Fairphone Reintroduces Tactile Buttons for Digital Detox

New Model Features Dedicated “Mindful Mode” Switch

In a move harkening back to the dawn of mobile technology, Fairphone is reintroducing physical buttons to its latest smartphone, the Fairphone 6. This design choice aims to combat notification overload and help users reclaim their focus.

The Return of the Button

The new Fairphone 6 sports a distinctive, bright lime-green switch. This tactile control activates “Fairphone Moments,” a special mode designed to promote digital wellbeing. When engaged, it silences all notifications and restricts usage to a user-defined list of five essential applications.

Miquel Ballester, co-founder and head of product at Fairphone, explained the intentionality behind the button. “We wanted the moment of ‘unplugging’ to feel intentional and easy to use,” he stated. “So, there’s a real, tactile lime switch on the side of the phone. It’s both a function control and a little reminder that you’re choosing calm over constant notifications.”

The Science of Notification Stress

The constant barrage of alerts from smartphones is increasingly recognized as a detriment to mental health. Studies indicate that these interruptions can lead to neurological changes affecting concentration and productivity. Even the mere presence of a phone can trigger a stress response.

Psychotherapist and anxiety expert Kamalyn Kaur highlighted the physiological impact. “Each and every single notification you get triggers a mini stress response,” she explained. “On a physiological level, this is going to result in a spike of cortisol and adrenaline in your body.” This continuous activation can lead to mental fatigue and emotional dysregulation.

“We wanted the moment of ‘unplugging’ to feel intentional and easy to use.”

—Miquel Ballester, Co-founder and Head of Product, Fairphone

Kaur further elaborated on the cognitive load. “Even if you’re on a task, you still naturally glance at your phone screen to see what’s going on. Our brain isn’t wired to handle that constant influx of input.” She advocates for intentional device usage, suggesting features like mindful modes, “connection curfews,” and structured “digital doorways” for checking phones at specific times.

Embracing Digital Boundaries

Chloë Webster, a meditation teacher and slow living advocate, practices rigorous digital detoxes. She begins a complete break from her phone every Friday evening until Monday morning. “I just imagine that social media turns off,” she said. “I wanted to really be present on my weekend. I actually look forward to it because I feel that I haven’t got that kind of inner pull of anxiety to check my phone constantly.” She finds that such breaks “almost reset your brain.”

Fairphone aims to empower users to achieve this balance between high-end functionality and the ability to disconnect. “The team hopes to help realise: balancing high-end specs with the ability to switch off at the touch of a button,” the company stated. Ballester summarized the goal as achieving “both power and peace in a single device.”

Ethical Foundation and Longevity

Beyond its innovative approach to digital wellbeing, the Fairphone 6 champions ethical production and sustainability. The device is guaranteed eight years of software updates and comes with a five-year warranty. Its modular design allows for user-replaceable parts like batteries, screens, and cameras, combating planned obsolescence.

Stewart Newman, head of utilities at The Midcounties Co-operative, which distributes the Fairphone 6 with a SIM in the UK, emphasized the shared values. “Your Co-op Mobile and Fairphone have a deep-rooted connection based on shared ethical principles, including sustainability, fairness and social responsibility.”

Ultimately, cultivating healthier digital habits requires intentionality. “Do I want to stay the same this time next year? Do I still want to be scrolling on my phone?” questioned Kaur. “It’s about taking the reins a little bit and setting a boundary.” And for many, that journey might just begin with the simple act of pressing a button.

To learn more about Fairphone and its mission for fairer technology, visit: https://broadband.yourcoop.coop/fairphone-UK/