We bought a FP1U some three years ago. Though its spec was quite higher than we required, we went for it because of the basic underlying idea of recycling and avoiding unnecessary waste to the planet.
We have been very happy with it until a few days ago, when the battery bloated. Then I started looking for a replacement and, to my despair, I could not. I have read a lot, including the post on using batteries intended for other mobiles. I am unsure about this option - the only one we seem to have now - despite the positive comments of brave FP1 users who risked it. Thanks to them all for sharing their experience
It is disappointing having a mobile intended to be ecological and, for a small maintenance as it used to be a battery replacement, having to throw the whole device away. However, I am grateful to FairPhone for the idea and for their support, but I think the moment has come when the “markets” make it not feasible to follow this way. It seems the trend now is to manufacture mobiles without a removable battery so the battery manufacturers will be doing something else.
The idea of a sustainable mobile is still good. We need to go after it, but it seems we cannot do it relying on providers who do not care as much about the planet.
Fairphone’s journey is not an easy one (imho to some extend proven by on the one hand some people complaining about FP but on the other hand nobody having come up with a better concept and company so far).
The end of support for FP1 is a bummer, but FP explained the reasons quite well e.g. in this blog post https://www.fairphone.com/en/2017/07/20/why-we-had-to-stop-supporting-the-fairphone-1/ (as indicated by others but I think reading it cannot be recommended too often) and several forum entries.
I really hope for FP2 production and demand to be stable for the years to come as the more devices and customers there are the easier the spare parts situation will be. And the (maybe a little naive) hope that one day economical, ecological and social sustainability will be more hip than having the slimmest device.
As for your personal situation: FP1 users in the forum are heavily discussing the use of third party batteries. Do you still find their use too risky? Or why do you come to the conclusion that you have to dispose of your FP1?
I absolutely agree with you in everything. I am not criticising the company nor the mobile itself, but the economic system they (we all) have to live in.
Yes, I do not consider safe the use of third party batteries when the temperature is not under control, probably the reason why FP will not - very understandably, I would do the same - endorse them. I have read the whole thread and found this helpful workaround, but still there is this honest warning message at the top about its potential risk.
And without a battery I can consider safe, the rest of the device is not useful to me.
Ok, I can’t blame you for not giving the generic battery - that works quite well for me - a try. Just keep in mind, that e.g. Samsung, FP and many others had trouble with original batteries as well, so there is no guarantee whatsoever for a battery not bloating; and the generic ones are in use by quite some users for quite a while now.
If you still don’t want to go that way, that’s no reason at all to throw the FP1 in the bin or hand it over to the FP recycling program, as there arre quite a lot of users looking for a new display or other modules. They are eagerly waiting for phones like yours.
So, at least give it a try and offer it on the #market:offered and make someone else happy by giving another phone a longer life.
By all means, in that case I would not throw it literally to the bin - I
am afraid I used the wrong wording -, but offer it to anyone willing to
try. As I said, the main point of my buying a FP was exactly that:
recycling and not throwing away something which can still be used.
