What you need to know
- Fairphone posted a huge 116% year-over-year shipment increase and its third straight quarter of growth.
- Growth is strongest in Europe, led by the UK (+241% phones), followed by the Netherlands (+200%) and France (+121%), with Germany showing steady gains.
- The momentum builds on a strong 2025, where sales jumped 42% and revenue hit €73.3 million (+35% YoY).
The year 2026 has been a rough year for smartphone sales. Counterpoint Research recently reported that global shipments dropped 6% this quarter due to cautious spending and ongoing DRAM and NAND shortages. Most big brands are seeing lower profits and difficult conditions, but one smaller company is doing well. Fairphone had its third straight quarter of growth, with smartphone shipments up 116% compared to Q1 2025.
If you follow phone specs and hardware trends, you know that keeping a modern phone running for years usually means dealing with glued-in batteries and software limits.
Fairphone does things differently. Its phones are built to be truly repairable and last a long time. This approach is paying off, bringing the Amsterdam company close to two big milestones: one million devices sold and $500 million in total revenue.
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Explosive European growth
The growth is especially strong in certain markets. The UK saw the biggest increase, with phone shipments up 241%, accessories up 166%, and audio products rising 95%.
The Netherlands also saw big gains, with phone sales up 200%, accessories up 131%, and audio gear up 56%. France showed strong results too, with a 121% increase in phones, 84% growth in accessories, and a 28% rise in audio shipments.
Germany experienced steady growth, with accessories leading at 61%, phones at 60%, and audio products at 39%.
Fairphone is managing to grow even as the wider electronics industry faces challenges. Fairphone’s Chief Commercial Officer, Rutger Sneep, says the company is “growing while the market shrinks,” which he sees as “a strong signal that consumers are rethinking what good technology looks like”.
Sneep believes the strong demand in Europe shows that transparency, repairability, and responsible production make for a resilient business model.
This momentum comes after a very successful 2025. Last year, the sustainable tech brand’s phone sales went up by 42%. That led to a total revenue of €73.3 million, a strong 35% increase from the year before.
Android Central’s Take
I’m honestly tired of seeing Samsung and Apple sell $1,000 phones that become e-waste as soon as you crack the back glass. Fairphone isn’t perfect. Its cameras can’t beat a Pixel, and the chips aren’t top-tier, but at least you can swap the battery with just your fingernail in a minute. That’s not just a feature. That’s a real stand against planned obsolescence.