Almost all current Android smartphones have a complex internal structure and are difficult for users to repair. If your phone is broken, you need to contact a technical service. The reason that the ability to repair phones has decreased is that over the years, new models have been equipped with glass backs, non-removable batteries are included, and the devices have become thinner and thinner. If you do not have enough knowledge and try to repair your phone, you may damage the circuit elements and make your phone unusable.
There are some smartphones where the repair can be done at home and by unauthorized persons. Thanks to their modular design, the defective part can be easily replaced with a new one and you can use the phone again. Using the list of the most repairable smartphones, you can see which models are repairable they are.
Fairphone 5
Fairphone entered the market in 2013 with the Fairphone 1 model, and after 9 years has introduced its most current phone, the Fairphone 5. The new model is made from recycled plastic and is designed to be usable for many years. The Fairphone 5, offered for sale with the promise of update support until 2031, features a Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset and 8 GB RAM. This model, which comes with a 6.46-inch OLED FHD + screen, has update support until at least Android 18 and comes with a 5-year warranty.
The Fairphone 5 has a removable battery with a capacity of 4200 mAh instead of a non-removable battery. It charges to 50% in 20 minutes and you can insert the replacement battery into the device within seconds. Since it has a removable battery, the back cover is easily removable. After removing the back cover, you can disconnect the other components by removing the protective cover of the motherboard.
Nokia G22
The Nokia G22, developed in collaboration with Nokia and iFixit, is another smartphone that allows you to easily repair your smartphone. You can easily get original spare parts for this model and continue the repair process by checking out the teardown guide on iFixit. The Nokia G22, which has a 3-year warranty, will receive Android version updates for 2 years and Android security updates for 3 years.
This model, which comes with a 6.52-inch HD + screen, features the Unisoc T606 chipset, 4 GB RAM and 64/128 GB storage options. It also comes with a 5050 mAh capacity battery. Even though it has a lower hardware configuration compared to the Fairphone 5, you can still get a long screen life thanks to the powerful battery.
SHIFT6mq
This smartphone, whose model name is quite interesting, offers much more customization and repair options compared to other smartphones on the list. The SHIFT6mq is completely modular and comes with the privacy-friendly ShiftOS operating system, which has powerful technical features.
The box contents of the device include a tempered screen protector, case, screwdriver, USB cable and adapter. As much as the box content is rich, the software support is also rich. This smartphone, which has a wide community, has a high variety of custom ROMs. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, SHIFT6mq has 8 GB RAM and 128GB internal storage option.
This model, which has a 6-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen, has a battery with a capacity of 3850mAh. The SHIFT6mq, which comes with similar hardware features as the 2018 flagship smartphones, was released with a 5-year update promise. The manufacturer has stated that it will support the custom ROM developer community in adapting new Android ROMs to the SHIFT6mq.
Conclusion
There aren’t many models on the list of the most repairable smartphones, as most well-known manufacturers are reluctant to launch easily repairable smartphones. Brands other than Nokia have a very small market share and audience. However, the options and devices they offer are quite remarkable. The emergence of smartphones with modular design is still attracting the attention of some communities.
