We are thrilled to announce that the Fairphone 5 has received a 10/10 on iFixit’s repairability scale – the highest possible score! Our latest Fairphone device, released in August 2023, joins the ranks of the Fairphone 2, Fairphone 3 and Fairphone 4, as the only smartphones in the world to receive a perfect 10/10 score from iFixit. This is what iFixit founder, Kyle Wiens, had to say about it. 

Fairphone’s promise of five Android version upgrades and over eight years of security updates with the Fairphone 5 is a bold statement in an industry that leans towards fleeting product life cycles. This is a significant stride towards sustainability and sets a new benchmark for smartphone lifespan. At iFixit, we believe in tech that lasts, and Fairphone is making that belief a reality. Fairphone’s effort to attain a 10 year lifespan is not just impressive; it’s unparalleled.

We couldn’t be prouder! The constant push for new devices means that more than 1.4 billion mobile phones are sold worldwide every year. According to several studies conducted globally, the lifespan of smartphones in each year between 2019 and 2022 was just three years on average. Once disposed, only 15% of these discarded phones are collected for recycling. With phones (and many other devices) being viewed as disposable, it’s no surprise that electronic waste has become one of the world’s fastest-growing waste streams. 

What makes Fairphone different? Our commitment to modularity and repairability, which encourages smartphone longevity. With the Fairphone 5, we took this to the next level by offering ten spare parts, including individual modules for wide and ultra-wide cameras, and the SIM card and SD card slots as part of the top module. These additional spare parts enhance the device’s modularity, making DIY repairs more accessible compared to previous models and optimizing the device’s design. Fixing your phone is an absolute breeze. See for yourself here.

The Fairphone 5 also comes with a five-year warranty and guarantees at least five operating system upgrades after Android 13, allowing the Fairphone 5 to keep running smoothly and securely until at least 2031. This gives Fairphone users a total of eight to ten years of software support. Keep in mind that the life cycle assessment of the Fairphone 4 revealed that keeping phones for longer has environmental benefits and reduces CO2 emissions. It showed that the use of a smartphone for 5 to 7 years can reduce CO2 emissions by around 30-40%. With the Fairphone 5, we wanted to make this impact even bigger.

Learn more about the Fairphone 5 here.