Shift phones lead the way: fair to workers, trusting end-users

Android lives on the German-made Shift phone brand in a variety of colors and device sizes, all of which are made with love. They're all tagged with #LovePhone because the brand is built on three terms: design with detail, technology that's repairable, and production that's fair to workers. If what Shift suggests is entirely true, this is a company that cares for not just profits, but the people involved at every step, as well.

The design of the phone is simple, the innards are plain, and the device isn't all that spectacular. This isn't a smartphone that's meant to do battle with the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S7 or Google Pixel. Instead, phones made by Shift are meant to be good enough, and seem to be made to last.

The most interesting bit about Shift is how they suggest their phones are super repairable. The devices have microSD card slots and replaceable batteries, but they also have "favorable" repair value. They go in deep detail on their support pages, providing repair video instructions on how to replace and fix any part.

Above is a repair video from the Shift brand on how to fix the camera on the smartphone. You won't find anything like this from any other smartphone brand, guaranteed. Below you'll find a repair guide for one of Shift's phone displays, also made by Shift.

Shift says that they guarantee their phones even if they're rooted or "unscrewed." In other words – feel free to take your smartphone apart, fix it, and screw it back together. Shift stands by their work.

This company also suggests that it's fair to workers from the start of the process in making this phone to the finish. They say they're providing fair wages and fair working hours. They say they're not using any sort of child labor, and they're providing good working conditions for manufacturer workers.

Shift also assures its users that their phones and tablets are free from Coltan. Coltan is an element often associated with bad worker conditions in mining and is found in many smart devices around the world. Shift says that their processes do not "unnecessarily burden" the environment.

The only less-than-fabulous thing about Shift is their smartphone and tablet prices VS specs VS other high-end smartphones and tablets. It's like paying more for cage-free eggs or meats from animals that weren't treated like trash. Will these smartphones and tablets become mega-popular due to their fair treatment of workers and end-users? Probably not – but we can cross our fingers for a slightly more fair future thanks to their efforts.

VIA: Shift