The Fairphone 6 is precisely the kind of Android telephone the US wants

It’s no secret that the North American smartphone market is way smaller than the remainder of the world. I’ve a drawer stuffed with Android telephones I’ve bought or reviewed over time, however they’re all made by the identical handful of corporations.

Apple and Samsung dominate the US smartphone trade, with Google and Motorola being the one different manufacturers with vital market share. To be even remotely aggressive with these large gamers, small telephone manufacturers must suppose outdoors the field. Meaning giving customers one thing the massive conglomerates can’t. It might be a distinct segment characteristic, novelty design, or intelligent worth proposition.

Proper now, the intriguing choices within the US come from Nothing and Fairphone. Nothing handsets are enjoyable, however after utilizing the most recent Fairphone 6, it’s obvious that Fairphone’s strategy is what the US smartphone market actually wants.

Apart from the clear design, there’s not a lot tying the Nothing lineup collectively. Some Nothing telephones, together with the Telephone 3a and Telephone 3a Professional, make worth and affordability their main promoting factors. Others, such because the Nothing Telephone 3, are priced like flagship telephones with out flagship-caliber {hardware}. That makes quirkiness and vibes the promoting level for fashions just like the Telephone 3 — you’re shopping for one since you suppose the design is cool, or due to the Glyph Matrix, not due to options or an attractive worth proposition.

There’s a giant leap from the value-focused Telephone 3a and Telephone 3a Professional to the flashy and overpriced Telephone 3. The one factor tying the lineup collectively is the telephones’ design. The issue is that the clear look is just a facade.

It’s a carefully-curated window that doesn’t reveal the true inner parts of a smartphone. In comparison with Nothing telephones and their Glyph Interface lights or Glyph Matrix show, different manufacturers nail the novelty characteristic section higher.

I’ve thought of importing the Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional as a result of, along with the putting chassis and mini-LED show on the again, it provides actual performance with twin USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The brand new Redmagic 11 Professional’s liquid cooling loop is each superior to take a look at and helps hold the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 cool. I just lately purchased a TCL NXTPAPER telephone for its paper-like show modes. All that is to say that I really like a great novelty smartphone characteristic, nevertheless it must be each cool and purposeful to earn my cash.

That’s the place the Fairphone 6 excels. I examined the model offered by Murena, which is formally accessible within the US. It takes the Fairphone 6’s repairable, moral {hardware} and provides Murena’s e/OS system for enhanced privateness and a de-Googled Android expertise.

Utilizing it made me notice it has the identical drawbacks as Nothing telephones, whereas providing options I discover extra useful. It’s equally overpriced and underpowered, nevertheless it additionally helps you to change 12 parts with a single screwdriver whereas prioritizing your privateness. To me, that’s much more spectacular than a number of fancy lights or a tiny dot matrix show.

Nothing telephones consistently go away me wanting extra. After I take a look at my Nothing Telephone 3a or Telephone 3a Professional evaluation items, I can see the screws holding the smartphone collectively, however there’s a sheet of Panda Glass between them and me. How good would it not be if Nothing’s clear, industrial design was greater than only a gimmick, and for those who might use it to restore your gadgets?

The Fairphone 6 is a preview of what that might appear like. It’s not fairly the looker that Nothing telephones are, however the design appeals to the sensible tech fans. The brilliant yellow slider, the refined indentation on the again of the telephone, the recycled composite chassis materials, and the 2 uncovered screws are intelligent but purposeful. These two screws connect a modular again cowl to the Fairphone 6, and once you take away it, the enjoyable begins.

The again cowl is totally modular, and you may swap it with first-party equipment like a finger loop cowl or a card pockets cowl. There’s even a lanyard that screws straight by means of the again cowl into the chassis for stability. The third-party and customized equipment are much more thrilling, and you may make them at house in case you have a 3D printer; folks have already made a LEGO-compatible backplate, and I printed a translucent alternative cowl in underneath an hour.

Nothing briefly tried this idea with the CMF Telephone 1, which supported modular backplates, nevertheless it lasted only one technology earlier than being eliminated on the CMF Telephone 2 Professional. I can’t think about why, as a result of I haven’t had as a lot enjoyable with a telephone shortly as I’ve had creating customized modular equipment for the Fairphone 6.

In fact, the actual good thing about the Fairphone 6’s modularity is repairability. You possibly can change the battery, show, cameras, USB-C port, and extra with a single included Torx T5 screwdriver. A alternative battery prices roughly $47 and could be swapped in minutes whereas solely needing to take away seven whole screws. The Fairphone 6’s $840 retail value turns into extra interesting when you think about its repairability and multi-year guarantee.

It will probably basically final so long as you need it to. With a microSD card slot supporting as much as 2TB of expandable storage, you gained’t run out of house. The most important concern right here is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, which is unimpressive and a bit sluggish at instances, though usable. The way in which I see it, Nothing telephones ship with equally under-spec processors for the worth, however with out the repairability advantages of the Fairphone 6.

Take into consideration who Nothing and Fairphone are designing their telephones for. It’s the identical reply for each manufacturers — tech fans who wish to break from the widespread telephone manufacturers and get a novel gadget that gives worth, distinctive options, and customized software program. All too typically, Nothing telephones fail to satisfy the actual wants of fans and professionals whereas additionally failing to attraction to the common client.

I like what Nothing stands for, and agree that we’d like extra smartphone decisions, particularly within the US. Nonetheless, it’s a troublesome promote to ask patrons to pay a premium for gimmicky options and underpowered {hardware} just because Nothing telephones look cool. The Murena Fairphone 6 is simply as costly because the Nothing Telephone 3 within the US, however the worth proposition makes way more sense. Fairphone 6 customers can hold their telephone operating for years with an affordable battery improve when Nothing Telephone 3 house owners are on the point of purchase a wholly new gadget.

I’ve spent cash on telephones from Apple, Samsung, Google, Motorola, and TCL over time, however I can’t see myself ever shopping for a Nothing telephone as they presently stand. The Fairphone 6, nonetheless, makes a powerful argument for being price your cash.

Extra smartphones within the US is an effective factor, and I hope Nothing sticks round as an alternative choice. However between it and Fairphone, it’s clear to me which is doing issues proper.