Fair for everyone! Sustainable smartphones compared and the best tips and tricks to extend the lifespan of current devices

Source & Copyright by Fairphone
Author: House of Eden
Smartphones are not just useful objects, but are also often seen as status symbols in our modern times. It's no wonder that Apple launches a new iPhone almost every year. New designs mean a brand new mobile phone for thousands of people. According to a study by the Federal Environment Agency Almost half of those surveyed exchange their mobile phone for a more modern model every three years or even after less use. But it's not just the constant changing of mobile devices that has a negative environmental impact - manufacturing also causes enormous problems for our planet. But what does a sustainable smartphone look like and how do you care for a mobile phone that you already own? All the answers are now available.
How harmful to the environment are conventional smartphones
The mobile phone: A small part that leaves a big mark on our earth's surface. Unfortunately, smartphones have a very bad ecological footprint, because their Manufacturing a single device generates approximately 86 kilograms of waste. Huge amounts of acids, chemicals, metals and plastic pollute water and soil and cause tons of greenhouse gases. More than 100 chemicals are used in the production of microchips, that support the problem. If a new device is bought every three years, you could even call it a "fast phone". Sustainable smartphones look different.
Source & Copyright by Fairphone
Sustainable smartphones: These aspects make them environmentally friendly
Cell phones that you already own should be used for as long as possible. After all, the most environmentally friendly item is the one you already have at home. For this reason, the cell phone that you carry with you every day is the most sustainable smartphone.
This aspect and others can reduce the enormous environmental pollution caused by electronic waste:
- Long-term use of existing devices
- Interchangeable battery
- Proper smartphone care for your existing phone
- Rely on repairs instead of new purchases
- Correct disposal of devices that are no longer operational
- Rely on sustainable suppliers when buying new
Sustainable smartphone providers rely on environmentally friendly materials, Repairability, replaceable individual parts, screwed instead of glued parts and the ecological production of end products.
How to care for your smartphone so that it lasts longer
- Battery care: This includes charging correctly. It is important to unplug your phone when it is fully charged. You should also avoid completely draining the battery. Repeated short charging is considered to be gentler on the smartphone than leaving it plugged in for hours.
- Update the operating system regularly: Software updates usually contain improvements to security and performance. For this reason, a cell phone should always be up to date.
- Protection against physical damage: The display is shattered? The smartphone is full of dents? Foreign objects and liquids can get into the interior of the phone through external damage and damage it. Therefore, a neat cover and a suitable display foil.
- Regular cleaning: This includes the shell to remove it from time to time and remove any dirt that has accumulated there. To remove dust from small holes, for example with a small pipe cleaner or to disinfect the display.
- Update, uninstall or delete software and apps: To ensure that the smartphone’s memory does not become full, the phone should be cleared of unnecessary Apps freed up, and files and photos that are not being used are deleted. Without enough storage capacity, it is difficult to use your phone for long.
- Avoid exposing the device to extreme temperatures: Sensitive components such as the display, processors and battery can overheat and become damaged, reducing the lifespan of the smartphone. Cold can also damage the phone and is particularly bad for it.
These three providers make sustainable smartphones possible:
The market is small because the industry giants rule the market. Nevertheless, there are three manufacturers who are daring to shake up the telecommunications world with fresh ideas and innovations.
- Fairphone
- Shiftphone
- Rephone
1. Fairphone:
The manufacturer promises future-proof performance until 2031, as there will be updates for the next 8 years. But can a cell phone last that long? This sustainable smartphone can. Conventional models from major brands are often glued together, making it difficult to replace individual parts. This provider has designed the cell phone so that you can easily replace the camera, battery and other parts yourself. On top of that, there is a 5-year guarantee. The Fairphone is also made from 70% fair or recycled materials.
Operating system: Android
Price: from € 549
Storage capacity: 128 GB or 256 GB
Where to buy: fairphone.de
Source & Copyright by Fairphone
2. Shiftphone:
The German company has developed a sustainable smartphone in which more than 13 parts can be replaced with a few simple steps and a small screwdriver. These elements include the display, battery, fingerprint sensor and buttons. The Shiftphone is already available in 8 generations. Although the operating system is based on the developments of Android, the manufacturer has changed some aspects. For every Shiftphone purchased, an old smartphone is replaced with the help of "Closing the Loop" recycled.
Operating system: Android
Price: from € 577
Storage capacity: 256 GB or 512 GB
Where to buy: shop.shiftphone.com
Source & Copyright by Shiftphone
3. Rephone:
The manufacturer describes its sustainable smartphone as "the first CO2 neutral cell phone". Local production in Germany, a replaceable battery, screwed, glued parts and recycled plastic ensure a cell phone with a positive ecological footprint. German production in Bocholt with green electricity, short transport routes and environmentally friendly materials reduce CO2 emissions.
Operating system: Android
Price: about 400 Euro
Storage capacity: 128 GB
Where to buy: mediamarkt.de
Source & Copyright by Rephone
From old to new: Refurbed Phones
If you are not convinced of the performance of sustainable smartphones, you can alternatively buy devices that are already in use. second-hand market is booming in the technology industry as well as in the fashion world. Ebay is one of the most popular networks for purchasing used cell phones. However, if you want to have the feeling of owning a brand new cell phone, you can opt for so-called refurbished models.
The most popular platform for refurbished technology is refurbed.de. The growing marketplace sells technology in Germany that can 40% cheaper and at the same time more sustainable than a newly purchased device. The professional renewal of old models creates a second life cycle. Around 78% of CO2 is saved when you choose a refurbished phone as opposed to a new model.
Both brands and Apple and Samsung offer Refurbished Phones that are of the same quality as new goods. The devices are always used mobile phones, but have been refurbished and the battery or other parts have been replaced or repaired. The smartphone has always been reset to factory settings.
Source & Copyright by Refurbed
Sustainable Smartphones: Alternative with Potential
The mobile communications market is a hotly contested one. Big brands have established themselves over the years and are so popular for exactly that reason. But new innovations are shaking up the market and showing that sustainability is also possible in the smartphone industry. Longer durability is exactly what the world needs to meet its ecological footprint Nevertheless, the consumer behavior change and the willingness to use phones for longer. In addition, the visibility of sustainable smartphones must be made more accessible, for example through advertising, because this is the only way people can learn that there is an alternative and choose it.
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