What you need to know
- Fairphone recorded a massive year-over-year shipment increase of 116% and its third consecutive quarter of growth.
- Growth is strongest in Europe, led by the United Kingdom (+241% phones), followed by the Netherlands (+200%) and France (+121%), with Germany showing steady gains.
- The momentum is based on a strong 2025, where sales increased by 42% and revenue reached €73.3 million (+35% year-on-year).
The year 2026 has been a difficult year for smartphone sales. Counterpoint research recently reported that global shipments fell 6% this quarter due to cautious spending and the ongoing shortage of DRAM and NAND. Most big brands are seeing lower profits and tough conditions, but one smaller company is doing well. Fairphone had its third consecutive quarter of growth, with smartphone shipments increasing 116% compared to the first quarter of 2025.
If you follow phone specs and hardware trends, you know that keeping a modern phone running for years usually means dealing with stuck batteries and software limits.
Fairphone does things differently. Your phones are designed to be truly repairable and lasts a long time. This approach is paying off, bringing the Amsterdam company closer to two major milestones: one million devices sold and $500 million in total revenue.
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Explosive European growth
Growth is especially strong in certain markets. The United Kingdom saw the biggest increase, with shipments of phones increasing by 241%, accessories by 166%, and audio products by 95%.
The Netherlands also saw big gains, with phone sales up 200%, accessories up 131%, and audio equipment up 56%. France also showed good results, with a 121% increase in phones, 84% growth in accessories and a 28% increase in audio shipments.
Germany saw steady growth, with accessories leading at 61%, phones at 60% and audio products at 39%.
Fairphone is managing to grow even as the market Electronics industry faces challenges. Fairphone chief commercial officer Rutger Sneep says the company is “growing while the market shrinks,” which he sees as “a strong sign that consumers are reconsidering what good technology looks like.”
Sneep believes that strong demand in Europe demonstrates that transparency, repairability and responsible production create a resilient business model.
This push comes after a very successful 2025. Last year, the sustainable technology brand’s phone sales increased by 42%. This led to total revenues of 73.3 million euros, a strong increase of 35% compared to the previous year.
Android Central’s opinion
I’m honestly tired of seeing Samsung and Apple selling $1,000 worth of phones that become electronic waste as soon as the back glass breaks. Fairphone is not perfect. Its cameras can’t outperform a Pixel and the chips aren’t top-notch, but at least you can change the battery with just a fingernail in a minute. That’s not just a feature. This is a true stance against planned obsolescence.
