The Fairphone 3, which uses recycled materials, Fairtrade gold, and modular parts for ease of repair, has been discontinued.
First launched in 2019, the mid-range Android smartphone is one of only two handsets to score a perfect 10 on the iFixit repairability index. But writing on the Fairphone blog, CEO Eva Gouwens confirmed that the phone is no longer being sold. She's quick to point out this doesn't mean an end of life for the handset, though, as Fairphone offers five years of software and hardware support. And as it's a modular phone, owners can continue to upgrade and replace different parts such as the camera. An upgrade to Android 11 is also planned for next year.
Although not mentioned in the blog post, it was later confirmed in the comments that the Fairphone 3+ will continue to be sold. However, there are problems sourcing components at the moment as they are "a smaller player," but this looks to be a short-term problem. Existing Fairphone 3 and 3+ owners should experience no issues when ordering components, though.
As for the future of Fairphone, it remains positive. As Android Authority reported last month, a Fairphone 4 5G was certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance on Aug. 9, so clearly a new modular smartphone is on the horizon. When it launches is ultimately going to be decided by the ongoing global component shortage. I wouldn't bet against this being the first 5G phone to score a perfect 10 on the iFixit repairability index, though.