The Fairphone 2 is a touchscreen-based, dual-SIMsmartphone, designed to be easily repaired by the user. It was the first modular smartphone available for purchase. It was first released in December 2015, and production ceased in 2018, and has since received both hardware improvements and major software updates. Initially shipped with Android 5, existing phones run Android 7.1.2 as of 2018. It is the second phone from the social enterprise Fairphone and the first one completely designed by it. The phone is ethically sourced, using conflict-free minerals, Fairtradegold and recycled materials. It was assembled in audited factories with good working conditions.
Design
Hardware choice
The phone is designed to have a higher life expectancy than other phones. The main problem with the Fairphone 1 was a system on a chip Mediatek MT6589 that was not widely used and thus did not receive long-term software support from its manufacturer. For the Fairphone 2, Fairphone chose the widely used Snapdragon 801 platform ; the popularity of this SoC should help maintain the LTS of Fairphone 2. Fairphone deliberately did not include recent innovations like wireless charging or USB-C ports, ensuring a lower price and fewer compatibility issues. However, the modular design of the phone allows the Fairphone team to develop newer modules with updated components, the first of which have been upgraded versions of the modules containing cameras. Also, the back of the Fairphone 2 is equipped with a USB pin-out and charging input, allowing aftermarket back covers with extended capabilities.
Ethical considerations
The phone is designed to have a lower environmental impact than comparable mass-market smartphones, with an expected lifespan of 5 years. The modular design allows components to be replaced individually. Many electronic devices contain conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, used by armies and rebel groups to fund war in the country. Therefore some manufacturers avoid all materials from the DRC, but this reduces employment opportunities in the country. The Fairphone 2 supply chain is audited to ensure that these materials come from mines that do not fund armed groups, while supporting local communities in the DRC in order to provide an alternative to conflict mines. The tantalum and tin ores are sourced from conflict-free mines in the DRC, the tungsten is from Rwanda, and the gold is from a Fairtrade-certified mine in Peru. In addition, the phone includes recycled plastic, copper, and tungsten. The Fairphone 2 is assembled by Hi-P in Suzhou, China, in a factory which has been audited to ensure that it meets high standards for working conditions and for the environment.
Modular design
The Fairphone 2 is the first modular smartphone available to the general public. The modular, repairable design is designed to increase longevity, with an additional focus on increasing the recyclability of the product. The phone components are designed to be replaceable, with the end user only needing to use a screwdriver to replace components of the phone. In addition, it is possible to replace individual components within each module. The phone received a 10/10 score for smartphone repairability from iFixit, the highest score that was ever given to a phone. The phone consists of 7 removable parts; the main chassis, the battery, the display assembly, the rear camera module, the top module, the bottom module, and the back protective cover. Except for an updated slim case design, the first module set to be upgraded was the cameras, with a new rear camera module and top module in September 2017.
Software
The Fairphone 2 launched with Android 5.1. Two variants of Android are available – the default Android installation, which includes Google mobile services, and the Fairphone Open Source OS, which does not include GMS, but can be easily rooted. Unlike most Android manufacturers, Fairphone is committed to regularly releasing security patches and other updates. An upgrade to Android 6.0 was released in April 2017, and is free for all customers. A port of the alternative Sailfish OS is also underway, with input from Fairphone developers. In 2017, the Fairphone community released a version of LineageOS 14.1 for the smartphone, marking the first time an Android 7.1-based operating system runs on the phone. The Fairphone 2 received an Ubuntu Touch port in February 2017. On 13 November 2018, Fairphone released an official update to Android 7.0, the first and so far only phone running on Snapdragon 801 to have this upgrade. On June 16th Fairphone, in cooperation with the LineageOS team, released an Android 9.0 beta for the phone. Making it so far the only phone running on Snapdragon 801 to have an Android 9.0 update.
Costs
The phone was primarily funded through pre-orders, and is mostly being sold directly, though in some markets the phone is available through resellers such as The Phone Co-op in the UK. The pre-order campaign started on 16 July 2015 and ended on 30 September 2015, with 17,418 phones pre-ordered. Just as they did for the Fairphone 1, Fairphone released details about costs for the Fairphone 2, sold for an average price of €525. Despite its relatively high price compared to many phones, the margin on each phone sold is only €9, principally due to low sales volume and higher manufacturing costs than most phones. The price also funds a wide range of Fairphone's goals to make the phone more ethical, including recycling programs and partnerships for reduced usage of "blood minerals".
Sales
On 16 July 2015, pre-orders for Fairphone 2 became available. To order the components needed to assemble the first devices, as well as to generate the revenue needed to ensure continuous production, Fairphone initiated a crowdfunding campaign by setting a goal to achieve 15,000 pre-orders by the end of September. The goal was finally exceeded, reaching a total of 17,418 pre-orders before the pre-order period ended on 30 September. Production started in December 2015, with the aim of shipping all phones ordered during the crowdfunding campaign during that month. However, issues in ramping up production caused a delay. The last pre-ordered device was shipped on 8 February 2016. On 26 May 2016, Fairphone reported that their milestone of selling 40,000 of the Fairphone 2 had been reached, and that all phones ordered before that date had been shipped.
