Can confirm this too …
On Android 9 random reboots during calls.
On Android 10 random reboots having the device in the pocket.
2 Likes
I absolutely can confirm this! Thanks Swiss-fairphone, I appreciate your statements here. This is important!
Btw. I also regularly check the Forum and I can’t confirm alex21 contradiction btw. his claims about “the reality”. What reality? The reality is that this forum is filled with customers who not even have prober phone calls without reboots etc. and are unsatisfied with customer service.
2 Likes
Dear everyone,
I have a fourth update about my defective FP2 and FP3 random reboots claim. And it is very bad.
If you want to skip the explainations, you can go straight to the conclusion for my advice.
- Fairphone 2
The Fairphone company refuses to replace my FP2 on grounds that the manufacturing warranty has expired. I would understand that totally coming from a regular multinational company that makes non-repairable and non-durable smartphones. But the Fairphone company, on purpose:
- manufactures and sells smartphones that can be repaired by the customer
- manufactures and sells replacement parts to the customer
- encourages officially the customer to find out the problem and try to fix it by himself (by buying & replacing parts if necessary)
- sends this image of a small, ethical and transparent startup company struggling to change the electronic industry standards in social, environmental and privacy issues
That means that the user will try to read Fairphone online ressources, find the most likely cause of the defect and try to repair it. First problem, that takes time on the manufacturing warranty period. But if the first repair would works that wouldn’t be a problem : it is not long enough for the manufacturing warranty to expire. But the second problem is, after the first repair, the Fairphone product usually (not always) gets better for a while (a few months). You think it’s OK. Then, it starts malfunctioning again (same or different problem) and an other repair is needed. Again, the Fairphone product usually (not always) gets better for a while (a few months). And it goes on and on. Therefore, it is very easy for the manufacturing warranty to expire and, worse, for you to pay for countless replacement parts that were said to be the so-called solutions to your problem(s).
For example, that is how I came to replace (by paying a considerable amount of money), on a single FP2:
- a first generation “rubber” defective FP2 case
- a second generation “plastic” defective FP2 case
- a defective first generation FP2 battery
- the perfectly working SIM card that the FP2 rejected (several times)
- the perfectly working microSD card that the FP2 rejected (several times)
Why didn’t I act as I always do with my other suppliers (complain immediately and ask for a complete replacement product or a complete refund) ? Because, for once, I was stupid enough to think that
- given that the smartphone is made to be repaired, I had to try to repair it and not ask for a complete replacement product
- given that the smartphone is made to be repaired, the Fairphone company wouldn’t legally trap me with the “manufacturing warranty period expiry”
- Fairphone was an ethical company that was different from the other manufacturers
- I shouldn’t hinder or impede this fragile project of a small, ethical and transparent startup company struggling to change the electronic industry standards by making claims I would usually automatically and immediately make against a regular multinational company
- Fairphone 3
The Fairphone company asked me to execute many steps to try and help them determine the cause of the random reboots on the FP3. One of the final steps was a factory reset and reinstall, a heavy and time consuming task.
The customer service didn’t read my e-mail properly, again. They didn’t bother to answer an important question (even more so after the “manufacturing warranty period expiry” legal trap on the FP2): “how long should I wait for random reboots (not) to happen after yesterday’s factory reset ?” No answer. So, again, random reboots may not happen for a while (a few months), or worse, could happen again just after the FP3 “manufacturing warranty period expiry” is reached. What would happen then ? I would be screwed again. I would have to buy parts or an entire smartphone again.
On top of that, they wrote “If the warranty for your device […] has been voided (due to user-induced damage), handling and shipping costs will be charged”. Not very nice coming from a company that officially encourages the customer to dig into the device and try repairs.
- Transparency
The customer service didn’t bother answering my two additionnal questions that I asked twice, one of which was: “I need to know if the FP3/FP3+ is really more reliable than the FP2, statistically speaking. Can you give me some numbers that can be compared between the FP2 and FP3/FP3+ ? Number of known defective phones per 100’000 sold phones for example ?”
Fairphone is like any other company: transparency is a marketing tool used only when it suits the company’s interest and not when hard, straight and objective questions are asked.
- Conclusion
Based on my experience with 5 Fairphone smartphones (and many replacement parts) so far, I can give you the following advice
4.1 do not use Fairphone products for your work or any other professional use
4.2 always have a backup spare smartphone from an other manufacturer: Fairphone may ask you to do things that will render your FP2 or FP3 unusable for some time
4.3 become a member of your national customer defense association
4.4 do not try to repair anything yourself on Fairphone products: you will lose time, money and/or manufacturing warranty (user-induced damage and/or expiry)
4.5 do not treat Fairphone differently from any other multinational company: never be fooled by the marketing image of the Fairphone company, at the slightest possible trouble
- make and save multiple hard proofs of the problem (photos, videos, etc)
- do not try to solve the problem by yourself, by replacement parts, etc
- immediately write to ask for a complete replacement product
- write and call the customer service multiple times (about every week) to get their attention
- be very careful to check they answer your questions by straight answers (or answer at all)
- follow all their demands to the letter quickly
- always use letters or e-mails (or re-write everything you said on a phone call and ask for a written confirmation of everything they said)
- make multiple copies of your exchange with the Fairphone company
4.6 be ready to submit a strong case to your national customer defense association or to a lawyer
4.7 think of anything else that could go wrong and plan for it ahead
4.8 as soon as a second company starts making repairable smartphones that cares about social, environmental and privacy issues, ditch your Fairphone product and buy this new company’s product if it looks better planed, engineered, manufactured and supported
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
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Dear everyone,
The content of my last e-mail:
"Dear […],
I had 4 questions.
You only answered the first one.
Pleas answer the other 3 questions.
Best regards,
–
[…]"
No comment.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
1 Like
After my last post in this topic I miraculously didn’t had the random reboot bug during calls anymore…
But after the last two Updates to my FP3 I experienced them again today… while calling different help-hotlines which cost money every time I had to call (e.g. Hermes Delivery).
So do we have to expierence this desaster after every major update?!.. I am annoyed as hell.
1 Like
Dear Kyraler,
Do not forget to write immediately to the Fairphone company by letter or e-mail to announce that your Fairphone product is defective and that you want a complete replacement product (not just replacement parts) or a complete refund.
Otherwise, you might end up like me: you try to repair your Fairphone repeatedly, hopes that the random reboots will not happen again. Then, the manufacturing warranty period expires . After that, the Fairphone company will not give you anything for your defective repairable, durable and “long-term” smartphone.
If you are not convinced, you can get a full account of my experience: my original post and the four updates that comes after that.
The “short-term” manufacturing warranty periods in laws and contracts of european countries was a logical choice for the old, “short-term”, waste-producing and polluting economy.
In a renewable, green and “long-term” economy, where you keep objects longer, try to repair them yourself, it is not right to apply these “short-term” manufacturing warranty periods. It seems that the Fairphone company doesn’t understand that to be an ethical company you have to consider having a “long-term” legal perspective as well, including having longer manufacturing warranty periods.
They don’t seem to have a very dynamic and innovative legal team. That’s sad because dynamic legal teams can be incredible assets, speeding up innovation and reducing customer dissatisfaction at the source. In this case, it seems they are just average legal employees : doing everything the same way it has been for the last century. I know laws and contracts have to be stable and are, by nature, always late to integrate the latest changes in society. That’s OK. But here, in this so-called innovative, environmentally and socially responsible company, they seem much too late.
I hope you will have a better luck than me.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
1 Like
Thanks for your post, but my FP3 was one of the first batch sold last year…
I don’t quite know what ended the bug for me in july, but this time I am eager to find out exactly when/if it disappears again and why. The thing about disabling BT & GPS or WLAN comes to mind again, but I’ll have to test that.
If I can manage to find enough energy I will dive deeper into that and either find a solution which works for me (and hopefully all of you) or try to get some help from elsewhere…
Will keep posting what progress I make.
3 Likes
Dear everyone,
I have a fifth update about my defective FP2 and FP3 random reboots claim. It is not only very bad: the customer service starts to look pathetic.
I had four questions:
- FP2 replacement
As you already know, the Fairphone company asked me to answer detailed questions, which was a useless loss of my time because they rejected my claim because the manufacturing warranty expired (they could have told me that at the beginning)
- FP3 self-repair/replacement main question: “how long should I wait for random reboots (not) to happen after yesterday’s factory reset ?”
I asked two times and never got an answer (the most important question of my case)
- Additional question 1: "I need to know if the FP3/FP3+ is really more reliable than the FP2, statistically speaking. Can you give me some numbers that can be compared between the FP2 and FP3/FP3+ ? Number of known defective phones per 100’000 sold phones for example ? "
I asked two times and finally got a mostly negative answer: “This is internal information that I do not have the approval for to disclose. You may try contacting our dedicated research team. […]. If the team wants to go further with your proposal, they will reply within 10 days. Otherwise, you will not receive a response”
- not very transparent for an ethical company
- not a very polite or professional way to (possibly) deny an information request: if they don’t want to give you the information, they will ignore you and not answer you at all, even to refuse the request. Wow, I didn’t think the Fairphone company could get any lower, I was wrong.
- Additional question 2: “I am surprised that you haven’t created a reliable automated app to backup and restore locally the system, the apps and the data (computer or USB-C flash drive) yet. Why is that missing given one of your main goals is to protect the privacy and ensure the data protection of your customers ?”
I asked two times to finally get an answer that … doesn’t answer my question : “Being a small start-up company we do not have the resources to develop and offer our own cloud services”.
- I never even mentioned the word “cloud services” anywhere in my e-mails
- I specifically asked about a “local” backup and restore app
- I specifically gave examples such as a computer or a USB-C flash drive
But I think the all time low was the end of the e-mail. After taking weeks to not answer at all and then to answer (some) of my questions (very badly) and ignoring the most important one (FP3 self-repair/replacement), the e-mail ends with this:
“If you have any other inquiries, please don’t hesitate to respond to this message before this thread closes within 24 hours”.
I will send you a copy of my response. Honestly, I don’t even know how to answer these people anymore. I am starting to doubt that they even care about their customer at all.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
1 Like
Dear everyone,
The content of my last e-mail:
"Dear […],
I had 4 questions. You still haven’t answered them all:
-
First question: you answered it in your e-mail of the 10.09.2020
-
Second and most important question: you have never answered it
-
Third question: you answered it in your e-mail of the 18.09.2020
-
Fourth question: you are completely off-topic, I never asked anything about cloud services (precisely because of the cost), again, please read my e-mails properly.
You asked me many specific questions in your e-mail of the 01.09.2020. I answered them all precisely, one by one.
I expect the same from you, nothing more, nothing less. I think this is only fair.
My problem with the FP3 was never solved at all, why did you close this thread ? Please keep my case open until it is solved.
You decided that I had answer you within 24 hours. Okay. Then, please do the same by answering my two remaining questions within 24 hours.
About question 2, please note that since then, my FP3 rebooted again:
date : 17.09.2020
time: around 21h00 (Switzerland time)
position : static on the desk
state of the phone : switched on
usage : not in active use
USB-C : no cable connected
Best regards,
–
[…]"
No comment.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
1 Like
Dear everyone,
I have moved the following topics to two new dedicated forum threads:
-
the debate on manufacturing warranty period in a green and renewable economy
Here is the link : 2 year warranty for long-lasting and easy to repair products? -
the debate on transparency about defective phones statistics
Here is the link : For an ethical company, is transparency optional when it comes to defective products statistics?
This will allow this thread to focus on its topic.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
2 Likes
just to to I’ve ‘liked’ you’re previous posts, but haven’t followed the separate threads. It’s very upsetting to read how your queries have been sidelined, I hope things get better.
Feel for you 
Dear amoun,
No, things didn’t get better. They got worse. I have no news from customer support. And now, my Fairphone 3 under warranty is going worse too: random reboots more frequent and several software problems.
When asked for advice, I have taken the decision since october 2020 to stop recommending the Fairphone company to my customers, friends and relatives. I have started evaluating alternative solutions such as the upcoming retail final version of the Purism Librem 5.
Best regards,
Swiss-fairphone
Any updates in regard to malfunctions of the FP3(+) are posted here: