It was referring to not being able to call emergency services, which may realistically lead to your death. It's a fairly unlikely scenario, but not a completely crazy one. It's just a highlight in a sea of issues. Or at least that's how it looks to me, as I've never used a Fairphone. Some people say they work flawlessly.

Imagine dying wasn't hyperbole it is a real concern of mine. I commute with a bicycle to work and also cycle a lot in my free time. I wouldn't be the first cyclist injured or even killed in a hit an run accident, so a phone that is unable to make a emergency call when I need it is not something I am willing to risk.

Also had no big problems with my FP4

Same here with my FP3+

Only if you still get security updates for those 7 years, which is I think the case with the Pixels, and some Samsung flagships, but is very far from being the norm. You don't want a non-updated phone.

Edit: of course that also works if you can switch to an alternate rom that does receive the updates.

Try to run your current phone for 7 more years.

Isn't the entire appeal of Fairphone that its modular and easy to repair?

I can't extend my OnePlus for another 7 years because the charging port is flaky and the battery is burning out. The ringer switch is busted, so I can't take my phone off silent. The camera's focus is always a bit off. I can't disassemble and fix the parts that are broken while keeping the bits that still work without getting a fucking engineering degree.

I use my phones until they start crashing due to battery issues.

Tends to be about 6 years for that to happen, at least with the mid range phones I tend to buy.

My Nexus 4 did not survive an intense summer of Pokemon Go, and my Huawei Honor whatever number it was eventually would die just from opening the camera. I'd get the batteries replaced, but by the time they die I'm feeling the age of them even more than in my knees.

I agree and that was the reason I initially chose a Fairphone but the promised 7 years of security updates also turned out to be a half-truth, after three years I only got quarterly security updates. I tolerated four years of buggy software the update that broke the phone part of my smartphone was just the last nail in the coffin.

I'd love to, but manufacturers are complete shit at supporting phones. Most don't get security updates after 3 years.

This is probably the main point - not buying a new phone when the manufacturers release a new model.

I would add though that Fairphone are also improving the entire industry by not using cheap labour, paying fair wages and not using conflict materials, so there is more to this than just eWaste

But, I agree don't scrap existing phones just to buy another - even if it is Fairphone

So then... sustainable phones cost more?