Save a lot of money and get 3 months for free! Sign up for ExpressVPN now

Fairphone is different from other mobile phone brands. Most device manufacturers will encourage you to upgrade your phone every two years; even if you are using one of the best Android phones, a lack of long-term software updates or battery issues means you will have to replace your phone in a few years.

Of the 1.4 billion mobile phones sold worldwide, only 15% of the devices are recycled. The smartphone industry generates a lot of e-waste. Fairphone’s mission is to promote sustainability and design longer-lasting mobile phones, and to limit e-waste by making it easier to extend the life of mobile phones. To this end, its phones are equipped with removable batteries, internal components that users can easily turn off, and long-term updates that ensure their devices receive necessary software updates.

VPN benefits: $16 lifetime license, monthly plans of $1 and above

Fairphone 3 was launched two years ago and uses recyclable and ethical materials, but in terms of sustainability, it is not a very good phone. The performance of the Snapdragon 632 chipset was mediocre, the display quality was poor, and the battery did not last long.

Fairphone hopes to solve all these problems with its latest equipment, while retaining the philosophy that makes the brand stand out. Fairphone 4 is the first 5G phone of the Dutch brand. It has many upgrades: it uses a new design and is built from the ground up-including a back made of 100% post-consumer recycled polycarbonate-powerful internal hardware, bigger The battery, and increase the memory and storage space.

Let's start with sustainability. Fairphone 4 uses 14 ethical materials. The vibration motor is made of fair-mined tungsten from Rwanda. The magnesium plate behind the screen is made of 30% recycled magnesium alloy, fair trade gold, aluminum provided by the Aluminum Management Initiative (ASI)) Performance standard supplier and recycled tin. This mobile phone is the first mobile phone that does not collect e-waste. For every Fairphone 4 sold, Fairphone will recycle a mobile phone.

As for the hardware itself, it is fully upgraded. Fairphone 4 is equipped with a 6.3-inch Full HD panel and 5 layers of Gorilla Glass, a Snapdragon 750G chipset with 5G connectivity, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage space, or a high-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage space, and a removable 3905mAh battery . Dual SIM card connection is realized through eSIM, NFC and fingerprint sensor installed on the side.

This phone is connected via Sub-6 5G, has 12 5G frequency bands, and can cooperate with 19 operators in Europe. There are eight antennas for 5G connections around the device, and you will also find 17 4G frequency bands. Another new feature this year is IP54 waterproof; Fairphone 4 can withstand the ingress of dust and splashing water. Although it is not as sturdy as IP68, Fairphone stated that it decided to adopt IP54 because it still allows customers to replace internal hardware without damaging the seals needed to maintain waterproofness.

The design includes eight modular components that can be switched by the user. Fairphone will sell spare parts directly on its website to make it easier to replace the screen or battery when needed. Another positive change is the warranty; Fairphone 4 offers a 5-year warranty, which is more than anything you can find today. It should be noted that the warranty does not extend to the battery, but covers the rest of the hardware. When you are ready to hand over your phone, Fairphone says it will provide "fair market value" for the device.

As for the battery, Fairphone said that due to the Quick Charge 4.0 protocol, it can be charged to 50% in just 30 minutes. The device can be used with any USB PD charger over 20W, and like its predecessors, it is detachable.

Fairphone 4 also has a major upgrade to the camera, providing a 48MP main lens with image stabilization, as well as a 48MP wide-angle lens and ToF module. There is a 25MP camera on the front, and the brand is launching custom filters to change the appearance of photos.

In terms of software, Fairphone 4 runs Android 11 out of the box, and it will get Android 12 and Android 13 updates, as well as Android 14 and 15 in the next few years. This phone will receive a guaranteed software update before 2025, and Fairphone said it will extend it to 2027 to provide platform updates. It will also receive monthly security updates for the first two years.

One omission this year is the 3.5 mm jack. Fairphone stated that the port is prone to water and makes the design more fragile, so it removes the jack. In other words, there is stereo.

Fairphone 4 will go on sale on October 25th, and the 6GB/128GB model is priced at 579 Euros (670 US dollars). The 8GB/256GB model is priced at 649 Euros (750 USD). The former is sold in a single gray model, and you can choose the latter of the gray, green, and spot options.

Facebook announced third-quarter financial earnings, strong advertising sales, and Oculus Quest 2 hardware sales growth.

T-Mobile's 3G CDMA shutdown was postponed to allow "partners" more time to let customers off the network.

Samsung is transforming more than 100 Best Buy locations into authorized maintenance service centers to provide same-day repairs and Galaxy smartphone support.

There are a lot of phones on T-Mobile's roster, so it's natural that you might want to know what the best Android phone the carrier offers is. We provide you with the best options you can buy now.

Register now to get the latest news, offers and more information from Android Central!

I want to receive news and offers from other Future brands.

I want to receive emails from future partners.

No spam, we guarantee. You can unsubscribe at any time and we will never share your details without your permission.