After more than seven years and 43 software updates, Fairphone’s second-generation Android smartphone finally reaches the end of its software support period. The company says today’s software update to Android 10 will be the phone’s last, capping off a remarkably long support period for a phone that originally ran Android 5 when it started shipping in 2015. Not bad considering Fairphone says it originally expected to admit the phone. with “three to five years” of updates.
These kinds of long support windows are important to Fairphone, given the company’s emphasis on the sustainability of its devices. In addition to trying to ethically source the materials found in each of its phones, the company also designs them to be easily repairable (with replacement parts available for years after launch), and also promises long warranty support periods. software. It’s all about keeping devices usable for longer and out of landfills.
“We recommend that you avoid using applications that access sensitive data after May 2023”
Fairphone outlined what the end of this support period means for the approximately 15,000 Fairphone 2 phones still in use in a blog post earlier this year. In short, the end of software support doesn’t mean the remaining phones will break immediately, but any bugs or security issues that are discovered won’t be fixed in the future.
“We recommend that you avoid using apps that access sensitive data after May 2023; if there is a serious vulnerability that Fairphone 2 is susceptible to, we will not be able to fix it,” wrote Agnes Crepet, Fairphone’s head of software longevity. “Some security-critical apps, such as banking apps, will eventually see the device as outdated and stop working entirely.”
The last major Android release of the Fairphone 2 was version 10, which got a stable release in the earpiece last year. Spare parts for the phone will continue to be available while supplies last.
“The end of life for Fairphone 2 is bittersweet because in the ideal world, we would support our devices indefinitely, but due to industry and financial constraints, that is simply not feasible,” Crepet said in a statement. “But we are happy to say that we have supported Fairphone 2 for an unprecedented seven years.”
