According to the BBC, a Dutch mobile phone company, Fairphone, is hoping to drive an industry revolution. The Products they launched, the Fairphone, can repair and replace individual accessories at home, increasing the life of the phone.
(Urs Rice on the left)
Urs Lesse is a German social scientist, but he also excels at repairing cell phones. Every four weeks he would dedicate time to help others fix their phones, but he could only fix one brand, the Fairphone. For the past eight years, Rice has been a Fairphone user who has been actively sharing technology, organizing local community meetings to help others fix it.
"I've been very active in encouraging people to fix their OwnPhone phones themselves. Messaging has always been a problem, and it's hard for people to overcome the fear of turning on their phones themselves," Rice said.
Fairphone's devices have a modular design so phone users can easily replace, repair, and customize components such as displays, batteries, USB ports, and cameras.
（Fairphone）
According to Rice, the second generation of Fairphone can be disassembled in less than two minutes, and the modular design allows users to remove the display without the need for tools.
Users who are passionate about the brand range from programmers who are attracted to the possibilities of software design, to consumers looking for greener, more sustainable products.
Founded in 2013, the company follows four principles: sourcing mineral resources from conflict-free areas and making recyclable, durable, and repairable products. They want products that produce less waste, work longer, and have a positive impact on the environment.
According to the United Nations, in 2019, 53.6 million tons of e-waste were generated worldwide, a large portion of which was mobile phones. Only 17% of e-waste can be recycled.
Miquel Ballester, a partner at the firm, said increasing the life of a phone by at least two years could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent.
Currently, the Dutch company has sold only 400,000 devices, a tiny fraction of the smartphone market. But it has already driven a wave of change within the industry, especially in Germany, with a lot of support. Germany has awarded many certificates and awards to the Fairphone, and in 2016 it also presented it with the German Environmental Award, one of the most generous environmental awards in Europe.
Barrest believes that the recognition of the German government is the reason why they have more fans in Germany than in other European countries. The company feels that Germans are less enthusiastic about big brands and prefer to try some small European brands. In addition, it may also be related to the high per capita consumption power of Germany.
The company doesn't feel like it has to be a giant in the industry, but wants to be the most influential company and influence other manufacturers in the industry. Sigrid Kannengiesser, a professor at Bremen University in Germany who studies media practice and sustainability, noted that the number of coffee shops offering repair services in Western Europe and North America is growing, as well as the recent statement issued by the European Commission calling for a guarantee of "maintenance rights."
Last year, Apple released a "self-repair" program that gives users access to parts and repair tools for Apple devices. According to Apple, "Self-service maintenance is provided to personal mechanics who should have the knowledge and experience of repairing electronic devices." ”
（Shiftphone）
Fairphone isn't the only phone maker focused on sustainability. Founded in 2014, the German mobile phone brand Shiftphone has also designed modular, sustainable smartphones. Over the past six years, their sales have doubled every year, but they also have only a small market share in terms of total, and only 70,000 devices are currently sold.
Shiftphone's founder, Samuel Waldeck, believes the partnership with Fairphone will allow the two companies to influence larger competitors. "I think it's important to work with them, and so is working with other people in the market. This whole industry is working against you... If you can work together, there will be more power, and that will change a lot of things. ”
Nine Pai News Intern Reporter Yuan Jiabei