Shiftphone is a modular, easy-to-repair smartphone brand created by the company SHIFT in Germany. The company emphasizes fair trade and ecology, similar to Fairphone.[1][2][3][4] Instead of tantalum capacitors made from coltan, ceramic capacitors are used for their manufacturing. So far, eleven model series have been released. The most recent release was the SHIFT6mq (successor of the Shift6m) in June 2020. The upcoming device will be the SHIFTphone 8, scheduled for release in 2024.[5]
Names
The official company name is SHIFT GmbH.[6]
Model names
The names of models start with the string "SHIFT" in upper case letters.
Except for the SHIFTphone 8 this is followed by the length of the display diagonal rounded to full inches. After that
- the name ends - for the oldest models
- a dot follows, in turn followed by a number - some newer models until around 2017
- an m follows - this is for the new modular line
OS name
The OS is named either SHIFT-OS or ShiftOS.[7]
Devices
Operating system
There are two different operating systems. The SafetyNet based SHIFT-OS-G/ShiftOS-G with Google services or the AOSP-based ShiftOS or ShiftOS-L without Google services. Furthermore, flashing the device with a custom ROM is allowed;[13] ShiftOS developers are also partly involved in the development of certain custom ROMs.[14]
Characteristics
Sustainability
Shiftphones are built modularly so customers can change parts and repair the device without voiding the warranty. Videos support the user in repairing their device, explaining how to open it and how to change certain modules.[15]
Circular economy
Customers have the option, to upgrade their device to a different model.[16]
Shiftphone partners with Closing the Loop.[17]
Privacy aspects
Criticism and controversies about conflict minerals
In 2016 c't described the Shift5 as a typical cheap smartphone. Besides, the journal argued that there was no evidence that coltan is not used in Shiftphones and thus criticized the transparency of SHIFT. SHIFT and further secondary sources claim that coltan is not in use for their manufacturing.[21] However, according to c't, the SHIFT partner company "Vstar and Weihuaxin" did not provide information about conflict-free material used in Shiftphone. Unlike Shiftphone, Fairphone provides detailed audit reports about component suppliers through a Chinese agency, and also facilitates detailed information on problems and compromises in the supply chain.[22]
Coltan is used to make components for mobile phones and other electronic devices. A huge part of the ore is from mines in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). "Much mining has been done in small artisanal mining operations, sometimes known as Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). These small-scale mines are unregulated, with high levels of child labor and workplace injury." Some 50,000 children, some just seven years old, work in Congo's coltan mines. Workers often have little or no protection and often work underground in self-made shafts.[23]
See also
- Fairphone
- Ethical consumerism
- Fair trade
- Green IT
- Open-source hardware
- Phonebloks
- Framework Computer
External links
- Official site of SHIFT GmbH
References
- Ana Galan. Shiftphone: an Ethical Smartphone That's Made in Germany – Responsibility RESET.to, 24 October 2017, retrieved 7 September 2018^
- Horst Schröder. So gut ist das erste Fairphone aus Deutschland www.gruenderszene.de, 4 April 2016, retrieved 5 September 2018^
- Karsten Knödl. Mehr als fair Heimatnachrichten Fritzlar/Homberg, August 2017