A whole lot of people get carried away with the market hype when a new premium smartphone launches. Full-screen display, glass back, quad-camera setup and HDR panel all look fabulous and trendy until you drop the phone.
These same features become less appealing when it means spending €500 on a broken mobile. This isn’t a general knowledge for most people out there. In a smartphone, the repairability factor plays an important role, meaning, whether or not a product is designed with repairability in mind.
iFixit assess ease of repair
To date, the repairability factor is measured by iFixit is a US-based site that hosts repair manuals to help people fix almost anything and also sell repair tools and spare parts. iFixit also conducts device “teardowns” to assess ease of repair.
Fairphone 3 scores 10!
Recently, Fairphone 3, which was released in Europe last week at €450 has scored a 10/10 repairability score in repairability according to iFixit. This makes it the second phone after the first iteration to get a 10/10 iFixit score. For the uninitiated, ten is the easiest to repair.
Interestingly, the Fairphone 3 utilises the same modular design as its predecessor, featuring many modules that can be swapped out with ease, including the battery.
Easiest to repair
According to iFixit, the company mentioned several reasons such as battery and screen could be accessed either without tools or just a regular Phillips screwdriver, replacement of complete modules is very easy, guides and spare parts are available via the manufacturer’s website.
How is it measured?
iFixit’s repairability scores range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best). A device with a perfect score will be relatively inexpensive to repair because it is easy to disassemble and has a service manual available.
Points are docked based on the difficulty of opening the device, the types of fasteners found inside, and the complexity involved in replacing major components. Points are awarded for upgradability, use of non-proprietary tools for servicing, and component modularity.
Fairphone 3 specifications!
Fairphone 3 is the result of the company’s ambition to create a fairer electronics industry with insights gained from the two previous offerings. This device has seven modules designed to support easy repairs and the company’s goals for long-lasting and sustainable phones. It saves 30% of CO2 emissions or more. In terms of specifications, it features:
- 5.65 IPS display with 1080 × 2160 resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC
- 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage
- 12 MP rear camera with ƒ/1.8 and a front-facing camera with 8 MP ƒ/2.0
- 3,060 mAh battery
- Fingerprint sensor, headphone jack, and IP54 rating
Why the name Fairphone?
If you are coming across this Amsterdam-based company for the first time, Fairphone makes sure the raw materials in the smartphone should not come from conflict areas. Since the phone is assembled in China, the company also ensures that the workers receive fair wages too.
Founded in 2010 by Bas van Abel, and Miguel Ballester, the company is aiming to make a positive impact across the value chain in mining, design, manufacturing and life cycle while expanding the market for products that put ethical values first. It’s worth mentioning that for every phone sold, three euros goes directly to the service organization that involves the recycling of the electronic waste in developing countries.
Main image credits: Fairphone
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