Dutch smartphone manufacturer Fairphone will rent the Fairphone 4 via a subscription with a repair service. Users pay a monthly fee and must use the device with case and screen protector. It is not about buying in installments.
You can choose from a subscription period of 3, 12, 36 or 60 months. Prices range from 34 to 21 euros per month. A deposit of €90 is also required. The device will no longer be in the user’s possession after the subscription expires. The phone must be returned and the manufacturer will either reuse or recycle it.
During the rental period, users get Fairphone 4 on loan and access to repair service. Users will receive a replacement device within 48 hours if there is a defect. They have to remove the SIM card and SD card themselves and make backup copies of their files. The screen and battery can be replaced once a year if they are broken. There is no limit to other parts.
The device must be used in the supplied protective case and with the included screen protector to be eligible for replacement or repair. The rental relates to the appliance and its associated repair service only. Users have to arrange the SIM card and phone subscription themselves.
The Verfone 4What the manufacturer offers through subscription is a 256 GB version with 8 GB RAM. This device costs 649 euros separately. Other versions or models are not yet available through the rental structure.
In the long run, renting the phone is much more expensive than buying the device separately. The cheapest 60-month subscription costs €21 per month. This equates to 1,260 euros for five years of using the device. For every year the phone is not damaged, subscribers receive a €2 discount on the monthly amount. After three years of renting without the need for repairs, the discount increases to 4 euros. With all discounts, the total amount comes to 948 euros.
According to Fairphone, Fairphone Easy Building Rental Users must use their device for as long as possible or transfer it from Fairphone to a new owner. The manufacturer states that it is unclear what customers will do with the sale of smartphones when the phone is not in use. “This does not fit with Fairphone’s sustainable mission of longevity and circularity,” the manufacturer said.
