FP1 disconnected from employer as not complying to BYOD Android 5.* + must requiement

[syl]

Hello,
is it possible or if not at least planned to have a means to upgrade to Android 5.* or above with Fairphone first edition, now upgraded to FP1, Android 4.2.2 ?
This is critical to me and a few users as for exemple my employer does not allow anymore devices below android 5.* on their network. So I will soon have to stop using the fariphone as my byod .
Thanks in advance for any feedback .
Syl

[Elipsus]

I’m sorry but it wont be possible, the last version will be the 4.4, its mainly because of the SoC manufacturer, they already had a very difficult time having the sources for 4.4

[jaymanu]

Do you mean your employer is forcing you to buy a new personal phone ?
From your own money ?
Or is it because you don’t like the devices they are providing you, and prefer using your own ?

[Stefan]

If you want to stay with Fairphone, I suggest you sell your FP1 and get a FP2 instead. We have #marketplace::tag s on the forum.

[syl]

thanks jaymanu for the nearly instant reply - they don´t - my objective is to use the FairPhone in an environment where everybody has the latest iPhone, Samsung, etc … and be the living example that “things” can be different …

[syl]

thanks stefan as well for the very quick reply and proactive advice - I will check the option out … unfortunatedly this defies a little the FairPhone idea of “Built to last” - I had seen some publications of security threats that Android 4.* would be exposed to - this is why my employer has decided to upgrade all company devices to Android 5.*+ and give a very short grace period to employee’s devices under BYOD to comply with security guidelines. I understand that this will happen to may FairPhone FP1 users.

[Stefan]

To better understand the challenges of software support for the Fairphone 1, I recommend you to read this blog entry:

Our approach to software and ongoing support for the first Fairphones -...

Unfortunately not everything is in Fairphone’s own hands. However @jftr says here:

After we launch this version, we plan to support it with security updates for at least as long as Google keeps providing them, and hopefully much longer. In the long term, is unlikely that we will be able to offer a full update beyond Android 4.4 for the Fairphone 1.

So in conclusion, not having the latest Android version does not mean that the Fairphone 1 will be insecure. In fact there have been reports about software vulnerabilities in higher Android versions.