Well-known repairs** iFixit recently released a serviceability score for the FairPhone 5, and the results are surprisingly successful, with a perfect score of 10. Not only is this impressive achievement, but it also makes Fairphone the only mobile phone manufacturer to reach this height.
iFixit is known for producing product repair guides and advocating for right-to-repair laws, and conducts repairability assessments on major smartphones. Prior to that, the iPhone 15 series scored only 4 points (not recommended), while the Pixel 8 Pro scored only 6 points. While the repairability of smartphones is gradually declining, Fairphone has achieved a revolution in repairability.
The most striking feature of the Fairphone 5 is its back cover design, which can be easily removed without any tools. In addition, the battery can also be replaced with a simple ejection, a design similar to the flip and slide phones of the past.
However, the Fairphone 5 also brings some new breakthroughs. The new generation of camera modules has improved performance and serviceability. Now, each camera lens can be replaced individually, whereas the previous Fairphone 4 camera sensor needed to be replaced when it was damaged.
The Fairphone also uses a combination of motherboard and daughter board, splitting the motherboard, which is similar to some recent flagships to accommodate a larger battery. According to iFixit, this is one of the reasons why Fairphone chose this layout.
Despite the split-board design of the Fairphone 5, its serviceability score is still perfect. iFixit notes that while some warning labels have been added to the phone, they are not intended to prevent users from disassembling the device, but rather to prevent users from accidentally damaging the device while repairing the phone.
While the split-board design doesn't compromise serviceability, the core module (i.e., the motherboard) of the Fairphone 4 is never separated**. This is mainly due to international regulations on cellular device IMEI numbers, which makes it very difficult to provide a replacement motherboard with a separate IMEI number.
At the moment, the main obstacle affecting the serviceability of the FairPhone 5 is that the fingerprint sensor cannot be purchased separately. For a niche device like the Fairphone, finding the right used parts is also quite difficult.
The Fairphone 5 is a phone like no other, and with its 10 out of 10 repairability score, it is ideal for right-to-repair supporters.