Fairphone Easy subscription plan would be suspended indefinitely

Fairphone is a Dutch phone maker renowned for emphasizing sustainability and repairability. The company announced Fairphone Easy subscription service back in 2022. It was introduced as a pilot program in Netherlands. As of now, the company has shared that the subscription service is going to be cancelled permanently.

As the name indicates, Fairphone Easy allows access to a Fairphone smartphone via a subscription model. In addition to this, the company offers replacements, guaranteed repairs, and proper end-of-life recycling with the subscription plan. Furthermore, it gave certain incentives to users who hold onto their devices for longer. It even offered less subscription costs for current consumers.

Despite all these efforts, the company was unable to grow the subscribers. Fairphone recognizes that users may be confused about pricing structures, as some may compare the initial cost of the subscription to the phone’s one-time purchase price. Even though Fairphone made an effort to inform customers about the long-term advantages of leasing, they eventually discovered that customer preference posed a bigger obstacle.

The company shared in a blog post that it is a sad reality that users prefer to own their devices instead of renting them. According to Fairphone’s research, in contrast to leasing a device, users were five times more likely to purchase a Fairphone. The reason behind these includes emotional attachment to devices and privacy concerns. The subscription model was further hampered by the release of the Fairphone 5, as consumers voiced a wish to upgrade, something that the program was unable to effectively support.

Although the subscription service is ending, the company will stick to their policies regarding sustainability and ethical production. The company has debuted the Fairphone 5 in European markets, it is yet to launch in the US. There is no information regarding the launch and availability dates in the United States.