Android 12 for FP4?

[max_o]

@AvidAlbatross

Before they push it? I bought my Fairphone 4 directly from the local electronics store. Then logically, the networks should have zero impact on the delivery speed of said updates.

No, the mobile providers get a chance to do a function-check of the updates. This is to ensure everything (from download speeds to VoWiFi) is working fine. Yes, in the end it is Fairphone giving its okay, but they surely don’t want to risk delivering an update which renders your device unusable. So there can be weeks of delay depending on your provider, due to a slow response time or because they really have to fix a provider specific bug.

@AvidAlbatross

I’m not risking bricking my device due to this issue still being around, or so it seems: Trapped in fastboot mode with locked bootloader and corrupted custom ROM

Just don’t lock your bootloader and you are fine. LOS for example has a long explanation posted on reddit (iirc) why this isn’t recommended anyway.

[AvidAlbatross]

@max_o

Just don’t lock your bootloader and you are fine.

It would seem it’s not that simple. This user claims he tried to flash Stock and that broke his phone:

Trapped in fastboot mode with locked bootloader and corrupted custom ROM

Just for the record: I have also exactly the same problem with my few days old FP4. So it affects a pretty high number of people. The device is stuck after flashing back to stock OS and relocking the bootloader. All attempts to reopen the bootloader via fastboot commands fail. I read a bunch of support threads and I think the device is simply bricked. It should be covered by the warranty since every step followed the official guides. I opened a ticket at the customer support on 2022-03-17 and w…

I can’t risk the phone breaking if I don’t like DivestOS.

But yeah, I’ll probably give it 2-3 months and then give it a shot.

[max_o]

@max_o

Just don’t lock your bootloader and you are fine.

This one applies after returning to stock rom as well, yes.
You can check get_unlock_ability and risk to lock it again if it’s a 1, but I personally just left my bootloader unlocked even after returning to stock for some weeks.

[anon9989719]

@AvidAlbatross

Before they push it? I bought my Fairphone 4 directly from the local electronics store.

When you buy from a store you get the basic OS which clearly has been tested before retail with all the carriers so no matter which you buy it should work fine, maybe not in every situation.

Once you then choose a network or carrier you are then, for future updates, locked to the network|carrier you use as the next upgrade|update will come via the net|car not the factory.

[AvidAlbatross]

@anon9989719

Once you then choose a network or carrier you are then, for future updates, locked to the network|carrier you use as the next upgrade|update will come via the net|car not the factory.

Right… got a source for this? I’m under the impression that I download it over the internet, which in my case is over the WiFi, and that my carrier has no impact on this whatsoever.

[anon9989719]

@AvidAlbatross

I’m under the impression that I download it over the internet,

You are correct in that it can come over the internet but it can come via network data. Either way Fairphone decide which networks get it and when,

There’s a note on the forum accompanying the announcement of each update. For example:

@formerFP.Com.Manager

Together with our partners, we test the software before its release, and in some instances where a software update might result in some problems for users on a specific network or in a specific country, we prefer to delay the software release for that specific customer base and fix all the potential issues before making the software available to everyone.

That means that depending on your network provider, some Fairphone 3 and 3+ users may receive this update later. Once the update is available you’ll receive a push notification to automatically update.

If you search you will find a number of users that switch SIMs to get an update, which of course may not be optimal.

[AvidAlbatross]

@anon9989719

If you search you will find a number of users that switch SIMs to get an update, which of course may not be optimal.

Absolutely fascinating. I have a carrier with less than 50k users so I doubt I’m affected by this, but it’s truly fascinating nonetheless.

Oh well, DivestOS it is once Android 13 is released for that.

[martinst]

I really take this with a (huge) grain of salt ‘It has to be certified by Google which requires over 500,000’. You run the test suites and submit the results, let’s not make this out to be rocket science. And, carriers due have testing that they do, but those are independent.

I suspect that the real issue is that everyone and their families were locked down in Shenzhen.

What, I think, would be helpful, would be for Fairphone to post anticipated dates, telling someone something will be late is better than avoiding the conversation. Even the smaller companies do this, so not a real strech to ask for it.

[anon9989719]

@martinst

I really take this with a (huge) grain of salt ‘It has to be certified by Google which requires over 500,000’.

Really? Do you have any other reason other than you love of salt

Here’s an old example

“To get Google certification for Android 9 for Fairphone 2 just as we hit five years of support for the smartphone is a huge achievement for Fairphone,” says CEO of Fairphone Eva Gouwens. “In order to get certification, we had to pass approximately 477,000 Google tests.”
Five-year-old Fairphone 2 getting updated to almost three-year-old Android 9 - The Verge

[martinst]

Got to love the Verge

Cert testing is called play protect. We provide hundreds of tests to ensure Play Protect certified devices adhere to the Android security and permissions model and have software builds with recent security updates. Play Protect certified devices are also required to ship without pre-installed malware and include Google Play Protect, a suite of security features such as automatic virus scanning and Find My Device. This provides baseline protection against malware, privacy hacks and more.

On top of that they will have to run the SOC, radios and camera tests by their OEM partners. But its not rocket science and they are run all day long in a CI loop.

Still, best practice would be for fairphone to publish something. And keep in mind I’m a huge fan, would not own another phone. I very much believe in their mission and ethical stance.

[Carighan]

@AvidAlbatross

Before they push it? I bought my Fairphone 4 directly from the local electronics store. Then logically, the networks should have zero impact on the delivery speed of said updates. Unless I misunderstood and the operators in every country has tests that Fairphone has to pass regardless of where you bought it?

Kinda?

Back when I interacted with people in the field even if a phone wasn’t sold through a network operator - which isn’t actually all that common in many countries - then the manufacturer would still ask all relevant network operations for testing beforehand.

Which makes sense. If your country has, say, 3 networks, you wouldn’t want customers of any of them - or even owners who switch network later - to lose service because of a bug that wasn’t tested for beforehand.

[anon9989719]

@AvidAlbatross

Unless I misunderstood and the operators in every country has tests that Fairphone has to pass regardless of where you bought it?

Well the networks don’t have to but if they don’t vet an update it’s more likely to have glitches. The main point is that Fairphone release the updates via the networks so you are bound to a large degree on when you get an update dependent upon which network you buy into.

The option otherwise is that after Fairphone have ‘enough’ feed back from networks they offer a download via their website and you can install it manually.

It doesn’t mean it is absolutely sorted to your network, Vodafone, although partnering with Fairphone often seem to have issue in Germany. EE in the UK always seems to get it very quickly without any issues

[BEEDELLROKEJULIANLOC]

Is the new version of LineageOS that appears to be available for the FP4 based upon Android 12?

[max_o]

LineageOS isn’t officially available now, but it will be based on Android 12.

See here:

FP4 and (unofficial) LineageOS

Hi folks, I’m excited to be getting my new fairphone 4 after the launch. I’m currently running Lineage with MircroG on my Oneplus6 and want to continue with the privacy and customization options that this set-up offers with my new device. I’ve talked with @dk1978 and we’d like to start development on a Lineage port for this new device. I’d love to hear thoughts (and if any of the Fairphone team wants to let us know which specific SoC the new device uses, that would also be really helpful) and w…

[Simobina]

i was watching Fairphone 4 for some time and wanted to know that will this phone get android 12? i’ve not seen it’s name on android 12 update list.

[yvmuell]

Hi and welcome, yes its being worked on and will hopefully come in Q4

[TeamB58]

So, somewhere in this thread I saw a few comments about the count of Google tests.

Assuming I have a good knowledge on these based on my past experiences, I’d like to give you more clear picture on them.

Let’s just use active Fairphone devices for now.

So its,
FP2 - running Android 10
FP3 - running Android 11
FP4 - running Android 11

But, FP2 is a 32bit device where as FP3 and FP4 are 64bit devices

Since FP2 is a 32 bit device with a Lollipop launch, it does not support VTS(Vendor Test Suite) or CTS-on-GSI but since both FP3 and FP4 are post Pie launch, they have these two suites in addition to CTS + GTS(GMS Test Suite) + STS(Security Test Suite).

FP2
CTS - 477000 approx + GTS - 2600 approx + STS - 900 approx

Now let’s come to Android 11 64 bit devices
CTS - 1659750 approx + GTS - 3900 approx + STS - 950 approx + VTS - 119900 approx + CTS-on-GSI - 152400 approx

Now, the same devices if I have to give an overview on Android 12!(Note: There’s no reference for this and these numbers are just an estimation)
CTS - 2292200 approx + GTS - 3900 approx + STS - 980 approx + VTS - 114600 approx + CTS-on-GSI - 165200 approx

Then how will it be for Android 13??
A very high level CTS run on FP3 is showing me the count as 2673000 approx but I shall get the exact count later.

So yes, the Google certification process is a very complicated step in a dessert release for Android. Even a single failure out of these millions of tests will be sufficient for Google to reject the build from getting certified.

Besides this, as someone already touched upon, the operator approval. They too would be having some requirements that has to be satisfied before they accept the build and make it available to their users.

On top of this would be the user visible/ user facing issues that would be addressed from time to time.

I hope I have given you all a brief overview on the process. Do let me know if you have any queries and I would be happy to answer them.

Thanks.
TeamB58.

[y_cho]

Will regular GSM call improve ?
I am really in need of a functional fairphone 4 .
Latest update have improved a lot, but still call quality is much better over data like signal.

Will updating android 12 make the situation even worse ?

[hirnsushi]

That’s either a driver / firmware issue or related to carrier compatibility.
Android 12 isn’t likely to change anything in that regard, only if the underlying proprietary bits, that would fix it, happen to be shipped at the same time.

I’m running A12 on my FP4 and I regularly talk to a family member who’s running stock FPOS A11.
But over VoLTE, same carrier (Congstar / T-Mobile), no problems whatsoever, it does work…
…when you don’t have to use GSM

I had to make a GSM call at some point, that wasn’t a pleasant experience. So no, A12 doesn’t magically fix things.