Fairphone, the Dutch maker best known for ethically sourced, repairable phones, has officially begun selling in the United States — first with repairable audio gear and with a wider smartphone roll‑out planned.
What just happened
The company said this week it is launching the Fairbuds XL repairable headphones in the U.S. via an initial retail tie‑up with Amazon, and that it is preparing to offer its handsets in the market as well. Chief executive Raymond van Eck told Reuters the move is timed to take advantage of growing consumer and regulatory momentum for right‑to‑repair laws across the country.
Fairphone’s entrance follows several years in which its phones were available to U.S. buyers only indirectly through a distribution partner, Murena, which ships Fairphone devices running a privacy‑focused, deGoogled Android fork called /e/OS. The company says the U.S. launch will eventually include Fairphone phones with Google services as in other markets, though timing and exact models remain to be confirmed.
For background and the maker’s product details, see Fairphone’s official site: Fairphone.
Products, pricing and specs
- Audio: Fairphone is debuting in the U.S. with the Fairbuds XL, a modular, repairable pair of headphones designed so that key parts can be replaced rather than discarded. The company is positioning the product as a beachhead for broader consumer awareness.
- Smartphones: Murena has already made the Fairphone 6 available in the U.S. market; the phone is listed at about $899 and ships with /e/OS. The Fairphone 6 features a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a 6.31‑inch OLED display, a 4,415mAh battery, a 50MP main camera plus a 13MP ultrawide, and 8GB/256GB of storage with microSD expansion. Fairphone highlights the device’s repairability — the phone can be opened with a single screwdriver and has more than a dozen replaceable parts — along with extended support and spare‑parts commitments.
- Distribution: More than 90% of phones in the United States are sold through carriers, so getting a meaningful foothold typically requires partnerships with wireless operators. Fairphone’s initial plan uses Amazon as a launch channel before pursuing carrier deals.
- Tariffs and costs: Analysts and company comments note that hardware entering the U.S. faces tariffs (reported around 34% at present), which can push retail prices higher. That pressure is visible: critics and some reviewers note the Fairphone 6’s roughly $899 price sits in premium territory despite midrange internal specs.
- Consumer priorities: While sustainability and repairability attract a vocal and growing segment, many mainstream buyers still prioritize camera performance, raw specs, platform ecosystems and carrier promotions — areas where entrenched incumbents have advantages.
Different buyers are likely to see different versions: Murena’s offering emphasizes privacy and the deGoogled experience, while Fairphone has indicated it intends to offer Google‑integrated phones in the U.S. as part of its mainstream launch.
Why Fairphone thinks the timing is right
Fairphone’s move into the U.S. is pitched as a bet on shifting consumer sentiment and policy. The company points to an expanding patchwork of state and local right‑to‑repair measures and a public increasingly resistant to disposable electronics. In recent company figures, Fairphone reported a 61% year‑over‑year increase in revenue in the third quarter of 2025, with device sales up 61% and spare parts and audio products each rising about 41%.
“Our strategy is built for uncertainty. The tariffs weather may change daily, but the demand signal in the U.S. is clear,” van Eck said, framing the U.S. as an opportunity despite trade and tariff volatility.
Business realities and headwinds
Fairphone faces practical challenges as it scales in the U.S. market:
What this could mean for the industry
Fairphone’s arrival is likely to nudge conversations in two directions. For consumers, it expands choice for people prioritizing repairable hardware, longer support windows and greater supply‑chain transparency. For industry incumbents, the move adds pressure — albeit incremental — to extend official support, make repairs easier, and provide clearer parts availability if they want to address the same audience.
Regulators and right‑to‑repair advocates, meanwhile, will view Fairphone as a tangible example of products designed around repairability rather than planned obsolescence, reinforcing arguments for policies that make parts and documentation more widely available.
Bottom line
Fairphone’s U.S. entry is cautious but strategic: audio gear via Amazon, Murena’s privacy‑oriented Fairphone 6 already on sale, and plans to broaden distribution to carriers and Google‑integrated models. The company brings clear credentials on sustainability and repairability and has momentum from recent sales growth, but it must overcome distribution bottlenecks, tariff pressure and entrenched consumer habits to reach scale in the U.S. market.
If you value longevity, replaceable parts and supply‑chain transparency, Fairphone’s arrival makes the marketplace more interesting. For shoppers focused primarily on peak specs, price or carrier deals, the new entrant will present a trade‑off between ethical design and conventional flagship features.