could you consider or have you already done a video about e-bikes and their effects on climate change
Just Subscribed to Curiosity Stream. So much stuuuuuufff! Thanks for convincing me, it took me about 200 sponsored videos but it finally worked
Good video as always
I saw this video when it first came out, and came back to it now that I’m looking into a new phone - as my current one is at 5 yrs and running, and has started to shut down randomly, spazz out, etc. I usually get about 5 yrs out of my (new) phones (I’ve previously had 4-5 secondhand phones for around 1-2 yrs each, and I’ve had a phone since 2008), and I’m now trying to decide which new phone I should get - a Fairphone, or another Samsung, as my previous 2 smartphones were.
The new phone I get now will be my 3rd new phone, and I will have gotten 5 yrs out of the previous two, and that’s just my use of them, as I tend to hand down or lend out my old phones to friends/family, or save them as backups in case of accidents etc, which isn’t the best use-per-pollution rate, but compared to a lot of my friends (early 20s) I think I’m nearly doing the best I can do within my sustainable ambitions.
I know the raspberry pi is not usually marketed as an eco thing, but it could be interesting to see the impact of the rapberrypi4, especially because of its low power usage
We definitely need a new model for growth.
Recently, Danish newspaper zetland has covered "the fishing boat model", which is essentially worker coop with 20% profit sharing and 50% worker stock ownership, empowering workers.
wishing the best for fairphone and also for everybody towards moving a sustainable system
I've lived the past few years trying to lower my impact by buying either used, or broken phones/laptops and repairing/upgrading them to the spec I needed, one less new device bought by me, one less repairable device being recycled. My next phone will likely be a fairphone, although my problem with their device is that it isn't upgradable where I feel it should. Why can't I pop in a new eMMC chip when the 64GB one becomes too small? And no, uSD is not the answer. After all that's the reason I had to give away my perfectly functioning LG G6 a few months ago. Why can't I upgrade the CPU+RAM combo when they can no longer keep up the pace?
In the hardware hacking community these things are a regular occurrence, even if companies try to make it as difficult as possible. I replaced the eMMC chip in my 2015 tablet upgrading from 32 to 64GB, but that took a hot-air rework station and a lot of research.
I bought the Fairphone 3 about over a year ago and can recommend it. Handles really well, the only negative thing is that the letters on the back came off after about 6 months. I put a bit of white paint in the sockets and it looks even better now. Good choice, if you need a new phone.
Great video, OCC!
Is it just me or this channel deserves more views, viewers, and subscribers. ❤
I learned about Fairphone back in 2014 from a New Zealander that I became friends with. It's not available in South Africa but I really hope the concept gains even more traction.
Thanks for this video! Appreciate you for getting to the difficult yet correct conclusions!
My first Smartphone ever was a Fairphone 2 - acutally the same Fairphone 2 I still use to this day. (Although it might be a bit of a Phone of Theseus at this point.)
Would love to see more sustainable technology videos!
This piece goes completely to the heart of the problem. I know someone who used to work as a quality control engineer in a massive consumer electronics firm and he told me the pressure to deliver products faster and cheaper meant less testing time, less reliable components (especially capacitors on chips!) and so generally products with shorter lifetimes. Even so, the competition from Asian imports was so intense the factory was continually at risk of being shut down. As Charlie says in the video, the Fairphone itself is almost more important as a symbol which will hopefully spearhead a new kind of tech future premised on build quality, reparability and minimising waste and emissions. We can't hope to beat the climate crisis if we don't massively start campaigning for this, and we need to get the big tech reviewers like unbox therapy and MKBHD to get on board with promoting this message.
There are two main things that make phones hard to last long, and that's battery and software. Batteries don't last forever, and even Samsung flagship phones only get 2 years of software updates.
Why is this channel so good?
UA-cam is a great place for investigative journalism
This is so awesome! Thanks for showing all the pros and cons!
Instead of replacing the phone, replace part XYZ
ok, what if I want a faster CPU?
Which OS does Fairphone use? If it's Android, forget it - I wouldn't touch Android with a 40-foot pole. (I currently still use my old Blackberry running BBOS, based on QNX - Blackberry's implementation of UNIX.)
Why
The most important part for me is modularity. Obviously, ethically made phones are important, but modularity is the feature in my opinion that allows us to fight this consumerism system. One of the greatest problems we have today is programmed obsolescence, so being able to repair your stuff is a huge deal. Hope they get bigger and still manage to be "fair", also sparkling the debate and encouraging other brands to do something similar.
fantastic and very informative video
I'd be interesting in seeing how a service model can be implemented. I would be willing to pay for long-term software and security updates, as well as updates about the production process and discounts on new phone modules.
The smartphone replaces dozens of gadgets (phone, camera, GPS, computer, TV, newspapers/books/magazines etc...) that we used to own. So in this sense, it has quite lowered our carbon footprint and at the same time increased access to information to the masses.
Just came from Curiositystream watching "Engineering the Future" which is about new renewable technologies and a really good watch! I can recommend using the link in the description here, good content
Yeah, the most sustainable product is the one you already own.
If you need a better phone, a used android flagship is a good option since it devalues quick but doesn't exactly slow down easy cause its updates stop earlier than iphones but software gets supported for the older versions more, android 4 still has software support or did when i used it in 2023
It's insane that it's so diffucult to produce and consume sustainably. (Currently I dont think there is any way to consume sustainbly unless youre buying plants from a very local organic farm or neighbor).
Very surprised an iPhone got a score of 6/10, was under the impressions that iPhones were even worse, given their reputation for tanking after a years use.
Same, they deliberately work against people fixing their own phones. I'm astounded they got a 6/10.
Exactly! They do feel like the opposite of role models for sustainability.
If you ever got your hands inside anything apple-made in the last 8 years you know it is definitely way lower than a 6. tbh even a 2 is too high
i've been using a 6s plus for 4+ year's and it's still going strong!
@@TitanSKiZlz I did have a relatively similar experience with my old iPhone 5s, it lasted for a very long time! Maybe the reputation is with their newer models?
Also worth notice that a tiny percentage of your carbon footprint in rich countries comes from your phone, so compared to something like buying a used/smaller car (or any number of other things) it is relatively insignificant (but not unimportant)
Wait! How did I end up here? This is one of the hidden GEM in UA-cam. I subbed faster than ever. Good Job
Only 5 years of support is quite disappointing. Even 7 years isn't all that much. It'd be nice if (at least some) components for newer phones (like, the camera) could be backwards compatible. That way they wouldn't need to keep stocks of old cameras for ages just in case someone needs on in 10 years, btu you could still repair your old phone.
Interesting video! Fairphone is definitely a product I've considered getting on multiple occassions, but I ended up with a second hand device since at the time money was an issue. (And I can still get (probably offbrand) replacement batteries for my 7 year old tablet...) But I'll definitely consider it again next time I need a new phone.
What I like about Fairphone is that they don't act like they are 100% perfect. They are transparent about the issues and do their best to change the business, ground up. Very happy with my FP3.
Bought my first smartphone (Galaxy Xcover) around 2011 but had to replace it with the OnePlus One in 2014 because the storage was so limited that nothing but WhatsApp fit on it. Dropped the OnePlus in 2018 and couldn't repair it (because of the screen) so I replaced it with the OnePlus 5t. Been using that since then and hope that I don't have to place it anytime soon, but if I do I probably go for a (refurbished) fairphone.
Is there some kinda fair phone in the United states? Or what is the best phone to get climate wise in the United States?
Just buy a second hand phone. You don’t buy fair-phone. For environment you buy ethics.
@Marques Brownlee
I don't know. I'd probably never want to change only the camera of my phone. I'd want to change it all to get upgrade in all components not just the camera. In fact it might not be possible to get full benefit of camera upgrade in many instances without also upgrading CPU that provides optimizations for algorithms necessary to process real time image. We probably will not have a sustainable model as long as we keep improving performance of literally all phone parts (screen, battery, CPU, GPU, wireless, camera, sensors) as quickly as we are today. If we make noticeable improvement that can do more than existing devices - this alone immediately makes existing devices obsolete. The only way to make it more sustainable is to slow down the pace of improvement so that noticable improved performance would come out every 10-20 years instead of every 2-4.
Needs less bezels and/or a smaller body. I get the feeling the Fairphone should be targeting minimalists - people who like life simple. But no minimalist will be happy with something that big and chunky. I'm not expecting something as small as my 12 mini. I'm expecting the 4 to come out around when I'll be looking for a new phone, so hoping that can be the one for me. Maybe a used FP3 will tempt me as a backup phone.
Im curious how long the stock parts last until you need to order a new battery, speaker, etc. from them? Also, I buy my phones used but I’m also relying on others to constantly upgrade so I can buy their phones. If I buy something new and name brand with the confidence that, if I don’t like it, I can just sell it on Facebook or Craigslist or Plato’s Closet, then I may be more likely to consume new products. That being said, do we jump ship and gravitate towards sustainable companies and buy new, or do we keep buying used mainstream products? All this, of course, after our current phone is riddled obsolete or destroyed.
Updates and Support length. It is why I bought him. But can by smaller, till 145mm.
Europe Comision should change, why desktop OS is supported by updates almost decade and is easy replace him by new one but on phone it isn't possible.
I've been considering upgrading my phone recently, it's a Windows phone from 2016, the app store is closed and since Microsoft stopped supporting the phones it's lost a chunk of functionality, the battery life is getting pretty bad as well. Might consider picking up a Fairphone, but I've no idea if it's available in the UK.