Just out of coriousity: Why do you think that a newer kernel would be necessary? Afaik the FP4 runs actually on kernel 4.19 and this kernel does obviously work with Android 14 (screenshot Samsung A14 5G)
What am I missing here?
As discussed before, the issue is not wether an Android version can theoretically run with an old kernel version (which it absolutely can), but rather if it will be certified by Google.
As far as I can tell, Android 13 with kernel 4.19 was already an exception by Google, since the official requirements are as follows:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/architecture/kernel/android-common#feature-and-launch-kernels
So while community projects might be able to use whatever kernel is available for the device, the official FPOS has to be certified and comply with the official requirements.
8 Likes
Thank you for your answer!
No, it wasn’t. It was in january '25 still listed as possible kernel for an upgrade to Android 13 (see screenshot from archive org below).
I assume the stock Android 14 of a Samsung device is neither ‘not certified’ nor a ‘community project’.
And under ‘Supported kernels for upgrade’ android-4.19-stable was still listed as an option for Android 14 until january 2025:
(Link)
7 Likes
Oh interesting, thanks for clearing that up.
I guess what counts for a new Android 14 release would still be subjected to the new requirements, but who knows what Google is willing to certify and what not.
Again, the clear answer could be provided by Fairphone themselves, but they continue to not communicate anything official.
2 Likes
I, for one, would rather see all the possible manpower dedicated to a fully operational, bank-degree postmarketOS or Mobian FP4.
I agree, they might either just have taken EOL kernels from the list (but still certifying upgrades with them) or they might now as well exclude EOL kernels for certifying upgrades.
But the second option wouldn’t make too much sense since some already upgraded Android 14 devices would still run on 4.19?
The mentioned A14 device with kernel 4.19 might get an upgrade to A15 this summer. If the rules they have actually on their website apply it should need a new kernel for this upgrade, if the old lists are still valid / just got ‘cleaned’ for EOL versions it’ll stay on 4.19. (The 4.19 kernel was in january '25 still listed for Android 15 upgrades) But this would still just exclude one single technical reason for the FP4 not getting Android 14 or 15.
1 Like
As far as I can tell, those are all good points.
However, as only Fairphone can tell us what the exact reasons are, we’re just left with somewhat educated guesses.
I personally still have some hope for an official Android 14/15 release within the the next 18 months. And the newer the kernel used in those, the higher the likelyhood of even one more version of Android following (that’s extremely optimistic, of course).
8 Likes
Hello all! Any news about the android14 release for FP4? Still FAQ with this note ( Android 14: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) – Support)
I hope we will have the chance to upgrade before summer. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
4 Likes
I don’t see the next feature update landing before October. If things went well with the update, we’d have heard something by now. Anything.
When they announce the update for FP5, something will have to be said about FP4 as well.
1 Like
Would be nice to see Android 14 on FP4 before Android 16 lands this summer
1 Like
Early 2025… yeah right.
Android 14 will be skipped. That’s been announced.
No it hasn’t. And that is the problem. The information is just leaked by a few beta testers after Fairphone aborted the beta test. The company itself anounced … nothing for over half a year now.
14 Likes
I didn’t even hear about these leaks.
But this makes me so hopeful. Like, sure, Android 14 is severely late. But skipping right to 15 would be pretty sick! That would redeem this whole fiasco for me.
Even though I don’t even have a hand in this game. I don’t own a FP4.
On a slightly related note, is Android 15 even on the horizon for the FP5?
Hopefully it is in development already
3 Likes
I got a response from support today.
Took just under 3 months 
Here’s what they said.
TL;DR: sorry, problems because Qualcomm, will tell later what will happen.
Thank you for supporting Fairphone.
I apologize for our late reply. I understand that waiting for so long to get a reply is not a good experience. We are experiencing a significant increase in the number of support requests. Please be sure we’re doing our best to catch up! We are grateful for your patience.
Our Product team recently shared that unfortunately, we won’t be able to roll out the Android 14 update for Fairphone 4 users just yet. There are some issues we have run into for which we will need Qualcomm’s support on. This is taking a little longer than we anticipated.
Stay tuned for more.You can read more in our public FAQ: Android 14: Frequently asked questions (FAQ).
11 Likes
Okay, that means, they are still working on it. A little bit hope…
2 Likes
6 Likes
Meanwhile I had one more interaction on my support ticket today.
Response time was ~1h30m.
TL;DR
Confirming that A14 for FP4 is NOT being dropped, still worked on.
Since it’s been aired earlier that they use support ticket to rank issues,
I felt it’s my duty to complain 
:
Thank you for getting back to me.
Yes, the non-responsive support experience is really bad. Especially since the Fairphone marketing is really frequent and loud in email / on LinkedIn, so the imbalance is REALLY apparent.
I hope your company will invest more in support as it continues to scale.
Ok, so it sounds like the Android 14 is not abandoned for FP4, but just delayed due to complications?
Hope the Qualcomm SoC support challenges will be bridged soon!
Their response:
Thank you for your reply and your feedback.
Yes, the Android 14 update for Fairphone 4 hasn’t been dropped. It’s just taking longer than expected due to some technical challenge. Our team is working hard to resolve these, so we can deliver the update.
We really appreciate your patience and continued support. If there are any changes or updates, we’ll make sure to keep you informed.