The Fairphone 6 may simply be probably the most fascinating Android cellphone you should purchase immediately, however in all probability not for the explanations you anticipate. In a 12 months marked by rising reliance on AI, cloud companies, and privateness issues over information dealing with, Murena’s Fairphone 6 stands alone.
The Fairphone 6 presents seemingly all the pieces for the one who needs a singular cellphone this 12 months and is bored with all of the destructive expertise tendencies. It has built-in safety for blocking apps and net trackers, a option to disguise your IP from snooping advertisers and firms like Meta and Google, a privateness change on the aspect that may disable microphones and cameras on a whim — or simply allow an ultra-minimalist mode for when you might want to unplug — and it is impressively repairable, with 14 parts you’ll be able to simply swap out your self.
It is the anti-smartphone in so some ways, and it could simply be the cellphone you might want to improve to in the event you’re apprehensive about your digital privateness and need to make sure you’ve bought a cellphone that not solely will get eight years of software program updates (sure, eight!), but additionally one which’s impressively simple to restore.
Redefining privateness and worth
The sixth-generation Fairphone is a mid-range Android 15 or Android 16-powered cellphone that is designed to be sustainable and repairable at its core. I listing each OS’s as a result of Fairphone sells two fashions: one with a reasonably bare-bones model of Android that comes with all the standard Google apps and companies, and the extra privacy-focused Murena /e/os model that I am specializing in right here.
The minimalist plastic construct options two apparent screws on the again for simple disassembly, which reveals a battery that may be simply eliminated and changed. That design additionally permits for the elimination and substitute of 14 important parts that Fairphone sells for affordable costs. Fairphone additionally sells a number of equipment, like instances and display screen protectors, so you do not have to fret about having a tough time discovering the suitable match.
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The cellphone runs Murena’s /e/os, a privacy-centric fork of Android that receives month-to-month safety updates for the primary three years, then bi-monthly till June 2033, when help formally ends. The /e/os working system strips out all of the Google monitoring bits, together with Google Play Companies and any of the standard Google apps which are preinstalled on different Android telephones.
However don’t fret, the App Lounge constructed into /e/os accommodates widespread Android apps, open-source apps, and progressive net apps, which suggests your favourite apps are nearly definitely accessible straight away. The important thing right here is that this app retailer would not depend on Google’s monitoring to serve you apps; it would not even require you to signal into an account, in the event you do not need to!
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Alternatively, the Fairphone 6 runs a particularly minimalist model of Google Play Companies, so you do not have to leap by means of hoops to make use of commonplace Google apps. Simply check in to your Google account, and it retains your information siloed to these particular apps, as an alternative of getting OS-wide monitoring or integration options as a standard Android construct does.
The core of the seen software program privateness filters is correct on the (very iOS-inspired) dwelling display screen. Swipe over to the leftmost panel, which accommodates a listing of widgets, and faucet on Superior Privateness to get began.
From right here, you’ll be able to see which apps try to trace your private information, in addition to a listing of controls you need to use to maintain issues as personal as attainable. By default, most of those superior options are turned off for compatibility causes, however a fast faucet of any of the three classes can change that.
I like to recommend that each Fairphone consumer allow the function that forestalls app trackers and adverts. I’ve seen no proof that it breaks apps, even those who often punish customers when adverts are blocked, because it appears to be good sufficient not to dam adverts on these sorts of companies. In all places else, although, it does an impressively good job of blocking adverts, and there is zero configuration. You simply flip it on, and it really works.
The opposite two classes — Geolocation and actual IP handle — are seemingly a bit extra area of interest, however are however essential for folk apprehensive about on-line privateness. Geolocation permits you to faux your location, together with a “random believable location” choice or a selected location you’ll be able to decide from a map. The IP handle part enables you to absolutely masks your public IP, so web sites cannot guess the place you might be based mostly on that alone.
All of those settings — adverts, geolocation, and IP — are tremendous granular and might be configured per app, though the default setting applies to all apps on the cellphone, so configuration is barely required if you wish to dive deeper.
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My different favourite key function of this cellphone is managed by that brilliant yellow change on the suitable aspect. By default, this change instantly disables all digital camera and microphone entry, so you’ll be able to be a part of conferences and toggle it off with out worrying about being unmuted.
However whereas this can be a nice default choice, I truly most popular to vary this change to Fairphone Moments, a brand new /e/os function that immediately makes the cellphone minimalist. It jogs my memory of the NXTPAPER key on the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Professional, an amazing function extra telephones want.
Murena /e/OS is at the moment fairly a bit behind on Android updates, because the cellphone nonetheless runs Android 15 as of this June 2026 overview. Android 16 is within the works, however it’s solely seemingly the cellphone will stay at the very least one model behind for the foreseeable future. It is slated for eight complete OS updates, seemingly which means this cellphone will see Android 23 as its final model.
Even being a model behind, eight years of OS and safety updates is solely unparalleled for any cellphone, no matter whether or not it is Android or iOS. That helps pivot the worth proposition fairly a bit, particularly contemplating the repairability of this cellphone in comparison with almost unrepairable telephones just like the Galaxy S26 Extremely.
In fact, the $749 value places it just below flagship telephones just like the OnePlus 15 and cheaper semi-flagship fashions just like the Google Pixel 10 and Nothing Cellphone 3. Regardless of the same value, its specs are fairly a bit worse than these of the opposite telephones in each manner. It is bought a slower processor, considerably worse cameras, and a smaller battery capability.
And whereas the AMOLED show seems to be fairly good in a really OLED manner, it is a dangerous alternative for people who find themselves delicate to PWM dimming.
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I might love to color the specs in a greater mild, particularly given the absurd value will increase we have seen on expertise this 12 months, however this is not a cellphone you are going to purchase in the event you’re in search of the most effective efficiency or digital camera high quality. You are shopping for it for the privateness, the long-term help, and the repairability.
Which brings me to the ultimate level: this is not a cellphone for everybody, however it’s a cellphone that excels in what it goals to do greatest. There is not any different cellphone available on the market fairly just like the Fairphone 6, and if these three classes are crucial to you, this could possibly be the dream cellphone you’ve got been ready for.
The anti-smartphone
The Murena Fairphone 6 is a superb cellphone for anybody who values privateness and needs out of the Google ecosystem. It is also tremendous repairable and hsa lengthy software program help, which provides a ton of worth.
