Nokia Introduces a Smartphone that is Self-Repairable

The upcoming smartphone from mobile pioneer Nokia is a self-repairable device. A standard smartphone featuring a 6.5-inch screen and a 50-megapixel primary camera, the Nokia G22 was created by the Finnish company HMD Global.

The phone’s exterior and interior, however, are what distinguish it. The phone has a recyclable plastic back that is simple to take off and replace in case any parts break. Users can remove the phone’s back cover, battery, screen, and charging port and replace them with new components using tools and repair manuals from the hardware advocacy group iFixit.

According to HMD Global’s head of product marketing, Adam Ferguson, this procedure would cost about 30% less on average than buying a new phone. In response to regulatory pressure to make electronic gadgets more environmentally friendly, smartphone manufacturers are increasingly focusing on making their devices live longer.

For instance, legislators in the European Parliament are pushing for legislation to compel manufacturers to grant consumers the “right to repair.” The term “right to repair” describes an effort by proponents of consumer rights to make it simpler for people to fix their technology. By 2050, the European Commission’s Green New Deal hopes to transform the continent into a “circular economy,” in which practically all tangible products may be recycled, repaired, reused, or repurposed to reduce waste.

Because of how firmly the battery and other components are glued together, phone repairs have become more challenging. Manufacturers of smartphones are putting more effort into making their products last longer in response to regulatory demands to make electronic devices more environmentally friendly.

For instance, European Parliament members are promoting legislation requiring manufacturers to provide consumers with the “right to repair.” Consumer rights proponents’ efforts to make it easier for consumers to repair their technology are called “right to repair” initiatives. The European Commission’s Green New Deal aims to make Europe a “circular economy” by 2050, where nearly all physical goods may be recycled, fixed, reused, or repurposed to cut waste.

Phone repairs, in particular, have grown more difficult due to how tightly the battery and other components have adhered to one another. The iPhone manufacturer extended this scheme to eight European nations in December, including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

The capacity to repair smartphones quickly and economically will become a significant difference in the market, according to Ben Wood, the chief analyst at CCS Insight. “Consumers are demanding more sustainable and longer-lasting gadgets.

According to Wood, who cited research by CSS Insight, almost half of European mobile phone owners would get their phone fixed if it broke after its expired warranty.

The Nokia G22 has one flaw: it barely fulfils the IP52 standard for defence against harmful chemicals, making it susceptible to water damage. Ferguson claimed that given the phone’s pricing, it was impossible to provide this feature. It will cost £22.99 for the battery, £44.99 for the display, and £18.99 for the charging port. The G22’s starting price in the UK is £149.99 ($179.19), and it will be available on Mar. 8. Replacement parts are available separately from iFixit.

According to Ferguson, users typically spend 30% less fixing damaged parts than purchasing a new phone. Not just Nokia is creating environmentally friendly cell phones. For instance, the Dutch company Fairphone produces a variety of phones with removable and repairable parts.

Once a dominant force in the handset market, Nokia has fallen behind as Samsung and Apple, two of the biggest names in electronics, have risen to the top of the rankings. Nowadays, the company is most recognised for the telecom infrastructure it sells to carriers.

In 2014, Nokia paid Microsoft $5.8 billion to purchase its mobile division for 5.4 billion euros. Afterwards, HMD, a company founded in Finland by former Nokia executives, bought the unit for $350 million. On each phone HMD sells, Nokia receives a royalty payment.

HMD also intended to get more of its phone production from Europe. In order to maintain confidentiality, the business declined to say where. The company stated that it was “building capabilities and processes to bring 5G Nokia device production to Europe in 2023” in a press statement. The action highlights a trend in which major tech corporations relocate their supply networks out of China and other East Asian nations.