Launch report · Fairphone
Fairphone 1: The 2013 phone built on fair-trade materials and ethical supply chain.
SpecEagle Editorial·Dec 2013·$430·Score 40/100
Fairphone 1 was a Dutch startup's answer to phone-industry exploitation — conflict-free tin and tantalum, public supply-chain audits, dual-SIM and a removable battery. 25,000 backers funded its first run, launching a brand that proved ethical phones could exist.
Key specs at launch
Display
4.3" LCD
Chipset
MediaTek MT6589
Memory
1 GB · 16 GB
Main cam
8 MP
Battery
2,000 mAh
Weight
160 g
What stands out
- First phone built on fair-trade conflict-free materials.
- Dual-SIM, removable battery.
- Transparent supply-chain reporting.
- Funded via crowdfunding (25K units).
What to watch
- Modest hardware for the price.
- qHD resolution.
- 1 GB RAM.
- Limited availability.
The phone it has to beat
Apple iPad Air 2
$499 · score 64/100