Choices, choices. What if you don’t want to give up the convenience of smartphone but still want to do things a little differently? We flagged the existence of the Fairphone 6 in an earlier round-up of simple smartphones, but now we’ve had a chance to trial the uprated new Fairphone (Gen. 6+) to see if it lives up to its promises.
Fairphone (Gen. 6+) in the new Cobalt Blue finish
First impressions of the FP6+ are very favourable. The processor has been upgraded to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 (as found in Nothing Phone (4a) and various models from OnePlus, Motorola and Xiaomi), while onboard memory is now a competitive 12GB.
The camera stays the same as the original 6 (a 50MP main camera with a Sony lens, a 32MP Samsung front camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera), while the exterior is distinguished by a new Cobalt Blue finish, with matching accessories.
An evolution of the Fairphone, from the earliest FP1 at left to the FP6+ at right
For most casual users, the most important part of a smartphone is the camera, and the FP6+ is accomplished but not exceptional. Comparing like-for-like images with a more dedicated camera-centric phone (the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi) and images are softer with slightly less definition and flatter colour – it’s a combination of lens quality and post-processing that gives the Xiaomi the edge, as it should given its price premium.
The original Fairphone 6 in green
In the hand, the Fairphone feels more plasticky than the sleek metal devices we’ve become accustomed to. To its credit, Fairphone leans into this, partly because over 50% of the total weight of the phone are made from fair and recycled materials.
Organisations like the Fair Cobalt Alliance, co-founded by Fairphone, are striving to improve conditions in cobalt mines in the DRC, the kind of small-scale, low-wage and high-intensity working environment that has become essential to smartphone manufacturing yet is all but invisible to consumers.
If you’re keen to support such initiatives, you’re also probably more disposed to digging into devices when they start to go wrong. The FP6+ contains 12 different parts that can be repaired with nothing more than a screwdriver. That includes the battery, as well as a range of accessories, while Fairphone will also supply a list of swappable spare parts, from camera modules to the speaker and the screen (which comes in at €89.95).
Exploded view of Fairphone (Gen. 6+)
As well as all this, the phone has support for a regular SIM and an eEIM, microSD card support and a new dedicated Fairphone Gallery app if you want to keep your images away from the big tech brands.
The bottom line is that this is a common or garden mid-range Android smartphone, a wise buy at a time when mid-range is king. As previously noted, the speed of chips and quality of screens, cameras and the overall Android experience has reached a point where most mid-range devices do all you could conceivably require of a phone.
Fairphone (Gen. 6+) battery replacement
The recent pivot towards folding flagships is one way of keeping phones in the premium space, as is the largely unnecessary addition of intensive AI-driven processing, interrogation and photography. Fairphone is about neither of these things, although it's more than capable of running Google's Gemini.
But how long should a smartphone last? Google promises seven years of OS updates for its Pixel range, a figure also matched by Samsung. Apple’s iPhone can max out at eight years of support. All these figures overlook the fact that battery life could well be severely impacted before these targets are reached, making the device economically unrepairable before its time.
The upcoming Fairbuds 2
Fairphone reckons the new phone should easily last through to 2033 and beyond, thanks to its repairability and promised software support. As a result, there is a great deal to admire in the Fairphone (Gen. 6+), as a small company punches above its weight while also foregrounding best practice in an industry not best known for its sustainable and ethical approach. The new model also marks the brand’s debut in the USA – a timely arrival, given the gathering support for the Right-to-Repair movement.
Fairphone (Gen. 6+)
Later this year, the company will bring these qualities to its second set of earbuds, Fairbuds 2, continuing its mission of keeping pace with change without compromising its values.
Fairphone (Gen. 6+), £569 / $649, Fairphone.com, Amazon.co.uk