Remember that smartphone from the Netherlands that aimed to
raise awareness on the use of conflict materials in the production of consumer
electronics. The Amsterdam-based company is now releasing a second generation
of its Fairphone
model that’s aptly called the Fairphone 2.
The phone will come with a Snapdragon 801 chipset with 2GB
of RAM, a 5-inch Full HD display that’s protected by a Gorilla Glass 3 panel,
an 8MP rear camera, 4G LTE connectivity and support for two SIM cards.
If you’re thinking that the Fairphone 2 isn’t quite a
flagship killer and it might not be worth it, well you better hold your horses.
Fairphone has beaten Google’s Project Ara to the punch by making the Fairphone
2’s components completely interchangeable.
Yes, the Fairphone 2 has a modular design, allowing users to
swap components such as the CPU, camera, microphone and other parts when the
need arises. Users will be able to order components most likely from Fairphone’s
store and swap them easily like a desktop computer.
The handset will run on Android 5.1 Lollipop, but the
company is making a lot of its software available to developers to allow easier
development of custom ROMs. But unlike Project Ara, the Fairphone 2 will look
like a traditional smartphone and the installation of the components are done
with the use of screws and a screw driver.
The phone will be available in Q3 2015 for around €525.
Fairphone is now opening pre-orders via its website.
