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This 4-year-old phone just received 2 more years of software support
As the Fairphone 3 gets Android 13 this week, the company announced it will get updates until mid-2026
Netherlands-based Fairphone is known for its repair-friendly smartphone lineup, with the company also launching a pair of headphones in May, relying on the same repairability promise. In a world where smartphones reach their end-of-life status quickly, Fairphone's devices, like the Fairphone 3, have been the pleasant exception. The manufacturer had promised five years of software support from when this smartphone was launched in mid-2019. While this meant that software updates would stop in the middle of 2024, the company has now surprised device owners by saying it plans to provide an additional two years of software coverage.
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 18.1 comes to a bunch of phones from Samsung, Xiaomi, and more
While support for the OnePlus 2 has been dropped
LineageOS 18.1 has been with us for some time now. I've always liked the LineageOS project a lot, starting back from the days when its predecessor, CyanogenMod, was still a thing. It allowed you to take almost any Android phone, new or old, and get it running a clean version of the latest flavor of Android. Now LineageOS 18.1 is landing for a handful of new Android smartphones, including devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, and BG.
This company will sell you a modified Galaxy S9 without any proprietary Google software
Previously available in Europe, two refurbished models running /e/ OS are now shipping to the US and Canada.
We're big fans of Google, obviously. But we also live in the real world, where Google does a lot of stuff that's unambiguously bad. If you want to use open source Android without getting its parent company involved, then you have a few options. Previously only available in Europe, the eSolutions shop is now selling versions of the Galaxy S9 scrubbed clean of all proprietary Google software to the US and Canada.
LineageOS 17.1 adds support for OnePlus Nord, 2013 Nexus 7, and more
The Android 10-based custom ROM rolls out to more devices
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM around, and for good reason. It has extended the life of many phones and tablets that would have otherwise been abandoned, and even for phones still receiving software updates from the original manufacturer, Lineage can sometimes work better than the stock software. Since our last roundup, LineageOS 17.1 has arrived on eight more devices, including the OnePlus Nord and 2013 Google Nexus 7.
LineageOS 17.1 arrives on the OnePlus 5T, Galaxy S5, Fxtec Pro¹, and others
Fresh off the build servers
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM around, bringing new Android updates to abandoned phones, and a stock-like experience (with or without Google software) to newer devices. The last time we covered the project, it added support for a handful of phones from Huawei, Sony, Xiaomi, and OnePlus. Since then, many more devices have made their way to the official roster.
Fairphone 3+ now available for pre-order, featuring 40% recycled plastic and upgraded cameras
Fairphone 3 owners can also upgrade their devices with new modules
Most current-day smartphones aren't very repairable (the Galaxy S20 Ultra received a 3/10 repair score from iFixit), and are often produced with materials that can be harmful to the environment. Fairphone has been attempting to address these issues over the past few years, and now the company has released an upgraded version of last year's Fairphone 3.
Fairphone and /e/ are teaming up to sell a Google-less Android phone
Made possible by Google’s EU anti-trust fine
The Fairphone 3 is the perfect choice for somebody who values a repairable, environment-friendly phone, but just like most other handsets, it runs an Android version with Google apps out of the box — not ideal for someone who is additionally looking to take the Californian company out of the equation. That's where a new cooperation with /e/OS, the de-Googlefied Android version based on LineageOS and microG, comes in. The foundation behind it will start selling the Fairphone 3 equipped with its Android fork on May 6.
The creators behind the Fairphone tout a special mission that contrasts sharply with the rest of the industry: They want to create repairable, long-lasting devices sourced from the fairest possible resources. Of course, this means compromises you won't see in other modern phones. The advantage of the removable back and the replaceable parts makes the Fairphone 3 bigger, less efficient, and more "old-fashioned" than other phones. Plus, some performance sacrifices had to be made to keep the price reasonable.