FP2 screen disfunctionning/pixelisation + apps not working under latest Android system

[aloiseliere]

Hi there,

I have been intensively using my FP2 since the beginning of 2016 and I have been super happy with it. I have replaced the casing twice; the battery, the bottom module and the camera module once.
Today, I am having several chronic malfunctions:

• Screen display pixelizes partially and randomly. By moving/pressing the phone, i get the full screen back (screen module is probably at his end of life)
• Some recent apps are incompatible with the OS (This is really annoying, especially for the latest app by a magazine I subscribe to)
• Connection between camera and screen is slow/bad, same for the flash-light. I mean a very slow reaction time between the command and execution. Sometimes it just fails (this is getting very annoying too)
• Random switch off of the phone but it’s a rare enough occurrence

Logically, I am thinking to replace the screen and since the spare parts are not being continued, I would also buy myself an extra bottom module and battery for the years to come.
But I wonder if it’s not the main phone system that is just old and the end of the road for my FP2. I am asking myself if I should just buy the FP3.
I am torn by principle and I am sure people here understand that without needing to explain.
I wish I was an expert enough to know if the hardware dysfunctions are generated by the screen module or the main phone module but I don’t know.

So if any member of the community could give me a hint that would help my decision making I would be grateful
I have to add that I still use a regular camera to take pictures so camera quality on phone has never been a criteria for me, being able to quickly take some is.
Should I stay with my FP2, replace the screen and buy spare modules or should I go with the FP3?
How about the OS? When is the FP2 new upgrade planned? Is Fairphone looking at alternative open-source OS?

Thanks in advance for your help and/or diagnosis,
AL

[urs_lesse]

Welcome to our community

I think you have indeed touched the right point … it is hard to say if it’s the display module or the core module that causes your screen issues. Ideally you would test this with another FP2’s display module, but I guess you don’t know anyone nearby who also has one?

Regarding the operating system, there are actually plenty of alternatives around – LineageOS (which is close to bringing Android 11 to the FP2!), /e/OS (formerly known as eelo; Android 10), UbuntuTouch and Sailfish OS. Fairphone is about to release a major upgrade of its own Fairphone OS to Android 9 in – probably – the next couple of weeks. I won’t give a comprehensive account of all these options, I recommend you do a search here in the forum. Just bear in mind that all operating systems that come without Google certification (of all that I have mentioned, only Fairphone OS complies with this) might cause issues with apps that demand Google certification. This is often the case with banking apps.

Regarding the slow response of camera and flashlight: Check if the camera module is still properly screwed in. You should also have a look at how full your FP2 storage is – check Settings > Storage. You might need to free up space.

[aloiseliere]

thanks! and you guessed right, I am in France and I yet have to meet someone with the same phone as me
For the OS system, I have been procrastinating a while on moving to linux ubuntu for both my computer and phone. Thinking about all that time I lost to dis-configure all the ‘default’ services I don’t want on windows or android, it’s probably time to change. I’ll start documenting myself.
I have already checked both your suggestions ie screws/storage before posting