World’s first ‘ethical’ smartphone to be unveiled this week

Sebastian Salek

The world’s first fair-trade smartphone will be unveiled to the public in London this week, marking a leap forward in ethical technology. The Dutch firm behind the phone said it had worked closely with pressure groups to ensure the smartphone, called Fairphone, was the most ethically sourced product available.

Smartphone makers such as Apple and Samsung have in the past been criticised for failing to reveal that their products were made from resources mined in conflict zones and manufactured in Far East factories where labour practices have been called into question.

The new handset, with a screen size of 4.3 inches, half-way between the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII, will retail at £272, but is not available until December. Almost 15,000 have already been pre-ordered. Potential customers will be able to handle the new product at the London Design Festival on Wednesday.

A number of minerals used in smartphones often come from conflict zones, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The three Ts — tantalum, tin and tungsten — in particular, are extracted from mines in the region and armed groups controlling them are alleged to benefit, with profits fuelling the fighting. Fairphone’s tin and tantalum are extracted from conflict-free mines — those where profits aren’t used for the purchase of arms.

The Independent