The tech world is no stranger to Android. It is an open-source operating system used by many smartphone manufacturers. The Android platform is constantly updated with new features, improvements, and security patches. Android device manufacturers, commonly known as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), provide updates to their devices to ensure they are compatible with the latest Android version. Various companies have different levels of commitment towards their android updates. Samsung is renowned for its Android support, offering four Android upgrades and five years of security patches for most of its devices, even mid-range models. However, Fairphone took it a step further.

Fairphone

Fairphone is a company that specializes in producing ethical and environmentally friendly smartphones. The company originally committed to providing “three to five years” of support for the Fairphone 2. However, today the company issued the final update to the device, ending its support after an unprecedented seven years.

When the Fairphone 2 launched in 2015, it came with Android 5 Lollipop. The device kept on receiving a steady stream of security patches and updates, making it safe to use and compatible with most apps on the Google Play Store. Although the device’s Android 10 version is way behind the current stable version of Android, which is Android 13, the device is still relevant, thanks to Fairphone’s dedication to long-term software support.

Fairphone has advised caution with continuing to use the device after May 2023, the end of its official support timeline. The company’s head of software longevity, Agnes Crepet, stated, “The end of life for Fairphone 2 is bittersweet because, in the ideal world, we’d support our devices indefinitely, but due to industry and financial constraints, that is simply not feasible. But we are happy we can say we supported Fairphone 2 for an unprecedented seven years.”

The Fairphone 4, the company’s latest device, launched in 2021 and continues this trend of ethical and long-term software support.

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