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This old Android phone grabs its last update after seven years of software support
The Fairphone 2 finally bites the dust
Major Android OEMs like Google and Samsung offer five years of software updates, which is about as good as it gets for many of the top Android phones around. That said, providing support for a device for an extended period of time is not a far-fetched reality, as demonstrated by Fairphone. The Dutch company launched the Fairphone 2 in 2015, running Android 5 Lollipop, and has continued to release regular updates for the device over the past seven years. But all good things must come to an end, and the phone is no exception as it finally bites the dust.
The Fairphone 2, running Android 10, is getting its last update in 2023
Owners can recycle the phone for a €50 store credit
Fairphone makes Fairphones. That is, a Dutch company makes highly-repairable Android phones with responsibly-sourced components and long-lasting software support — the latest and greatest example being the Fairphone 4. But at the end of those hyphenated ideals comes a harsh reality: not even a phone with as much tender loving care will last forever. As such, Fairphone 2 owners are now learning that the end of the road is near.
The Fairphone 2 celebrates 6 years of support with an Android 10 beta
Didn't get up to an upgrade every year, but we'll take it
Imagine what it would be like if Android OEMs could or would update software for as long as Apple does with its products? There's no need to for owners of the Fairphone 2 as they are set to test and receive Android 10.
LineageOS comes to the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note10 families
Other newbies include the Razer Phone 2, FairPhone 2, and various flavors of Xiaomi and Poco
LineageOS is the custom ROM version of Android for when you throw your phone's original software away and say "screw it, I'm gonna load my OWN Android, with blackjack and hookers." We keep an eye on Lineage to let you know when it's come to new devices, but these are frequent enough (and sometimes inconsequential enough) that ain't nobody got time to do them one by one anymore. Here's a bunch of new devices that have received their first builds over the last six weeks.
This Android phone is on its fifth year of OS updates
The Fairphone 2 was just given a new lease on life with Android... 9
Fairphone is one of the only phone manufacturers out there with a mission for sustainability and ethics. Its Android phones are among the most repairable on the market, and the firm is doing its best to support the hardware as long as possible. As such, it has just released a new Android update to its five-year-old Fairphone 2 — Android 9 Pie.
The Fairphone 2, which launched with Android 5 Lollipop, is now getting a 9 Pie beta
An impressive lifespan for an Android phone
Fairphone is one of a few smartphone manufacturers that manage to build sustainable and repairable handsets. You don't need to head to a repair shop or peel through adhesive to replace individual components, let alone hunt down individual parts — everything is available on the company's website. But repairable hardware is only one part of the equation when it comes to long-lasting devices. As such, the manufacturer has announced that it has just released an Android 9 Pie Beta for the Fairphone 2.
It doesn't take long for TWRP to show up on a new major phone or tablet. For example, it took almost no time at all for the custom recovery to become available for the Exynos Galaxy S8 and S8+. Now TWRP fully supports HTC's latest flagship, the U11, plus a handful of other phones.