Dear fairphowners,
a couple of weeks ago I tried to make the upgrade to Android 9, but with no success. I sent my FP2 for assistance but it the quote I received makes no worth it repairing it.
Now I am struggling deciding about the successor of my FP2. In the last 5 years I have struggled with the phone switching off, loosing the network, being often stuck, dranining battery, having limited space for apps, having recharging issues. Not an easy life. I would like ask those who moved from FP2 to FP3+ if many of those issues have been resolved with the last model and if they are happy with the change. I wonder if it is worth to pass to FP3+ or to wait for an FP4 and have a second hand phone meanwhile…
Many thanks in advance for sharing your experience, Silvia
Hello Silvia, and welcome to the forum!
Currently owning an FP3, after having owned an FP2 -and struggled with it- for four years, I can tell you that the improvement is really big:
- No more untimely switching off,
- No more battery drain,
- no particular problem with the network - and it’s 4G+ compatible.
- the FP3(+) has twice more internal memory than the FP2, with 64GB instead of 32GB, and 4GB RAM instead of 2GB.
- a USB-C port which is more durable and flexible -by using a reversible plug- than the old microUSB.
Of course these are just my personal advice and experience. Some people might feel different about their FP3, or have had some troubles, especially during one particular update that made the phone fail to call for some of people -which is a big one- but is thankfully now fixed.
The FP4 is not announced yet, it might not be for a few years, so you can’t count on it until you’ve seen it. And even if it was announced, there would be weeks or months of delay between the announcement and the delivery.
However it might be more future-proof, like with 5G capabilities and probably better tech specs in general.
So in the end, the choice is yours!
You might also be interested to see this user poll:
You might want to check this similar topic from last year:
Hi I bought the FP3+ in Oct 2020. The only problem I had was poor quality on hands free but that was sorted. It took half a dozen monthly updates after Fairphone pushed out Android 10 and there were a few irate users, but all seems quiet now 
But no advice as to what you should do. There’s what you would like to do and what you want to do. I tend to go for what I want it seems more long term.
If there is to be an FP4 and Fairphone can keep the same form factor maybe there can be an FP3++ with better SOC and RAM etc.
Fairphone won’t keep a single form factor and improve it, this would have required them to plan this in advance for the FP3, which wasn’t the case.
But let’s hope for it for the FP4!
Dear Silvia, I had a FP2 with all the problem you mentioned. I bought a FP3 since 8 month and I can testimony the use is very different. Not more problem as with other phones. A good quality tool!
Regards.
Blaise
Hello Silvia
my experience of FP3 upgraded to 3+ is very satisfactory overall. None of the problems you mention. One issue, so far unresolved, low recording volume using phone or recording apps.
Gordon
Hi Gordon. Have you tested the volume via the service tests.
The main mic Mic1 is the bottom one used for normal calls whereas the top mic Mic2 is used of hands free. In the later case you need to speak across the top, as if it were propted up not in your hand looking at the screen while you walk with the phone below your chest etc.
Anyway back to the recording:
Dial *#*#66#*#* on the keypad and select Service tests > Test Single > Microphone
The second mic is only a quarter the volume of the first.
Check also the volume controls, I noticed they affected my WhatsApp calls
Many thanks to all for your feedbacks, very reassuring!
My biggest concern concerns the processor that looks old compared to other processors actually on the market. As my next phone is expected to last at least as long as the FP2, it may be possible that a certain point of it’s life-time it becomes slow and tends to get stuck (as it was the case in the last two-three years).
Regarding the slowness of the FP2, only a week or two ago this complaint was addressed and cleared, if I can find the post I’ll update this with the link.
If you haven’t already read you may like to look at
https://forum.fairphone.com/t/fp2-slowing-down/61607/7
and generally
Hi Silvia,
I also had a FP2 that was not really satisfying but it worked. I bought me a FP3+ in October 2020.
This smartphone is very good. All issues I had with FP2 are resolved, and it is fast and reliable.
The only thing I blame myself is that I bought a FP3+ instead of FP3, the only difference is the capacity, 32GB for FP3 and 64GB for FP3+ and I actually do not need that much capacity. Waiting for FP4 is no option I think. FairPhone does not change to a new smartphone in a short time like other brands, that is where FP stands for.
Buy the FP3 or FP3+
That’s not how it is advertised 
- Both the FP3 and FP3+ have 64GB of memory
- FP3+ has an Upgraded speaker module
- FP3+ The core module is different and provides better audio for the updated speaker module.
- FP3+ Both camera modules are updated :: The Front from 8MPx to 16MPx and The Rear from 12MPx to 4 x12MPx Bayer
- FP3+ The rear cover is different and generally with the back cover and upgraded module housing results in 40% more recycled plastics
The FP3 is also different in that the back of the phone is transparent and it comes with a bumper
Detailed comparison PDF and FAQ, if needed …
I wonder if there will be a FP3++ main board with 5G support, or a new FP4 5G within the next few years? To buy a new phone now without 5G support just makes sense, if I think of using it for just 2 years.
There is no official road map which tells us, when or how a successor of the FP3(+) will be released.
But I don’t think that a phone not capable of using 5G is obsolete in about two years. 4G and 5G will coexist for quite a while I guess. And even with 4G speed, the data plan of a whole month can be used in a few minutes.
Well, I have my doubts, that 5G will be the generals standard two years from now.
Even 2G (GSM) is still working and that standard was introduced more than 30 years ago.
So, a 4G phone will be working fine for the next years and years to come. I bet, that a minimum of 99.9% of 4G phones bought now will have stopped working before they can’t be used anymore (and the remaining 0.1 percent is kept in museums and private collections)
2G (“Edge”) is still in use, but 3G is now phased off, as the companies will use the frequencies for 5G. Of course 4G will be used for a while, but with all the spots in my area I truly would like to use a net working…