Latest news with #Fairphone
Tatler Asia
4 days ago
- Tatler Asia
Will your next phone be as customisable as Lego blocks?
Modular phones present a radical departure from this model. Designed for longevity and customisation, these phones allow users to swap out components like the screen, battery and even camera modules, all using standard tools. The result? A phone that evolves with you, rather than expires on schedule. Also read: Doctor Anywhere founder Lim Mai Wun on creating a blueprint for a sustainable tech-enabled healthcare company HMD Fusion: modularity made simple Above HMD Fusion's modular accesories include Outfit cases with flash and a dedicated gaming controller (Photo: HMD) Finnish manufacturer HMD, best known for producing Nokia-branded phones, is venturing into modular territory with the HMD Fusion. Designed as a midrange device, the Fusion features a 6.56-inch screen, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset and a removable, modular back panel known as Outfits. These Outfits, which attach via connector pins, range from basic coloured covers to functional accessories like the Smart Outfit—featuring a flip-up flash powered by the phone—and a Gaming Outfit with dual joysticks and triggers that transforms the Fusion into a handheld console. HMD has prioritised repairability, using standard screws instead of glue. Users can replace the screen, battery and other internal components themselves. The company has also released a toolkit for developers and hobbyists to design their own Outfits using 3D printing. Fairphone 5: prioritising repairability and ethical sourcing Above The Fairphone 5 is built using ethical manufacturing with sustainable and recycled materials under fair labor practices (Photo: Fairphone) Dutch company Fairphone has been leading the sustainable smartphone movement since 2013. Its latest model, the Fairphone 5, is engineered for a 10-year lifespan, supported by a five-year warranty and eight years of software updates. Powered by a Qualcomm chipset and featuring IP54 resistance, the Fairphone 5 is designed with repairability and ethical sourcing in mind. It uses no glue in its assembly, instead relying on screws, so components like the battery, screen, camera modules, USB port and earpiece can be replaced individually. The phone's body is made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, and its supply chain prioritises fair trade practices. It ships with a de-Googled version of Android called /e/OS, but users can opt to install other Android distributions—or even Linux. CMF by Nothing: stylish, accessible modularity Above CMF Phone 2 Pro has various attachment points for multiple accessories such as extra lenses, magnetic folding stand and lanyard (Photo: Nothing) CMF, a sub-brand of British tech upstart Nothing, has released the CMF Phone 2 Pro, its second modular phone. Designed with affordability in mind, it is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset and also carries an IP54 rating. Rather than overhaul the entire phone, CMF focuses on modular accessories that attach to the back panel. Users can swap in add-on lenses (such as fisheye or macro), magnetic folding stands, or even wallet attachments. An extra thumb screw on the corner allows lanyards or other accessories to be secured. The backplates themselves can be removed with a screwdriver and 3D printed for further customisation. Better phones mean a better future Above The Fairphone 5 has components that come from fair and ethical sources (Photo: Fairphone) Despite their promise, modular phones face challenges—chief among them being the trade-off between flexibility and sleek design. Consumer habits, driven by rapid upgrade cycles, also present a barrier to widespread adoption. However, as environmental concerns gain urgency and regulations around e-waste tighten, modular designs could become the new standard. With brands like Fairphone, HMD and CMF leading the charge, the smartphone of the future may not just be smarter—it may also be more sustainable, more durable and more personalised.
Phone Arena
23-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Fairphone has some bad and good news for its fans
Fairphone, the Dutch company behind the modular Android smartphone with the same name, has just shared important information about one of its devices that should have received a major update last at tech-savvy customers, Fairphone smartphones feature modular design, which means their parts can be easily replaced for upgrades or in case of malfunction. Of course, all replacement parts are provided by Fairphone, along with the of the older smartphones launched by the Dutch company, Fairphone 4, should have received the Android 14 update last year. However, Fairphone confirmed back in November that the update is no longer coming in 2024 and that customers who bought the phone should wait until this year. After leaving its community in the dark for five months, Fairphone has finally issued a statement regarding the state of the Android 14 update for Fairphone 4, and things aren't looking well. Long story short, Fairphone 4 will no longer receive Android 14 . That's the bad news. The good news is Fairphone plans to upgrade the device directly to Android 15. However, it's unclear when the new update will arrive, as Fairphone claims 'it's still a complicated process with multiple partners involved.' Fairphone 4 was launched back in 2021 | Image credit: Fairphone As to why Fairphone decided to quit working on Android 14 for Fairphone 4 and bring the phone directly to Android 15 , it's easy to guess. After hitting a snag with the development of the promised update, it has become obvious that if these issues would eventually overcome, Android 14 would be released around the same time Google launches Android 15 (or even later). It makes much more sense to cut your losses and redirect all your resources into the most recent version of the OS, and that's Android 15 . – The Fairphone Team, May 2025 Besides informing its customers that Fairphone 4 will no longer receive Android 14 and instead will be upgraded to Android 15 , the Dutch company also promised to expand its support team to shorten the wait times. It remains to be seen how things will turn out, but if you own a Fairphone 4, don't get your hopes too high.
GSM Arena
23-05-2025
- GSM Arena
Fairphone 4 is not getting Android 14 after all
Fairphone, the sustainable Dutch smartphone brand, was supposed to bring Android 14 to its nearly four-year-old Fairphone 4, but that is not happening. A company representative confirmed the news via a post on the Fairphone forum. Fairphone planned to ship the Android 14 update to users by the start of 2025, but the software team ran into unexpected issues, including factors outside of their control. Instead of continuing its uphill battle, Fairphone is now shifting its focus and resources to deliver Android 15 for the Fairphone 4. The company is not ready to share a detailed launch timeline just yet but it will post more updates as it gets closer to launch. Source
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Murena Pixel Tablet Is An Exercise In Privacy And Open Source Software
Murena Pixel Tablet Murena offers smartphones and software that are "private, sustainable and fully open-source." Using e/OS/ the company has built a portfolio of hardware and software used by enthusiasts around the world, as well as making forays into the consumer space through partnerships with the likes of Fairphone. Now it has decided to show what e/OS/ can do on a larger device with the release of the Murena Pixel Tablet.. There's no hiding where the tablet originated from, the clue is in the name. The Murena Pixel Tablet is the original Pixel Tablet. It comes with 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, the 1600x2560 10.95 inch IPS display and a basic 8-megapixel single lens camera. It is a Pixel Tablet. It is not an approximation nor a careful clone; it is a Pixel Tablet, right down to the four connectors to connect to the speaker base and the debossed "G" on the rear of the tablet. The one difference is the operating system. While it is Android, it is not Google's flavour of Android. The Murena Pixel Tablet runs e/OS/. Murena Pixel Tablet e/OS/ is a privacy-focused Android variant, building off the Android Open Source Project. The pitch goes, "we have removed many pieces of code that send your personal data to remote servers without your consent." That makes for a significant difference compared to other Android-based tablets because removing that capture of personal data means eliminating many of Google's Android tools from the tablet. You won't find first-party apps such as Gmail, Google Maps, Gemini AI, Google Calendar or YouTube. There is no Google Play Services, which means you'll need to find apps in other corners of the internet. And when you find those apps they may not run if they are looking for any hooks provided by Google Play Services. Financial apps will be your biggest hurdle because of this. Switching away from Google's flavor of Android will always result in an app gap, and there's no simple way around it. Most consumers expect certain apps, but they're not going to see them on Murena's tablet. Out of the box, you have a relatively standard suite of apps; a PIM suite with Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Tasks; connectivity with Email and Web Browsers; multimedia with Music player, Sound recorder, Camera, and Gallery; and tools such as Clock, Calculator, File Browser, Settings, and the App Lounge. Confident consumers should be able to get to grips with the Mail client and know that it can access Gmail, Outlook, and similar services, but working through the implications of CalDAV or EteSync for the Calendar app would be beyond my parents. The Murena Pixel Tablet does offer the core PDA and internet apps you would expect, but it's not a simple login once so it all works; you're going to need to tinker. There ares a lot of people who are both happy to tinker and want to be able to control their data. If there's an audience Murena is targeting, this is it. Murena Pixel Tablet The ecosystem for Android tablets is weaker than that of Android smartphones. There is a shared codebase there is not the volume that will universally push developers into tablet releases in the way that Apple's iPad can. Now add in the lack of Google Play services, and the third-party app ecosystem for the Murena tablet is limited. One advantage Android has is the ability to install from any source, as long as you give permission. This opens up using alternative app stores, including the predominant open-source store of F-Droid. Most users will turn to Murena's App Lounge. This searches through multiple app stores online to create a central space to discover and update apps. Curiously, it connects to the Google Play Store, allowing you to download apps from the Google Store without signing in to the store. If you have previously purchased apps on your Google account, you can sign in, although there may be compatibility issues. Compatibility remains an issue, especially when an app fails. You receive little information when an app can't be installed or does not run. The free and open-source media player VLC is a staple of all my smartphones; it offers local music and video playback, can connect to network drives, and handles internet streaming radio into the mix as well. Yet it "isn't compatible with your tablet", and I'm left none the wiser. Yes, e/OS/ comes with a music player, but it's far less flexible. The Murena Tablet may leave the factory with a noticeable level of security and privacy, but that is easily traded away if the user is not careful. To take a broad example, installing a capricious social media app that records your clicks, interactions, and outbound visits is not something that e/OS/ can protect you from. Privacy does not end just because you have a privacy-focused operating system. It's constantly being aware of where you are installing apps from, what apps and services you use, and the impact those decisions will have on your mobile experience. To that end, the App Lounge offers a Privacy Score on many apps to give a subjective indication to help your decision on installing. Murena Pixel Tablet You must remember that this is a computer you will need to tinker with. While Murena and e/OS/ have done their best to create a seamless 'out of the box' solution, it has less software functionality than a Google Play certified tablet. That will appeal to a solid slice of the community Yet the most significant issue here is a simple one... the price. You see, there are detailed discussions and guides on installing e/OS/ onto a standard Pixel Tablet, and the aforementioned tinkers of this world will be happy to unlock bootloaders, install ADB, use USB debugging tools, and so on. The Murena Pixel Tablet is priced at $549; the Google Store sells the Pixel Tablet at $399. There will be more overheads in the background, but for consumers, this represents a $150 fee to install a new operating system. It's an even bigger premium when you consider Pixel Tablet deals from other retailers, such as Amazon's $299 price point, nearly half that of Murena's. I wonder what sort of sales Murena is expecting? As a full-blown consumer offering, the Murena Tablet sits in an awkward position in terms of price, capability, and consumer comfort that does not feel commercially viable. This combination makes far more sense as a demonstration of what is possible with e/OS/, showcasing what an alternative operating system with a focus on privacy can deliver in tablet form. Looking at the tablet through this lens, Murena can call this interesting exercise a success. Disclaimer: Murena provided a Murena Pixel Tablet for evaluation purposes.
WIRED
26-01-2025
- Business
- WIRED
The Lush Bath Bot Is a Vegan, Recyclable Floating Speaker That's Out to Make a Point
When the cosmetics brand decided to make a Bluetooth speaker, it didn't know how hard it would be to make it sustainably. The next challenge: Will anyone actually buy it? If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED Would you buy tech hardware from a company best known for making soap? Cult British cosmetics brand Lush, famed for inventing the bath bomb, is attempting to forge the category of bathroom tech with its first foray into electronics: the Bath Bot, a small, water resistant Bluetooth speaker with colour-changing LEDs that can float in the tub while you soak. The Bath Bot is roughly the size and shape of a Lush bath bomb—spherical on top with a hexagonal base—and can be connected with Lush's app to play music and soundscapes designed to match the vibe of the brand's famous bath products. True to Lush's values, the company claims the speaker is designed with ethics front and center: It's manufactured in the UK (where it is based), recyclable, and vegan (which basically means it doesn't use glue). But did I mention it costs $180? Adam Goswell, Lush's tech R&D lead, says the company's hardware ambitions started with a 2017 trip to Chinese tech hub Shenzhen. At that time, the team had a more ambitious goal in mind: They wanted to build their own tablet. Inspired by the likes of Fairphone, they wondered if, rather than buying thousands of off-the-shelf tablets for their employees to use in-store, they could work with suppliers to produce something as ethically sourced as possible. But the team soon realised that tech is trickier than toiletries in this regard. 'Trying to do the supply chain interrogation we do with our normal cosmetics on electronics got really difficult,' Goswell says. They'd ask where a battery came from, or where the components within the battery came from, and suppliers either didn't know or wouldn't say. They shelved the tablet idea and eventually landed on Bath Bot as their first hardware project. Lush describes the floating Bath Bot as the 'ultimate bathing companion.' Lush Announced over a year ago, the Bot has taken longer than expected to get to market, with some customers complaining about unfulfilled pre-orders or wondering if the product is vaporware. The reason for the delay, says Goswell, was due to Lush's lack of experience with electronics. The product was ready, but they hadn't realised how long it would take to get the relevant certifications needed to sell such a device. The Bath Bot is now available in the UK, EU, and will soon be in the US (excepting California, which has extra regulations). Some compromises still had to be made during the development. 'The components in there aren't what we would deem as 100 percent ethical, but we tried our best,' says Goswell. The team had wanted to use recycled materials out of environmental concerns but had to opt for virgin plastic to keep the device waterproof. The end result is recyclable though, and Lush says buyers will be able to bring theirs in-store for repairs if needed. Manufacturing electronics inevitably comes with a carbon cost, but Goswell believes the Bath Bot's is justifiable. 'If it was a single-use device or a cheap, throw-away one that broke within six months, I think that would be a different question, but we've made it to last,' he says. Indeed, a cheap device it is not. The £150 price tag has raised eyebrows even among ardent Lush fans on forums such as the 115k-member r/LushCosmetics subreddit. As one 'Lushie' put it, 'Why would I buy a $200 speaker from a bath store?' You can get a waterproof Bluetooth speaker from established brands for significantly less, likely with better sound quality: Ultimate Ears' floating Wonderboom 4 retails for around $100 (and often sells for less), while JBL's cheapest waterproof speakers can sell for as little as $40—you can find some even cheaper on Amazon. The reasons for the high price, Goswell says, include the fact that it's Lush's first tech product and the company is not making that many, both of which drive up costs. Trying to choose more ethical components adds to the price, as does manufacturing in the UK. Ultimately, he says, Lush doesn't want to pitch the Bath Bot against other Bluetooth speakers but sees it as more of a lifestyle accessory, akin to something like a Philips Hue lamp. While it's designed for use in the bath, he also likes to take it with him to hotel rooms for ambient lighting. I decide to test the Bath Bot in its intended environment, running a bath and setting up the Lush app ready to connect. Bath drawn, I drop the bath bot into the water where it duly floats around, cycling through coloured lights that give the illusion of dyeing the bathwater around me. Available in black or white, the Bath Bot has just four buttons—on/off, play/pause, and two volume controls. When I turn it on, it emits a particularly pleasing startup sound featuring birdsong and a few gentle guitar notes. In the Lush app, I find a playlist that matches the bath bomb I'm using: Ickle Bot ($8, sold separately), a baby blue, robot-shaped thing. I chose it because it looked cute, but as the playlist opens with lullaby-style music, I realise it may be intended for children (afterwards, I look online and see that it is indeed suitable for ages six months and above). The Bath Bot has a number of different light settings to set the mood of your bath. Lush Regardless, the experience starts off appropriately relaxing; an indie singer croons soothingly over gentle piano in a track like a slowed-down sea shanty, while the multicoloured LEDs cycle in tempo. Most of the music in the Lush app is from Lush's own record label; the company commissions music for its spas and occasionally releases records. The sound quality isn't up to that of my usual UE Boom portable speaker, but it's perfectly adequate for the job and perhaps better than I expected given the speaker size—at least in the less-than-ideal testing environment of my rather echoey bathroom. My peaceful bathing is somewhat disrupted, however, when the first Ickle Bot song segues into ambient sounds of water splashing and children shrieking. This not being my idea of relaxation, I try some of the other playlists, designed around different bath bombs. Magic Bus plays rather generic-sounding rave beats; Sex Bomb starts with some bell chiming that I don't find particularly seductive. Annoyingly, I also find that the music stops playing when I click to explore different parts of the Lush app or open other apps on my phone. After a while, I head to Spotify and choose music I know I actually like, which I imagine is how most people will end up using the Bath Bot. When I shift in the water, the speaker bobs about; it sounds louder or quieter as it floats from my shoulders to my feet and occasionally clunks inelegantly against the side of the tub. As I go to pull out the plug, I've had an enjoyable bath, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'super-powered sensory bathing experience,' as Lush advertises. And despite Goswell's protestations that the Bath Bot is a product for the long-term, I can't help but think that many may use it a few times before discarding it as a gimmick. Goswell admits that making the Bath Bot was a risk; the company spent 'significant money' on R&D and manufacturing to make a product that you wouldn't expect from a cosmetics company. But he insists that even if it turns out not to be a commercial success, the process of developing a first hardware product has been invaluable. His team is now considering making Bath Bot accessories and more content for the app. They're also thinking up other bathroom tech—one suggestion is using the water flow from a shower to power a device, like hydropower on a tiny scale. But their ambitions also stretch further. Headquartered in Poole, on the UK's south coast, the company is interested in larger-scale tidal power and has just co-funded a three-year PhD studentship at nearby Bournemouth University. While this will explore the development of a new tidal energy station at Poole Harbor to power Lush's head office operations, Goswell also floats the idea of using tidal to power servers for a large language model. It could be a way, he says, of creating an AI-assisted digital experience while mitigating some of the carbon concerns.
