Core module parts: what can be changed?

Hello everyone. I have just discovered Fairphone and I still wonder why I did not stumble on it before! I am really into this phone but I would like to understand more things about the product before I purchase it.
Is it possible to change core parts like RAM, processor and hardware? Major industries, for example, change and improve mobile phone’s processors year by year and that’s why people change their phones and buy new ones so often (not just for better covers or cameras, but especially for better core features). So I wonder if after a few year I will be able to change my “old” Fairphone processor (and other core parts) with new and improved ones. What do you think? Thanks:)

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Hello and welcome to the forum.
Have you seen the iFixIT page for the FP3/3+?
There you wil find a teardown of the phone.

Unfortunately it is not possible to switch the SoC (processor) of a phone. In this behalf a phone differs a lot from a computer.
With a phone the OS is something specific to the phone and it’s configuration.
E.g. when changing the camera-module of the FP3 for the “plus” module of the FP3+, it is not possible to just install a new driver, but you have to upgrade to Android 10, that does include the drivers for this camera. If you would switch the SoC, you would have to program the OS anew. No manufacturer can or will do this.
Besides that, you would have to do the soldering, which would require a special tool. A standard soldering gun won’t do the trick.

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Welcome to the Fairphone community forum! :slight_smile:

Basically, the answer is quite straightforward: no. The different components can’t be changed independantly. Only the modules can theoritically receive an upgrade, as for the camera modules.
As to whether there could be a new motherboard for FP3, the answer is no as well. It is very complicated to change the motherboard of a phone since it is equivalent to creating a new phone compatible with the modules of the old ones, and the core-module is responsible for 75% impact of the phone, which means the point is keeping it as long as possible.
In both cases, it would mean developing a new OS for each different combination possible, since such components are very intricate and depend on each other to work, you can’t just change one part and think everything will still work the same, it would require new drivers for each new module, i.e it would be nearly impossible. But let’s dream! :wink: Fairphone has gone further than all big players, let’s see how far they can manage to go!

This has already been discussed on the forum btw.:

Edit: Ok, obiously I took too long to write my post :wink:

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The core module containing the SoC (Sytem-on-Chip) of the Fairphone cannot be changed.

Best wishes,
Thomas

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