RANKING
56
Rank 56 out of 111 Summarized in this category
Rankings based on:
• Pros-to-cons ratio
• Number of reviews
• Category average
SHIFT
Shiftphone
around $700
i
All prices are estimates and may vary from actual prices.
Image source:
53 Pros
69%
3 reviews (0h 43m)
24 Cons
Discover the SHIFT Shiftphone, a device designed for a more conscious and sustainable relationship with technology. Engineered in Germany, it’s built on a foundation of fairness and longevity. Its modular design, complete with an included iFixit screwdriver, makes repairs on its 12 major components incredibly simple, all backed by an impressive pro...
50%
2 vs 2
Camera
89%
24 vs 3
Design and Build
52%
13 vs 12
Software
100%
4 vs 0
Display
75%
3 vs 1
Performance
Reviewer verdict
Across 3 YouTube reviews, the Shiftphone earns a Summa score of 3.8/5, ranking #56 among Smartphones. Reviewers most often praise its design and build, software, display, while the most common criticisms concern software, design and build.
The Shiftphone is repeatedly praised for its strong focus on repairability, sustainability and ethical production, with reviewers noting modular, easily replaceable components and a repair-friendly design mentioned across many comments (24 mentions). Reviewers also consistently highlight the company’s sustainability practices and ethical labor commitments, including recycled materials, e-waste neutrality, fair pay and German oversight. Software and privacy features receive positive attention too, particularly the option to run GrapheneOS with long software-update promises and extra privacy controls, while the display, storage expandability, improved performance and removable battery are also noted by multiple reviewers. Small practical touches such as a provided repair screwdriver, physical camera/microphone kill switches, wireless charging support and attention to accessibility round out the favorable points.
Criticisms center mainly on software trade-offs and ecosystem limitations, with many reviewers pointing out that running GrapheneOS reduces access to common services, causes compatibility issues with banking and messaging apps, and can force reliance on a secondary iPhone or reinstalling Google services (12 mentions). Reviewers also flagged design drawbacks like a modest IP55 rating and only one screwdriver bit included, and several noted camera shortcomings compared with flagship competitors. Other less-frequent concerns include lack of a headphone jack, middling processor performance relative to flagships, battery capacity questions, and regional payment feature limitations.
Analysis based on 3 YouTube reviews (0h 43m of video) with 53 pros and 24 cons extracted.
Pros (53)
Design and Build (24)
- Includes a cute little iFixit screwdriver with in-handle bit storage, making repairs easier. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 0:48
- Major focus on repairability and sustainability, with 12 major components replaceable using just one screwdriver bit. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 1:14
- Modular interfaces like silicone card holder and finger loop add convenience. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 1:31
- Braille on packaging shows attention to accessibility. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 1:47
- Over 50% of materials are fair or recycled; 100% e-waste neutral and built using green energy. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 2:18
- Clean and simple ID design, suitable for long-term use. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 2:46
- Entwickelt, geprüft, repariert und verschickt aus Deutschland ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:42
- Faire Bezahlung, Versicherung und Urlaub für Mitarbeiter in China nach deutschen Standards ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:48
- Modulares, reparaturfreundliches Smartphone mit austauschbaren Komponenten wie Akku, Display, Fingerabdrucksensor, Lautsprecher ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 2:27
- Nachhaltige und ethisch motivierte Unternehmensphilosophie mit Fokus auf längere Nutzbarkeit und Reparierbarkeit ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 2:42
- Fundsystem zur Rückführung und Wiederverwertung der Geräte ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 3:06
- Fairer Versandprozess mit Wiederverwendung von Kartons zur Müllvermeidung ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 4:56
- Physische Kill Switches für Kamera und Mikrofon für mehr Datenschutz ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 6:11
- Wassergeschützt trotz wechselbarem Akku und unterstützt Wireless Charging ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 6:33
- Faire Produktion mit dreifachem Mindestlohn, Versicherung und Urlaub nach deutschen Standards in China ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 4:28
- Kleine Manufaktur in China mit weniger als zehn Mitarbeitern, die nur für Shift arbeiten ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 12:05
- Designteam in Deutschland mit Fokus auf Reparaturfreundlichkeit und einfache Austauschbarkeit von Komponenten ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 10:04
- Innovative Details wie Kabelkanäle und gut abhebbares Flexkabel für einfache Reparatur ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 10:59
- Shiftphone steht für bewussteren, langlebigeren und faireren Umgang mit Technologie ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 12:45
- USB Type-C port, fingerprint sensor built into power button, and a slider 'Lime button' for moments feature. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 3:50
- Battery is easily removable, facilitating repairs and replacements. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 9:15
- Modular design allows easy replacement of battery, display, earpiece, loudspeaker, and USB-C port. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 10:52
- Screen uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, an upgrade over previous Gorilla Glass 5. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 11:40
- Ethically sourced gold used in production, addressing environmental concerns. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 17:30
Software (13)
- Promises 8 years of software updates and 7 major Android iterations. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 2:55
- Graphene OS is simple, clean and fast. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 5:01
- Graphene OS offers a lot of customization to fit your risk profile. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 5:23
- Ability to create different security profiles (user profiles) that act like individual disconnected phones. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 5:36
- Profiles are completely sandboxed, isolating Google apps from privacy mode profile. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 6:07
- Proton Mail and other Proton apps work seamlessly with strong end-to-end encryption on Graphene OS. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 4:04
- Flashing Graphene OS is surprisingly well documented and easy to follow. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 1:55
- Phone boots up without being connected to Google or Apple after flashing Graphene OS. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 2:02
- Graphene OS reduces screen time by limiting access to apps like YouTube Studio, Messenger, and WhatsApp. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 7:09
- Graphene OS provides a lot of extra privacy and security features. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 11:00
- Features, die man bei Apple wahrscheinlich nicht in den nächsten 10 Jahren sehen wird ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:38
- Solides Smartphone mit Android und vorinstallierter Schutzfolie ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 3:24
- Includes a 'Moments' feature activated by the Lime button to limit app access and notifications for focused time. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 14:57
Display (4)
- Bietet ein größeres Display als iPhone 16 Pro oder Pixel 9 Pro ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:19
- Gutes Datenblatt mit Punchhole Kamera, Indisplay Fingerabdrucksensor, 6,7 Zoll Full HD Plus Panel, Gorilla Glas, 5G-fähig ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 5:40
- Entwicklung eines eigenen OLED Monitors mit Touchfunktion als Prototyp ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 12:30
- 120Hz OLED display with adaptive refresh rate down to 10Hz and peak brightness exceeding 1400 nits (up to 2000 nits). ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 5:28
Storage (3)
- SIM tray at the bottom with microSD support up to 2TB, providing expandable storage. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 3:15
- 12 GB RAM und wahlweise 256 oder 512 GB Speicher, erweiterbar mit SD-Karte um 2 TB ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:24
- Micro SD-Karten Slot für Speichererweiterung bis 2 TB ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 7:12
Performance (3)
- Battery life was good and performance was good overall. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 5:16
- Schneller Prozessor verbaut ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 0:35
- Upgraded to Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 processor, improving performance over previous model. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 7:00
Battery Life (2)
- Improved battery life from about 10 hours to 15 hours in media playback test. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 8:24
- Charging is fast, reaching 50% in under 25 minutes with a 30W charger. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 13:56
Camera (2)
- Camera interface is close to stock Google experience. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 11:58
- Selfie camera is 32 megapixels, providing high resolution front-facing photos. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 13:06
Connectivity (1)
- Bluetooth 5.4 LE and Wi-Fi 6E support. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 8:07
Audio (1)
- Speaker is loud and clear. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 14:13
Cons (24)
Software (12)
- Can't use iMessage or FaceTime, which is a big loss for iPhone users. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 7:29
- Lost access to banking and payment apps; many banking apps won't open. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 7:42
- Limited phone options for Graphene OS; only Google Pixel phones are supported. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 8:26
- Flashing the phone erases key features like camera performance, Gemini AI features, and voice assistant. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 8:43
- Installing Google Services to regain features defeats the purpose of using a privacy phone. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 9:02
- Using Graphene OS phone requires carrying a secondary iPhone for payments, messaging, and camera. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 9:33
- The learning curve is steep for iOS users switching to Graphene OS. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 10:17
- Messaging communication is clunky and moving contacts is difficult. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 10:32
- Some open source apps like music apps have authentication failures and limited functionality. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 3:51
- Signal app only allows registration on a single device, complicating switching. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 3:33
- Software-Update-Versprechen: Android Updates bis 2036, aber nicht alle Major Updates (z.B. Android 15 wird nicht unterstützt) ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 7:37
- Moments feature is easy to exit, which may reduce its effectiveness as a focus tool. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 16:34
Design and Build (3)
- Nicht alle anderen Produkte außer Shiftphone sind so transparent bezüglich Herkunft und Produktion ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 8:50
- Only one screwdriver bit included, which is fine if it's the only one needed but limits versatility. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 0:55
- IP rating is only IP55, meaning less water resistance compared to modern phones with IP68. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 9:21
Camera (2)
- Kamera ist gut, aber nicht konkurrenzfähig zu aktuellen iPhones, Pixel oder Samsung Geräten; bessere Kamerahandys gibt es für weniger Geld ▶ Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! @ 8:14
- Camera bokeh quality is poor and skin tones can appear washed out in photos. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 12:38
Audio (2)
- No headphone jack included, requiring USB-C adapter or Bluetooth headphones. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 14:38
- Notification volume issues on previous model (Fairphone 5) were problematic; unclear if fully resolved. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 13:38
Connectivity (1)
- Tap to pay or scan to pay features do not work in Asia on this phone. ▶ iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better? @ 7:55
Storage (1)
- No microSD slot on the same side as SIM tray; microSD is on the other side but not in the SIM tray. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 3:26
Performance (1)
- Processor is not flagship level and lags behind comparable priced flagship phones like Samsung S24. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 7:46
Battery Life (1)
- Battery capacity of 4400 mAh could be a sticking point for some users. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 8:19
Value for Money (1)
- Price is high compared to other phones with similar or better functionality. ▶ I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 @ 16:55
Review sources
- I made their CEO mad - Fairphone Gen. 6 by ShortCircuit — 22 pros, 10 cons
- Jetzt traut sich jemand: Das Smartphone aus 🇩🇪 ist anders! by OwnGalaxy — 21 pros, 3 cons
- iPhone User Switches to Secure Open Source OS (is it better?) 10 pros, 11 cons
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shiftphone worth buying?
Based on 3 independent YouTube reviews, the Shiftphone scores 3.8/5 with 53 positive and 24 negative points mentioned by reviewers, placing it #56 in the Smartphones category.
What do reviewers like most about the Shiftphone?
The most praised aspects are design and build, software, display — Design and Build (24 mentions), Software (13 mentions), Display (4 mentions).
What are the most common complaints about the Shiftphone?
Reviewers most frequently criticize software, design and build — Software (12 mentions), Design and Build (3 mentions).
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