Fairphone has unveiled a new subscription plan that provides its most recent smartphone, the Fairphone 4, for as low as €21 per month. Fairphone Easy is currently only available to customers in the company's home market of the Netherlands, who can rent the phone for between 3 and 60 months. However, according to Fairphone spokesperson Ioiana Luncheon, the service could be expanded to additional European countries in 2023, depending on the results of this initial pilot.
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An Attempt To Reduce Environmental Impact
The subscription service is the latest effort by the sustainable manufacturer to reduce the environmental effect of smartphone manufacturing. It is intended to encourage consumers to use their current phones for as long as possible. The monthly fee includes free repairs (Fairphone promises it will send you a new phone within 48 hours if necessary), and there are reductions for each year you go without requiring repairs. Customers get a €2 monthly discount after the first year, €4 after two years, and €8 after three.
What’s New In Fairphone’s Plan
Although the subscription structure is superficially similar to paying for a phone on financing or as part of a phone contract, there are significant distinctions. Even after your subscription contract, you do not technically own the phone. You must instead return it to the firm so it may be reused or recycled. And no network contract is provided; consumers must provide their own SIM card. Additionally, a €90 deposit is required when starting a subscription.
Based on the minimum €21 per month price and a preliminary calculation, it seems that it would take just under three years to pay the same amount in membership fees as it would purchase the Fairphone 4 outright (the 8GB RAM / 256GB storage model included with the subscription costs €649). The reduced rates in years two and three are contingent on the assumption that there would be no need for repairs. However, if you do need to fix it, the subscription service may be worthwhile over a longer time of use.
Fairphone Easy is somewhat more limited than standard phone financing solutions, but the company's unwavering commitment to sustainability often necessitates such concessions.
Featured image: Fairphone
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