Fairphone 5

The Fairphone 5 costs about $700. It isn't the best phone you can buy for that price if you're measuring by camera quality or processing speed. But that's not why I'm writing about it. Every component is designed to be replaceable by the user with a standard screwdriver. When the battery degrades in 2 years, I swap it out for $30 instead of buying an entirely new device. The supply chain is audited for conflict minerals and labor conditions, information most phone manufacturers don't publish because the answers wouldn't look good. Camera module, screen, speaker, and USB-C port are all individual modules that snap in and out. Fairphone publishes repair guides on their website. I don't own one yet but I've been comparing it against my current phone. The trade-off is essentially a slightly worse camera for 5-8 years of usable life instead of 2-3. The screen is 6.46 inches OLED with a 90Hz refresh rate, competitive even if not flagship-tier. Android updates are guaranteed for 8 years, longer than most people keep any single device. My hesitation is practical. I need a phone that works on my carrier without issues, and Fairphone's US availability is limited. But the principle of building electronics that you fix instead of replace should be the norm, not the exception. I keep checking their website to see if US shipping improves because I want to put my money where my frustration is.