Of course it would be easier to handle with a two port solution, but he was jelling about millions of unusable headphones in the world.
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Not sure about using an adapter as it adds strain to the port if you are walking around.
Iām sure the headphones are still usable, come to think of it I have a number I donāt use 
and of course thereās no requirement to buy the phone if the author is so concerned about the poor orphan headphones, itās all so sad and upsetting.
I can see Iād regret buying any electronic device if I could just only learn how to regret, and not regress.
Itās smaller yes (not a lot)
a usb port is just as difficult to make waterproof and user replaceable as a jack. If anything a jack is easier, it has 3, max 4 connections
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I was just thinking, with the modular design the problem will also be with any port as either is not welded to the body, so water ingress around either as well as through. ?
The audio Jack is deeper compared tot the usb-port.
So more chance of dust etc. Which makes it more risk of malfunction, thus warranty cases.
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Feeling closer than ever to purchase a FPā¦ but still need something to justify the extra money it costs (I am currently unemployed), so, I noticed the USC 3.0 output, not so common these days, and, if Iām not wrong, theoretically one could use that to connect to a external display, and, with the adecuate software, work in desktop mode. Now, thatād be something interesting, wouldnāt it? Recently I posted in the Framework (modular laptop initiative already on sale) community, itād be awesome to have something like that on a laptop, so I could expand my phoneās capabilities and the laptop ones. Here, Iād like to express the same, people like the oneās developing JingOS (Linux for ARM + Android apps) could join forces or provide software (I believe there are other alternatives out there) so the FP 4, fairly capable this time round (I wouldāve prefered a SD 870, but the 750 is good enough), could easily handle daily life tasks for 90% of people carrying laptops and phones. Thanks for your efforts and interest!
Think of the fairness in the materials and labour payment and labour conditions. That justify the extra costs for me.
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What makes me thinking about the improvements and advancements of Fairphone over the years. There always had been individuals that werenāt satisfied with the technical specs or the design from the first FP up to the latest.
Everytime there were voices complaining about why the phone was that thick, large or not smaller, no better cam etc.
With each new model Fairphone managed to utilize a better chipset, implement a better camera, more memory, optimize the modular design, move closer to the latest common Android version etc. But still voices were remaining and probably will again from individuals not seeing their favored (dream) model for sale.
I think considering the specs, with model 4 Fairphone again raised their bar moving closer to other premium brands, but not only in technical aspects but even extend the gap in leadership in concerns of environmental and social aspects.
And now look at whatās offered by Fairphone in this imho acceptable price range compared to what other premium brands would charge you for their (comparable) tech, conditions (remember up to 5 years warranty. Ever had a mobile with that?!) and still being far away from this environmental and social level.
I canāt do other than agree!
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So far no one seems to question the whole concept of the FP4 being released only 2 years after the release of the FP3 and only 1 year after the FP3+? What do you think of that? Iām rather annoyed to have accepted a phone that, although it works fine, is definitely in the lower range of phones because supposedly there was no alternative that was also sustainable and fair, only to now be presented with an option that has a few features that are lacking from the FP3. Also, the way the FP4 has been introduced, with all the secrecy and hyping, seems to not only stimulate people to buy the latest (thus creating e-waste), but might also surprise more recent buyers of the FP3, who might have chosen to wait for the FP4, had they been given all the information beforehand. this whole release just seems to me to be everything FP was supposed to reject. I will of course, begrudgingly, stick to my FP3, because it still works and I intend to use it for five years, but Iām not sure I will be buying an FP again when it inevitably dies in the end. Iām rather disappointed. Iām also slightly worried about the availability of FP3 partsā¦
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- USB 3.0 with OTG
- Display Port Support
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The point that the FP4 comes to early or just in time was already addressed here: Fairphone novelty (novelties?) to come on 30 September 2021
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I liked your answer, and I know I sound like Iām trying to excuse myself, but this is my hobby, tech, and itās quite difficult to sacrifice some specs and (even so) pay that extra money, knowing thatā¦
I stopped as I was writting, because something ācrackedā inside me. This has to be the time, I just need to secure my financial situation, then put my money where my mouth is. To your words, Iād add: having the possibility to be part of the change I believe in, being an ambassador of that exciting and sustainable tech, that can give us hope. Thanks again!
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Iām having some trouble with my FP2 (details can be found elsewhere on this forum) and hoped for the FP4 until i saw the specs.
For me there are two major flaws in itās design: The lack of 3.5mm audio and a single SIM slot.
Where did you see that? Looking at Accessories | Fairphone i can only see a usb-c 3.5mm adapter. Especially with the increase of working from home (and thus making a lot of phone calls) being able to charge and make a call at the same time is a must.
I unfortunately also have an iphone which has the same flaw. Of course there are adapters available, but they are clumsy and not user friendly. You literally make your users pay for your poor design decision.
And for the SIM slots, in my FP2 iām not using both, having only one physical slot in the FP4 makes is unsuitable for my use. The e-sim might be nice (not even sure, there are downsides too) but my SIM card doesnāt fit there
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Iām surprised about all the negative feedback here, I am very excited to buy a Fairphone 4. The only thing that I can understand being annoying is the thing with (or rather without) the 3.5mm headphone jack.
But all the other stuffā¦ The phone looks very modern (not only compared to its predecessor) and I think it has a great size, it even is more durable because of the metal frame and the IP rating while being more modular, it has a lot more RAM and storage , expandable by TWO TERABYTE, plus it has 5G!
Iām not even gonna start on the sustainability improvements like e-waste neutral and so on.
I think it is very important to consider that it is not sold as a replacement for the Fairphone 2 ore 3(+) but for people who wouldnāt buy a Fairphone 3 because of itās lower specs.
So I think the advertising was not exaggerated and the phone is going to change the industry.
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I think people have no will power if they can decide to change their perfectly well working smartphone only because there is a new model.
Since we can keep the FP3 for 5 years, does it mean Fairphone cannot sell a new model ? It sounds it is what you think and I donāt really understand why you think so. Could you dĆ©tail your opinion ?
In my case, I think it is good for somebody who needs to replace its FP2 to be able to do it with a FP4 now instead of an FP3 that will receive security updates and have spare parts for a shorter amount of time
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Sadly I was not able to see the live event yet. Was there any information about
- Notification LED?
- Off-Screen-Gestures?
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The adapter is a general idea not a Fairphone option
There are two SIM āslotsā but one is a software one.
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Indeed I do not question the FP4 being released āonlyā two years after the FP3 (the 3+ was just a minor camera update). Should they have waited for another couple of years, letting their offering look more outdated every single day? When you buy an electronic device these days, it is outdated once you leave the shop (or unpack your parcel). And due to the pace of the technical progress this is not going to change any time soon.
To get the most out of a productās life cycle, you have to buy the product asap after it comes to market. Buying an FP3(+) in the summer of 2021 was foreseeably too late in the product life cycle (at least if you always want the latest model and technology).
Also, I cannot see any āsecrecy and hypingā here. This is just marketing as usual. I mean: after dropping the first hints, it was obvious that the FP4 was near.
Apple has been doing this every f***ing September since 2007. And since they control both HW and SW, they manage to offer much longer support for their devices than anybody in the Android camp. Which, of course, has its price.
Sigh.
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I too agree that people shouldnāt change their phones just because a newer model appears, but isnāt that exactly how phone companies operate and how capitalism operates? There are countless people who buy the latest iPhone every single year, just because it is available.
I wouldnāt say Fairphone cannot release a newer model, but I do think releasing one every year stimulates people to buy a new phone sooner than necessary. I think part of changing the industry is changing the notion of companies producing a new model every year that they than announce in some big way as if this new phone is the answer to all your problems. So, no, I would not expect FP to wait for five years inbetween models necessarily. However, I would expect them to not have a new release annually, and to not create too much hype around a new release, but to reaffirm their message of your current phone being the most sustainable choice every time they do release a new model.
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