Toni Dimaano Tech 02.27.2023 10:Feb AM EST

Nokia Launches Self-Repair Budget Smartphone

Nokia, a mobile industry icon, introduces a device that consumers may repair themselves as campaigners from all over the world struggle for the right to repair.

According to CNBC, a user can change the back cover, battery, screen, and charging port of the phone with the aid of tools and repair instructions from iFixit.

Nokia G22 Is What Makes The Smartphone Unique From Competitors

The Nokia G22, created by Finnish company HMD Global, is a regular smartphone with a 6.5-inch screen and a 50-megapixel main camera that looks identical to any other phone.

However, both its exterior and interior are rather distinctive because the phone has a recyclable plastic back that is simple to remove and replace in case of damage.

Users may now change a number of the phone's components, including the back cover, battery, screen, and charging port, using repair guidelines from hardware repair advocacy company iFixit and a few tools.

According to Adam Ferguson, head of product marketing at HMD Global, this method would cost about 30% less on average than buying a new phone to replace an old one.

Smartphone firms are increasingly attempting to make phones live for longer amid pressure from regulators to make electronics gadgets more sustainable.

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.

Right to repair is a movement started by proponents of consumer rights that aims to make it simpler for people to fix their technology, Interesting Engineering notes.

Meanwhile, as criticisms about a lack of sustainability have become more prominent, smartphone manufacturers worldwide are working to make their devices live longer.

Nokia Finally Becomes A Part Of The Past Decade's Mobile Industry Change

Because of how firmly the battery and other components are glued together, phone repairs in particular have become more challenging.

In November 2021, Apple decided to provide a self-service repair program that enables customers to purchase parts to restore their own devices after a long period of reluctance to change its repair policy.

This scheme was extended by the iPhone manufacturer to eight other European nations in December, including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.

"As consumers increasingly demand more sustainable and longer-lasting devices, the ability to repair smartphones easily and affordably will become a key differentiator in the market," said Ben Wood, lead analyst at CCS Insight.

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

The Nokia G22 has one disadvantage in that it only fulfills the IP52 standard for resistance against harmful chemicals, which means water damage is still a possibility.

Nokia is not the only mobile company creating environmentally friendly smartphones as Dutch company Fairphone, for instance, sells a line of phones with interchangeable and repairable parts.

Nokia, once a dominant force in the handset market, has subsequently fallen behind as Samsung and Apple, two of the biggest names in electronics, have risen to the top of the rankings.