Not only does it look stupid, depending on where it happens it makes it more difficult to use the volume buttons and increases chances of liquid and dust getting in. It affects form and function.
As always, would be great to get an official statement 
I guess I’ll contact support for further information.
Also on my FP2 cracks on both lower edges occured (see photo). Reply from Fairphon support was that this would not be covered by warranty. From the posts above I did understand that some of you got a replacement when having the same defect that I have.
Can you confirm?
Thanks and best regards,
Sebastian
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Update! Split is now the entire length of that side, and has extended round the corner up to the headphone jack. Have refused to order a new one (on principle) but still need to glue it (because I’m lazy).
I am now having the same problem, and I’m going to send the email to support. But I’d like to know first if any of the back covers is more durable than the others, to order that one?
Thank you
According to this post by @Douwe, the two remaining regular back covers (black matte and transparent) are both made from different materials than before. I’d assume that’s the new materials were chosen in order to avoid the cracks.
Hey, only now I see I made a mistake in that post. The regular cases have not changed. I will correct this in the post mentioned by Stefan.
Sorry for the confusion.
That is disappointing news, particularly because apparently it is not possible to get a broken regular cover replaced with the slim one:
I have to say that I don’t understand that decision from the view point of sustainability, since this essentially means to produce a piece of plastic waste every six months (that’s how long my two back covers lasted; without being taken off often, btw).
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Does it mean the “regular” covers have not changed for now? Or does it mean they have not changed at all?
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There has been no change to the regular cases.
This is the current situation:
- We now sell two types of regular cases: black matte and translucent. These are the same as we sold from the beginning.
- We introduced new slim cases with a new design, new material, new colors and a new form factor.
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Hi @Douwe,
My FP2 case (blue) cracks as well (I have my phone since june '16). Obviously I’m going to order a replacement under warranty. I was wondering (and perhaps other people too, hence the public post) if it is possible to get the new case, either as replacement under warranty, or with a significant discount?
Do the black cases perform better overtime, or will a new blue case crack just as easy as soon as the first hot days are here?
That is a pity. I can understand the old ones are not redesigned, what I not understand why they are still get sold? It is obviously there are real problems with the material and the technical design of it.
Maybe it’s simply that they don’t know what else to do with the old covers. Should they throw them away?
Maybe yes actually,
Would you buy something that , and you know as a certainty, will break in 6 month…for 30€ ???
And, from an enterprise who claim to aim for long lasting devices ? That’s ironic !(and also, close to false advertising, abuse, and planned obscolesence …)
Recycle them, they are going to be trashed in 6 month anyway
Hi,
Are your serious about sending the same faulty design of the cover, as a warraty repair? Can’t believe if, because I really thought that Fairphone was about fair and sustainable design. Please reply, your values are on stake.
BR, Sakari
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I just opened a ticket in that regard a week ago, and the replacement suggestions were limited to the old covers. That’s the standpoint of Fairphone support:
My (second) message:
Since I am following the forum and Fairphone developments
closely, I have seen that many people report the same problems with
these covers. I was wondering, if it wouldn’t make more sense to start
replacing the old back covers with the new ones?
Given that the old covers obviously have issues in regard
to durability, I think that continuing to ship them is not a very
sustainable approach, as this basically means to produce a lot of
plastic waste. If I get again one of the old covers again I am afraid
that in 6 months I will need another one; on top of the extra waste
every broken back cover leads to, it also consumes additional emissions
from shipping every time.
Thus, wouldn’t it be more in the core interest of
Fairphone’s ideology to replace the poorly designed old covers with the
new covers (of which I hope they will last longer)?
And the (short) support reply was:
Thank you for your e-mail and for your ideas.
Please note that
unfortunately we can not send the new slim back covers for warranty
cases. They will be available for sale in the middle of December.
I have to admit I found this reply quite disappointing for the obvious reasons stated above. For me this essentially means: Pay extra 40€ to make your device more sustainable without the need to throw away a badly designed plastic cover every 6 months.
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My second, replaced case started yesterday to be deformed around the volumen buttons and above the camera button. I just feel really disappointed I can not get a durable replacement again. I think it is more smart from them to spend money in a slim case once instead of a traditional case twice (or more) for every user over the time.
Not very fair with the planet, Fairphone. Not very fair for your users neither, because I feel it is because of the sudden temperature drop here in Spain, or because of the the thin bevel ending rubbing against the rubber part of the case everytime I disassemble the device to spread the word of an ethical and modular phone, and both usecases should have been thoroughly tested.
Warranties usually state “to replace a product/piece with another of equal or superior value”. Look at the Samsung phone scandal, they are replacing it for the next Galaxy. I’ve been supporting Fairphone even on hard moments with the faulty OSes and swamped Support (you know me from the forum), but this is just disappointing in every manner.
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Please remember that this is the community forum, and the moderators are not necessarily Fairphone employees. I guess you have to voice this opinion on the support channel or any other communication way with the company itself
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If the faulty covers have already been produced & are still in stock, you can better just let them be used rather than throwing them away right away.
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And wait 6 more months until you have to send another one again.