Ethics-focused phone makers Fairphone and Murena have unveiled their latest collaboration: the Murena Fairphone (Gen 6), a smartphone that pairs repairable hardware with privacy-focused software.
The release coincides with the launch of the Fairphone 6, which runs on Android. The Murena edition swaps Google’s ecosystem for /e/OS, an open-source operating system designed to minimise data collection.
The new device builds on the foundation laid by the Murena Fairphone 5, which promised a 10-year lifespan and a higher bar for sustainable electronics.
The Gen 6 model introduces a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, offering superior performance to the previous chip, Qualcomm’s QCM6490. The new model comes with a similar specced triple 50MP dual camera system. Its battery, though, is smaller and lasts longer. It’s also fitted with tougher Gorilla Glass 7i to protect the LCD display. Overall, the new version is 9% lighter than before.
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As with the previous model, users can replace individual parts using just a screwdriver. The number of parts you can chop and change has increased from 10 to 12, including the screen, USB-C port, and speakers. The smartphone comes with a five-year warranty, but the companies still hedge their bets that the device will last 10 years or more.
Netherlands-based Fairphone focuses on the environmental and social costs of hardware by sourcing conflict-free materials and building its devices to last as long as possible. Meanwhile, France’s Murena builds operating systems and smartphones — one of which we tested for ourselves — that offer a more private alternative to Apple or Android.
Murena’s “deGoogled” /e/OS strips out Google services and trackers, replacing them with its own apps for email, calendar, and cloud storage. A recent 3.0 software update added new privacy tools, end-to-end encryption, and enhanced parental controls, the company said.
This marks the fourth time the two companies have partnered, dating back to the Fairphone 3 in 2020 — a model that Murena still supports with software updates.
“We’re proud of our collaboration with Murena,” said Fairphone CEO Raymond van Eck. “Together, we’re giving people a phone they can truly feel good about using — inside and out.”
The Murena Fairphone (Gen 6) is available from today in the UK, EU, and several other European markets via Murena.com at a starting price of €649. US customers can pre-order now, with deliveries starting in August.