Fairphone ends support for this phone, but updates will continue

Fairphone has long positioned itself as the rebel in the smartphone industry, building devices that are meant to be opened, repaired, and kept alive for years rather than replaced every two or three upgrade cycles. At a time when repairability is finally gaining widespread attention, it feels slightly ironic that one of its most important early devices is now reaching the end of its official support — but there is more to it than that.

The company has confirmed that the Fairphone 3 will be officially retired in August this year, marking the end of software updates for the device. For a phone that launched back in 2019, this is not entirely unexpected. Most devices from that era have long since stopped receiving software updates. However, Fairphone’s approach to end-of-life is not quite the same as what users might be used to.

Instead of simply cutting support and moving on, Fairphone is extending the device’s lifespan through a partnership with Murena. Even after Fairphone’s official support ends, the phone will continue to receive software and security updates for an additional two years. That alone significantly changes a lot for existing users, effectively pushing the device’s usable life well beyond what most smartphones offer.

The continued support will be delivered through /e/OS, the privacy-focused Android fork developed by Murena. This means Fairphone 3 users will still get security patches and system-level improvements, along with ongoing stability updates. More importantly, they will also gain access to privacy-first features built into /e/OS, including Advanced Privacy controls, built-in tracker blocking, and access to apps through the App Lounge.

Interestingly, the company is also working to update the Fairphone 3’s /e/OS build from Android 13 to Android 15. While the hardware is aging, this move ensures users can still benefit from newer Android foundations, modern security enhancements, and compatibility improvements that would otherwise be completely out of reach for a device of this age.

For users who want to make the switch, installing /e/OS is being offered as a free option. The process is documented on Murena’s official website, where Fairphone 3 owners can follow step-by-step instructions to flash the operating system onto their device.