I didn’t look up the exact requirements for A15, but I do know that there’s generally a difference in kernel version requirements between a device launched with A15, and a device upgraded to A15. Google tends to allow older kernels for upgrades as long as it passes the compliance tests and requirements.
Don’t get me wrong, I hope you’re right about this because my biggest gripe with the entire Android ecosystem is the reliance on antiquated kernels. And since the 4.19 kernel for the FP4 isn’t based on a GKI-kernel, upgrading kernel versions is a massive pain (as opposed to the more manageble pain for upgrading a GKI kernel). I’m not sure they can do this without Qualcomm doing some heavy lifting given the closed-source nature of some of their drivers. And Qualcomm won’t provide this for free… kernel issues would certainly be an explanation for such a significant delay.
BUT… when you run company applications on your phone, the company will decide which Android versions will be supported still. In my case, A13 is announced to be blocked, what would change my phone to scrap without any progress on these developments!
“Lifetime” doesn’t mean a thing in itself: You can buy any cheap Chinese phone and keep it for 10 years if you want. What Fairphone promised (and failed to deliver) is an up-to-date phone.
Come on, that’s not true and you know it: We’re still waiting for the Security Updates (“July 5th”, and we’re in October). If Fairphone fails in something, it’s in delivering updates.
Well, ask this user in another thread: Sorry but it’s not because you don’t have an issue that this issue doesn’t exist.
In other words, you might be fully satisfied with the status quo, that’s great for you, but don’t go belittling the people who have problems you don’t experience.
As a strategy for resolving battery drain issues, I wonder whether putting all your eggs in the “Android upgrade” basket might just set you up for later disappointment. Truth is I don’t recognise these battery discharge issues from my own FP4, and presumably we’re running the same FPOS. Not saying it can’t be the culprit, but given the issue isn’t showing on all phones the odds of it being the kernel or stock FP softwarre stack are relatively low.
I don’t know what else you’ve already done to try and diagnose this battery drain issue so apologies if I’m stating things you already know or tried, and it’s probably a topic for a different thread, but some steps would include measuring the battery health with an app like accubattery and using the app battery usage statistics (which are a crude approximation) or adb+top to see what’s keeping your device awake. Or RMA the phone as faulty if there’s nothing obvious.
Company apps on your phone could be a problem? Get a work phone from the company.
Else, having them on your phone is a pure convenience thing of your choice, which would make scrapping the phone because of it also a convenience thing of your choice. You don’t get to hide behind the company like this.
This is more of an argument to be made in this regard, I think.
I tracked down the battery drain to a kernel wake lock (RMNET_DFC, ~4000 calls per hour) which started to appear significantly in the battery stats after the update to A13. I forwarded all info the FP support and yet there is no fix.
BTW I got a spare battery to fix the problem, which obviously did not help. And I refused to install the phone from Scratch, as I need it daily and I doubt this will fix a kernel related error
Interesting, thanks for the context! Did a bit of searching and diagonal reading, and if I’m not mistaken this seems to be a problem relating to the modem driver or firmware. There’s similar issues on other Qualcomm-powered smartphones on XDA forums and some Xiaome users. Not many documented success stories around finding the culprit sadly. I guess it’s difficult to diagnose, because it could be triggered by only specific networks or cell towers, or an APN that allows external connections to your phone (Dutch), or perhaps even a faulty SIM.
Either way this does sound like the sort of issue that probably only Qualcomm can really fix… and Fairphone then of course needs to obtain said fix and carry it into their kernel/firmware tree. So in that sense I stand corrected! But it also sounds like something that is theoretically fixable with the current 4.19 kernel. If only your issue was given more attention that is…
Look at the thread and you’ll see that people have tried all of this. It’s a kernel issue, and no amount of battery replacement is going to fix it. The issue goes away for me at least when I put my phone in airplane mode, so my Fairphone 4 is currently my alarm in the morning
Where is it written that Fairphone should always deliver the latest Android version? According to that, Android 15 would also be outdated and would have to go straight to 16. The operating system is Update 2 Date, it gets its updates. That’s a fact.
Android itself determines when an update is current. You can find this in your security settings. As long as the icon is highlighted in green under security updates, it is classified as secure according to Google’s policy.
That’s an assumption. I’m not putting anyone down, and I wouldn’t claim that I don’t have any problems with my smartphone. But it would be naive to believe that a new version of an operating system would solve all problems. After all, anyone who has been using it for a long time knows that Android 11, 12, and 13 eliminated some problems but brought new ones with them. That won’t change with Android 15 either.
That is also an assumption and not acceptable. You have the option of buying another smartphone if you are so dissatisfied.
The problem seems to be a genuine operating system issue, as it does not affect everyone. I very much doubt that this problem can be solved with a new Android version.
Well obviously it’s not affecting everyone. But they way I see it, they’ve spent zero seconds trying to figure out what the issue is, which is really odd to say the least when a random user on a forum was able to make some progress with figuring it out. Considering how there’s a popular thread about it both in English and one in German, it’s presumably not all that uncommon of an issue either.
But we’ll see. Until it’s fixed, my phone is a great alarm clock.
“In batches” is pretty much standard behaviour while rolling out some update, as per the other stuff I understand your having doubts, but I do not think they would announce sommething so close if they were not confident enough.
I’ve also learned to be very cautious with Fairphone announcements, but there’s a lot in this one that’s genuinely positive.
First and foremost:
The issue with the supplier has been resolved. Until now, it was unclear whether that would happen — we didn’t even know if an update would come at all.
That concern has now been put to rest.
Android 15 is coming to the Fairphone 4.
That also clears up the second concern:
We’ll get the full support period. Until now, there was talk that the Fairphone 4 would reach its end of life in 2026 together with Android 13.
I’m not cautious about Fairphone’s announcement, the wording of which is cautious enough, visibly. I’m trying to manage user expectations by citing the exact words .
