- The Fairphone 4 prioritizes privacy by disassociating itself from Google.
- Murena offers a “de-googled” system that protects user data and prevents the collection of information by Google.
- Exceptional sustainability by earning high repairability ratings and reducing e-waste.
The Fairphone 4, known for being an attractive choice among consumers concerned about privacy and the environment, has been limited to Europe since its launch in 2021, but now it’s coming to the US market and decoupling its operating system from Google services.
The focus on the environment, privacy and personalization of the operating system
Making its US debut, the Fairphone 4 is available for a starting price of $630.
Hallmarks of the Fairphone 4: One of the key features that sets this phone apart is its focus on reducing e-waste, as well as its convenient battery and screen replacement options. It has achieved a repairability rating of 9.3 out of 10 on the French Repairability Index and a perfect rating from iFixit.
Murena’s custom operating system: Although this smartphone was initially released in 2021 with Android 11, the US edition runs on Murena’s custom operating system /e/OS. This “de-Googled” operating system is intended to prevent Google from collecting user data when making significant changes to the embedded software.
OS Changes
Murena has replaced Google’s default search engine on Android with its metasearch, replaced Google’s network time protocol servers with NTP Pool Project, and stopped using Google’s servers to verify connectivity.
The operating system also uses DNS services provided by the network provider instead of Google’s, and employs Mozilla’s location services.
Although Murena’s operating system does not use the Google Play Store, its App Lounge is capable of installing most Android apps, including those available from the F-Droid open source repository.
In addition, the system provides users with detailed information about the trackers used by each app and the permissions they require, using a privacy scoring system. While the Google Play Store also includes a similar system, Google’s implementation has been heavily criticized by Mozilla.
Fairphone 4 specifications
The Fairphone 4 features a 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor, a 6.3-inch screen with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels and a pixel density of 410 PPI.
In addition, it is equipped with a 3905 mAh battery, a 42-megapixel rear camera and a 25-megapixel front camera. The phone also supports 5G connectivity and offers dual SIM functionality.
Storage options and warranty: The Fairphone 4 is available in two color options, green and grey, with storage capacities of 128 GB or 256 GB, accompanied by 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM. The top-end configuration retails for $699. Customers who purchase the Fairphone 4 before the end of the year will receive a five-year warranty, which will be reduced to three years from 2024.