[FP5][AndroidAuthority]First look at the Fairphone 5

Only a year after the 3 and then only tinkering with the audio on the core module and a couple of camera ‘upgrades’ so you didn’t miss much there and have the benefit of a 3.5 jack socket and a notification LED…

So I’m in for waiting for the the FP6

3 Likes

Just wondering if they have any lighter weight phones for the FP5 ? I have FP4, I think it is brilliant after flashing with e/os. Only thing that bothers me is the phones weight… !

Phones (plural) lucky to get one model every two year, so no way is a lighter phone likely, smaller is also a sometimes ask . . .

Coming from an almost 7 years old FP2 they need to integrate a real showstopper to keep me from upgrading. I think it’s a good sign that 4 and 5 look pretty similar as that probably means that they have found some design principles that were good enough to be repeated. I can live with an adaptor for the headphones, but some replacement for the notification light would be cool in the FP5 indeed. Looking forward to the exact specs.

7 Likes

thought it would be too much to ask. Pixel 4XL is a thick heavy phone… I have a Galaxy A52 also, it is half the thickness and half the weight, so no problem in shorts or shirt pockets, as i do not carry a handbag !!

It’s no full LED replacement as it does not work in “sticky mode”.
But maybe an acceptable option for general subtle notification.

Does it look like the FP5 screen could be a replaceable unit onto an FP4? if it’s an OLED with AOD that would really be something I might consider doing :slight_smile:

Most likely not, the connector is at a different spot. Also I doubt that it’s OLED.

1 Like

I agree that most likely the complete FP5 display unit (the “module” as a whole) will not fit the FP4. However, I keep wondering if – assuming these are indeed the same size for FP5 and FP4 – the display and the touch-sensitive part might be usuable for future FP4 display units.

My thinking is that just the connecting parts (the connector band, the plastic clamps, the screw holes/threads etc.) would differ which could at least make production of FP4 and FP5 display units easier and cheaper (and thus allow these to be supplied as spare parts for longer).

2 Likes

we can even wonder: maybe FP could try to make a display module for FP4 that would be a “version/port” of the FP5 display : it would be an upgrade for the FP4 (esp. if its OLED)
I don’t know enough about LCD/OLED to even know if it’s possible. @Razem you don’t seem to believe it’ll be OLED: why ?

2 Likes

Yeah, retrofitting FP4 with a modified FP5 display seems possible and it would be pretty cool. I’m not a huge fan of the notch and the ginormous bottom bezel.

Fairphone has always been negative when asked about OLED, mainly because of the price and the possibility of burn-in. Even though the manufacturing process and lifetime of displays have improved significantly in recent years, I still think they will stick with LCD. But I’ll be happy to be proven wrong. :slight_smile:

4 Likes

Well, I’m not a big fan of offering upgrade modules for older phones. It only temps people to swap the modules although they are working well and produce unnecessary waste.

5 Likes

On the other hand, it effectively creates a second-hand market. So when a screen breaks (which will inevitably happen for some people), you can buy a used one for cheap instead of a new one.

1 Like

If someone with a broken screen finds someone who is waiting for probably months to sell his screen :wink:.

1 Like

It does look like the FP5 is a few mm thinner. FP mentioned once that providing the FP4 with an OLED upgrade would be troublesome since an OLED is thinner. Just guessing, it may be a hint that the FP5 has an OLED.

5 Likes

In my FP2 I hat to put in the SIMs the same way.
No problem if you can open your device and remove the battery.

1 Like

Looks like we won’t be seeing the return of the headphone jack, which is a shame. I’d like to be proven wrong.

1 Like

I distrust “vapour ware”, what matters is the phone it self when is actually available.

2 Likes

Vapourware is a term mostly used for things announced and not coming, or very late. The Fairphone 5 was not announced yet.
Supposed leaks such as this are a nowadays normal communication strategy to be in the news or to build some hype.

5 Likes

I hope FP have learned their misstake and makes the FP5 GrapheneOS combatible. I think most people that whats to degoogle with GrapheneOS also would prefer not to buy an phone from google.