Fairphone, the Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, has announced that the Fairphone models 3 and 3+ will be receiving an update to Android 13. Beta version roll-out has started today, with all users receiving the update by the end of June. The new update will take users of the Fairphone 3 and the Fairphone 3+ from Android 11 directly to Android 13.
This update to Android 13 is an example of Fairphone’s policy of providing software support for its devices for as long as possible. Since support by the device’s chipset vendor has expired, Fairphone 3(+) software is now maintained directly by the Fairphone team who assessed the feasibility of updating the device to Android 13 right away. Fairphone has previously done the same with the recently discontinued Fairphone 2, skipping Android 8 and updating the device to Android 9 instead.
The Fairphone 3 was originally launched in 2019 with Android 9, the upgraded version, Fairphone 3+, followed in 2020. Both models are guaranteed to continue to receive software support until at least August 2024. However, Fairphone aims to support the phones for even longer, until 2026. This is a first for the Android ecosystem. Fairphone wants to push the industry to act more responsibly and maintain phones longer.
Agnes Crepet, Head of Software Longevity at Fairphone, states:
“At Fairphone, we not only care about our new customers, but also about our existing users. By providing Android updates for our older models, we are going against industry norms and want to ensure that owners of the Fairphone 3 can also enjoy using their phones for longer. As we always say, the most sustainable phone is the one you already own!”