Fairphone

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Fairphone BV

logo
legal form Besloten Vennootschap
founding January 2013
Seat Amsterdam
management Eva Gouwens
Number of employees 78
Branch Telecommunications hardware
Website www.fairphone.com/de/

Fairphone BV , often referred to as Fairphone for short , is a Dutch limited liability company with its registered office in Amsterdam . Under the direction of Bas van Abel , the company developed three smartphones by 2019 , which also bear the name "Fairphone".

The aim was to produce these under the fairest possible conditions. Furthermore, some of the metals used or their raw materials (e.g. tin , tantalum , tungsten or gold ) are obtained from mines that are not involved in the financing of civil wars. With the Fairphone 2 , the company launched the world's first modular smartphone .

background

The production of cell phones (as well as other electronic devices) is criticized because of the working conditions in the manufacturing companies like Foxconn . In addition, some of the raw materials and metals required for production (e.g. coltan , cobalt , tin ) are mined in mines that are controlled by warlords who use them to finance armies and civil wars. In order to avoid this financial support for the warlords, a transparent supply chain for these conflict raw materials would be necessary, which can hardly be guaranteed at the moment.

history

The Fairphone project comes from the non-profit Waag Society , a research institute in Amsterdam. After two and a half years of success, Fairphone BV was founded in January 2013, initially with seven employees. The current 80 employees are mainly employed in Amsterdam.

Fairphone BV, also simply referred to as Fairphone on the website , would like to draw your attention to the above-mentioned problems in the manufacture of mobile phones. With the manufacture of the smartphone, which also bears the name Fairphone, the foundation wants to give the industry food for thought in order to circumvent the grievances and thus at least reduce the exploitation of the mines. The company is aware that currently (as of 2015) it cannot manufacture a telephone purely from fairly traded raw materials. The company's aim is to develop a mobile phone that combines as many good examples ( best practices ) for fair production as possible .

Fairphone BV has its production facilities in China . A take-back system is currently available in the Netherlands for recycling , and the Closing the Loop project is also supported, which brings electronic waste from Africa back to Europe and recycles it properly.

Since October 2018 the company has been led by Eva Gouwens, who replaced Fairphone founder van Abel.

In April 2020, the company announced that it would offer the open source -based operating system / e / for Fairphone 2 and 3 as an alternative to Android . This gives users the option of being able to do without offers from Google.

Supply chain and production conditions

Fairphone BV employees inspect the mines

The Fairphone should be produced without the exploitation of people and with the least possible damage to the environment ( Green IT ). Several aspects are taken into account:

  • Avoiding waste through durability, long maintenance, inexpensive repair options, dual SIM capability and a recycling program
  • Use of conflict-free raw materials (tantalum, tin, gold and tungsten, as of June 2016) from tested mines in poor areas instead of switching to mines in industrialized countries
  • Fair production conditions in the factories through cooperation with the Chinese contract manufacturer

To achieve these goals, the developers are working with various non-profit organizations and have visited a tin mine in the Congo to see for themselves the working conditions. The company's plan is to encourage its suppliers to also ensure fair working conditions in the medium term. Some minerals should even be avoided entirely. Fairphone supports the “Conflict-Free Tin Initiative”, which is a development aid project for the Congo , in which other companies such as Blackberry , HP , Motorola and Nokia are also participating. The same applies to tantalum, where Fairphone supports the “Solutions for Hope” project founded by Motorola, in which many other electronics manufacturers are participating. In the future, the entire production chain is to be disclosed. Metal ores for tin , tantalum and tungsten are currently mined conflict-free, gold at Fairtrade level.

equipment

So far, the company has launched the following smartphones under the name Fairphone :

The first fairphone

Fairphone First Edition

The Fairphone First Edition was a model licensed to Fairphone BV, the design of which was slightly modified by Fairphone BV. It was made by Changhong in China. The operating system was Android 4.2 " Jelly Bean ," which Kwamecorp expanded to include its own launcher and additional programs .

From May 14, 2013, the Fairphone FP1 could be pre-ordered at a price of 325 euros. From the end of December 2013 to the end of January 2014, the delayed delivery of 25,000 partly pre-ordered copies took place.

Since the reaction in the press was consistently positive and there was continued interest in the model, devices from a second lot , the Fairphone FP1U, could be pre-ordered from May 2014 at a price of 310 euros. 35,000 of these were produced and the approximately 23,000 pre-orders were delivered between July and September 2014.

One of the special features of this first model, later also called “Fairphone 1”, is the dual SIM option. Otherwise, it had the usual equipment in the midfield at that time with a 16 GB flash memory and two cameras and a microSDHC slot.

Although the stated goal was longevity and thus long-term support from Fairphone BV, the company informed buyers on July 11, 2017 that the upgrade to Android 4.4 had been abandoned and that support with spare parts for this model had also been discontinued.

The Fairphone 2 with a transparent cover

Fairphone 2

What didn't go right with the Fairphone 1 should be done right with the second model. In particular, maintaining the availability of spare parts turned out to be difficult with the Fairphone 1, since it was a licensed product. Therefore, the Fairphone 2 was designed in-house and parts were used whose availability can be ensured for as long as possible. This also ensures that the update debacle from the first Fairphone (which did not get beyond Android version 4.2) does not repeat itself , since the control over the Android support of the installed components does not have to be handled by the contract manufacturer, but by the Components can be negotiated directly with the manufacturer directly for long-term support through your own design.

Furthermore, an even easier replacement of damaged parts was ensured by a modular structure and future upgrades were also made possible.

From mid-July to the end of September 2015, Fairphone BV managed 17,418 pre-orders for the Fairphone 2, which was presented to the public for the first time on June 16, 2015, at a price of € 525 and thus achieved the crowdfunding target in order to be able to start production. Delivery started shortly before Christmas 2015 after a delay. The Fairphone 2 was the world's first modular smartphone even before Google's Project Ara .

The operating system was initially Android 5.1 "Lollipop", from April 2017 version 6.0.1 "Marshmallow" and since November 2018 version 7.1.2 "Nougat" has been available. The upgrade to Android 7 was more work, as there were no official drivers for the Snapdragon 801 SoC.

Fairphone 3

The launch of the Fairphone 3 was announced on August 27, 2019. The device, which can be ordered from September 3rd, costs € 450 and can be obtained either from the manufacturer's shop or, for example, from mobilcom-debitel. With the 64-bit-capable ARM processor Snapdragon 632, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of flash memory and the 5.7-inch Gorilla glass display, it has mid-range equipment (comparable e.g. with the Moto G7 from Motorola, which will cost less than € 300 at the end of 2019). It again consists of seven modules, which should guarantee easy repairs, and comes with Android 9 "Pie" ex works. Fairphone BV guarantees five years of support. From May 2020 the Fairphone 3 will also be available via the e.Foundation's online store for 480 euros, with / e / , a Google-free Android , preinstalled .

distribution

Sales were carried out directly via the Fairphone BV webshop, delivery was limited to Europe. The Dutch cell phone provider KPN bought 1,000 units of the Fairphone FP1 and sold them together with a cell phone contract.

In October 2013, Fairphone announced that it would start selling the Fairphone 2 for non-European markets from 2016. In Europe, it has also been distributed by additional partners since the market launch in 2016, including KPN in the Netherlands, Mobilcom-Debitel in Germany, Swisscom in Switzerland, T-Mobile in Austria, Orange in France, Media World in Italy and The Phone Co- op in the UK.

In August 2018, Fairphone successfully completed a crowdfunding loan of 2.5 million euros. The money is to be used to finance ongoing business operations and its expansion.

criticism

The Fairphone 1 was criticized in some places for the fact that the Fairphone 1 did not contain any really fair elements and, in principle, hardly differed from many conventional smartphones. It was also stated that the term “conflict-free” for raw materials could in no way be equated with “fair”, as the former would say nothing about working conditions, such as the use of child labor. When introducing the Fairphone 3, Ewa Gouwens said that the company did not claim “that we manufacture one hundred percent fair smartphones. We call the Fairphone 3 a fairer cell phone . ”“ Consumers can then steer the development through their purchase choice. And the government should create good starting conditions and equal opportunities. But the producers of brands definitely have a very great responsibility. "

The criticism of the Fairphone 1 that only Google's Android operating system ran on it and that there were no alternatives like Ubuntu Touch or SailfishOS no longer applies to the Fairphone 2 and Fairphone 3.

Award

During the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris 2015 , Fairphone was recognized by the United Nations as a role model for the change to more sustainability and environmental compatibility .

In October 2016, the Fairphone 2 was the first smartphone ever to be awarded the Blue Angel sustainability seal by the German Federal Environment Ministry and the Environmental Label Jury .

On October 30, 2016, Fairphone founder Bas van Abel was awarded the Environment Prize of the Federal Environment Foundation ("German Environment Prize").

Also in October 2016, the Fairphone received the Lovie Award and the European Environmental Award for Companies .

On June 16, 2018, Bas van Abel was awarded the World Economy Prize by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

In June 2018, Fairphone founder Bas van Abel received the TRIGOS honor award.

Web links

Commons : Fairphone  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.fairphone.com/de/uber/team/?ref=footer accessed on February 2, 2020
  2. ↑ Terms and conditions Fairphone 2 (German). (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on November 17, 2015 ; accessed on April 29, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Bas van Abel. Retrieved October 29, 2015 .
  4. ↑ About. Retrieved October 29, 2015 .
  5. ↑ a b 'Fairphone 2 good vibrations with conflict-free tungsten'. Fairphone, June 20, 2016, accessed June 20, 2016 .
  6. ↑ Apple brand check on ARD - the downside of iFieber. Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 4, 2013, accessed on February 14, 2013 .
  7. ↑ The blood on the cell phone. Süddeutsche Zeitung, accessed on February 19, 2013 .
  8. ↑ The dark side of the digital world. January 6, 2011, accessed February 19, 2013 .
  9. ↑ "We want to inspire the industry" . In: taz . November 13, 2012 ( online ).
  10. ^ Fairphone BV - FCC Wireless Applications. FCCID.io, accessed October 15, 2017 .
  11. ↑ Terms and conditions for Fairphone Website Usage. Welcome to the Fairphone website! Fairphone BV, accessed on October 15, 2017 (English): “The term“ Fairphone ”,“ us ”,“ our ”,“ we ”refers to the owner of the website: Fairphone BV, a Dutch limited liability company…“
  12. ↑ Stefan Schmitt: None like all others . In: The time . October 18, 2013 ( online [accessed December 26, 2013]).
  13. ^ Miquel Ballester: Our Choice for Production Partner. Dilemmas, opportunities and what we've learned in China. Fairphone, May 17, 2013, accessed June 24, 2013 .
  14. ↑ Olivier Hebert: The path to finding our new production partner: Hi-P. Fairphone, February 19, 2015, accessed December 30, 2015 .
  15. ↑ Fairphone on recycling. Retrieved December 26, 2013 .
  16. ^ Closing the loop. Retrieved December 26, 2013 .
  17. ^ Circular Economies with “Closing the Loop”. Fairphone, January 29, 2013, accessed June 24, 2013 .
  18. ↑ dpa: Fairphone collects seven million euros. In: handelsblatt.com. Handelsblatt GmbH, December 11, 2018, accessed on March 2, 2019 .
  19. ↑ "/ e /": Fairphone gets Android firmware without Google in the standard from April 29, 2020, accessed on April 29, 2020.
  20. ↑ The cell phone for a clear conscience. Dutch build the world's first “Fairphone”. Tagesschau, January 21, 2013, archived from the original on January 24, 2013 ; Retrieved June 24, 2013 .
  21. ^ 'Solutions for Hope' Project Offers Solutions and Brings Hope to the People of the DRC. Retrieved June 24, 2013 .
  22. ^ List of Partners. Conflict-Free Tin Initiative. Retrieved June 24, 2013 .
  23. ↑ a b Bas van Abel: Next chapter in Fairphone's strategy: Outlook for 2015 - Fairphone. Fairphone, November 4, 2014, accessed August 26, 2018 .
  24. ^ Sean Ansett: Establishing a Worker Welfare Fund with our production partner Guohong. Fairphone, May 15, 2014, accessed December 30, 2015 .
  25. ^ Miquel Ballester: Temporal order up to the delivery of the Fairphone. September 5, 2013, accessed November 14, 2013 .
  26. ↑ Second batch delivery begins. In: Fairphone.com. Retrieved November 15, 2014 .
  27. ↑ Fairphone 1 maintenance comes to an end. Retrieved July 12, 2017 (English).
  28. ↑ Fairphone furthers ambitions for fairer electronics with launch of innovative Fairphone 2. (PDF; 171 kB) Fairphone, June 16, 2015, archived from the original on July 13, 2016 ; accessed on January 20, 2016 .
  29. ↑ Press release: Fairphone raises over € 9 million to kick-start production of the Fairphone 2 ( Memento from November 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF)
  30. ↑ Fairphone: Fairphone 2 production and delivery countdown! , accessed January 10, 2016
  31. ↑ Anthony Cuthbertson: Fairphone 2 Review: The World's First Modular Smartphone Will Last You for Years. In: Newsweek. January 15, 2016, accessed April 29, 2020 .
  32. ↑ a b Jörg Wirtgen: Fairphone 3 in hands-on: The most sustainable smartphone possible. In: Heise online . 27th August 2019 . Accessed August 31, 2019.
  33. ↑ https://www.fairphone.com/de/2019/08/27/launching-fairphone-3/
  34. ↑ Christian Wölbert: Google-free Android version / e / comes on the Fairphone 3. In: Heise online . April 29, 2020 . Accessed April 30, 2020.
  35. ↑ Buy the Fairphone 2 - T-Mobile. T-Mobile Austria GmbH, archived from the original on March 26, 2016 ; accessed on October 21, 2017 .
  36. ^ Boutique - Fairphone 2. Orange, accessed on October 21, 2017 (French).
  37. ↑ Home - Fairphone. Fairphone BV, archived from the original on September 27, 2017 ; accessed on October 21, 2017 : "The Fairphone 2 is also available from: Mobilcom, T-Mobile Austria, KPN, The Phone Co-op , Swisscom, POST Telecom, Media World, Orange"
  38. ↑ Fair Smartphones: Fairphone achieves target with crowdfunding financing - Golem.de . ( golem.de [accessed on August 17, 2018]).
  39. ↑ Mobile phone tips: How fair is the Fairphone ( Memento from June 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
  40. ↑ Jürgen Vielmeier: Why the fairer traded smartphone will cause us to make decisions in the future. The initiators of the Fairphone have presented the specifications of their fair (more) traded smartphone. The values ​​don't quite reach the top, but what the Dutch are presenting is upper middle class for a clear conscience at the expected low price. Will it make us rethink? neudings.com, May 15, 2013, accessed June 24, 2013 .
  41. ↑ What does “conflict-free raw materials from the Congo” mean and how fair is that? FIfF e. V., March 9, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013
  42. ↑ a b https://enorm-magazin.de/lebensstil/nachhaltige-produkte/ich-sehe-viel-kraft-im-kapitalismus accessed on February 2, 2020
  43. ↑ 2015 Winners of UN Climate Solutions Awards Announced. United Nations, October 27, 2015, accessed December 29, 2015 .
  44. ↑ Christian Wölbert: Fairphone 2 is the first smartphone to carry the “Blue Angel”. In: heise online . Heise Medien , October 22, 2016, accessed October 30, 2016 .
  45. ↑ tagesschau.de: German environmental award for the inventor of the Fairphone. In: tagesschau.de. Retrieved October 30, 2016 .
  46. ↑ Editor: Nederlandse Fairphone wins “internet Oscar”. In: Trouw. DPG Media BV, September 28, 2016, accessed on April 29, 2020 (Dutch).
  47. ↑ European Environment Prize 2016
  48. ↑ TRIGOS - Award for responsible management