Fairphone 5 targets 42% price cut in global market push for sustainable smartphone

While the Fairphone 5 (read our review here) was a massive leap forward, the sustainable, repairable smartphone brand is still somewhat operating in a niche market. Fairphone's new CEO, Reinier Hendriks, hopes to change that. In a recent interview with Handelsblatt (via Android Police), Hendriks explains his master plan for a global Fairphone takeover.

Faiphone's plan for smartphone world domination hinges on price, and the new CEO aims to forge alliances with hardware manufacturers and software developers in order to bring prices down from its current. Hendriks's stated target for the €699.99 Fairphone 5 is €400 ($434.49 at the time of writing), putting it right around the same category as mid-range devices like the popular Samsung Galaxy A55 and undercutting powerhouses like the OnePlus 12R (curr. $499.99 on Amazon).

Until such time, the Fairphone 5 is difficult to justify to a wider public, because, while it was a huge step forward, it is still wildly more expensive than similar devices, like the Google Pixel 7a (curr. $465 on Amazon)

Usually, companies like Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi are able to bring down the prices of their smartphones by leveraging the economy of scale. Since Fairphone doesn't have that on its side yet, it will likely face an uphill battle.

Nevertheless, Fairphone has recently expanded availability to markets outside of Europe, even making some of its phones available in the US, although the Fairphone 5, which is slated to get five Android updates and 10 years of software support, has yet to officially land on US shores.