the viability of the project. “Price point, ergonomics and standardisation will all pose big challenges, but they are challenges which can be overcome,” he said. “If it’s pricey, you can decide to buy cheaper blocks. The challenge is to make it actually work. That’s the key. It should really work perfectly.”
Fairphone – the phone with principles Also touching on the issue of e-waste, but delving much deeper into the provenance of each internal component, is the Fairphone. The company behind this crowdfunded and ethically sourced smartphone sent
out a statement of intent recently after
announcing that its initial run of 25,000 pre-orders had already sold out. The Fairphone, which has been produced by the
(Below) Members of Fairphone travelled to the DRC to visit mines from which they source essential raw minerals
small Dutch social enterprise of the same name, has been created in part to shine a light into the darker recesses of the electronic supply chain. Assembled in China by workers who are guaranteed a fair wage and working conditions, the raw minerals (tin and tantalum) for the Fairphone are sourced from conflict-free mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo that are not controlled by warring parties in the ongoing civil strife in that country. Other parts such as the case are made from recycled materials. In keeping with the theme of sustainability and
openess the phone itself is built to last, with user- replaceable parts, dual SIM cards and a high-end
scratch resistant screen. The phone is
rootable,
meaning that the user can install their operating system of choice. The Fairphone website also gives a complete breakdown of all the costs involved in the production of the device. The project has not been without its difficulties,
with problems in the supply chain and delays in the certification process putting back the delivery of the smartphones to December from an initial projected deadline of autumn 2013. As people are paying for a device they haven’t even seen or held, a large degree of trust is involved, something alluded to by Bas van Abel, founder and CEO of Fairphone. “25,000 people have put down €325 for a phone
they have never seen before, from a company that has never made a phone before. This is quite a statement for fair electronics and that the idea of a fairer economy is incredibly valuable to people. People have made their statement. Now it’s up to us,” he said recently. Whether the Fairphone or Phonebloks will be able
to convert their groundbreaking ideas into economic success is another story, and one that will most likely only be answered with time. However, both should take encouragement from the overwhelming support they have received from potential users on the internet, which surely sends a message to the smartphone industry at large as to which direction they hope phones develop in the future.
www.projectsmagazine.eu.com
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