is also the basis for Android Studio, the new recommended Android SDK by Google.
Just to let readers of this thread know: @chrmhoffmann has ported Android 4.4 Kitkat to FP1. There are still many rough edges but it shows that even with just community effort progress is possible.
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As I really would like to get some current bluetoooth gadgets (like a headset or photography accessory ) I would be very interested in an Android update that enables the Bluetooth LE capabilities of my FP1U device, hence Android 4.4 “KitKat”.
(As far as I understood, the FP1Us hardware is BT LE capable, but Android 4.2 isn’t.)
So, what’s the current state on that matter?
I’ve moved your post here as most of the back story is discussed here
This is probably not the best time to ask, with the imminent release of the FP2. I’m hoping updates for FP1 will resurface on the agenda not too long after the FP2 stuff is sorted out. If you’re willing to experiment with your device (at your own risk, obviously), see the the topic linked in the post above yours about an unofficial port of KitKat.
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Thanks for keeping the forum clean and organized. 
Guess you’re right about the bad timing, but I just came across that photography accessory kickstarter-campaign I linked in my previous post, with only hours left to contribute, so I felt the urgent need for an updated on that issue. 
I guess have to let go on that accessory and further exercise patience …
There is an easy to follow (disclaimer: I wrote a part of it) howto here in the forum for getting an unofficial 4.4.4 on your phone. If you want to test it and don’t need your phone for a while and have backups …
In the meantime … you can also buy cheap time lapse hardware or build your own with a mircocontroller. Smartphones have nice interfaces, but sometimes cheap hardware is … cheaper
I’m not sure what you mean, but if I understand the posts from @chrmhoffmann correctly, the MTK sources are not even fully supporting 4.4.4. He had to merge the sources with the Android updates himself. So I don’t see a chance for FP1 5.x releases backed by MTK code … but maybe I’m wrong.
Haha, no I didn’t mean Android versions, but Fairphone 1 OS versions (e.g. Kola Nut, L…, M…, N…). I’m aware that we won’t get Lollipop on the FP1 :woot:
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Hi!
I can confirm with 4.4.4 Bluetooth LE works, I tried with a prototype device at work and the phone pairs and is able to communicate with the device very well 
Bye!
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Unfortunately I need my phone on a daily basis…
I use 4.4.4 daily and have no problems so you can try it if you like
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I’m starting to doubt the “fairphone idea”.
Besides the (as) fair (as possible) raw materials and labour conditions one of the arguments for the Fairphone was it’s reparability and therefore longevity.
Right now, i’ve got two problems:
My display broke and that spare part is “out of stock” since October. Just 18 months after i bought my FP. 
Well, and then there’s the software. My phone is still operating on Android 4.2.2 and no i don’t want to mess around with the phone i use every day. I want it to run stable on an more or less up-to-date os (= one main version above the latest available -> Lollipop would be fine, for Marshmallow is already available) without having to hack my way through the update/upgrade process. Sooner or later some apps won’t work with my phone anymore and THAT would be a real bummer.
So, i just don’t see that longevity for the FP at the moment. And no, i won’t buy the FP2, because that would be the opposite of what i understand as the “fairphone idea”.
Greetings Eike
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Yes, @Eike, you are right and most of us agree with you. Even people at Fairphone see this point. Unfortunately this is caused by choices (especially the Chipset) made in an early stage by a team inexperienced as a phone manufacturer. At this point there is little they can do about it.
It seems as if Fairphone has at least learned something from the first edition phone and tried to avoid those pitfalls with the second phone.
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Hey guys,
I just ran into this topic and I want to motivate the people, who (think they) need a higher android version, to try chrmhoffmanns ROM (Android 4.4.4 version 0.9.3). I just updated a few days ago my FP1 and it works in my opinion better then the Stock ROM.
I think everyone who wants to have the update should try it and use the tutorials out of this community. It is an effort to do this but with help out of the community it is no problem. It may take you one weekend, but most of the time you are just setting your phone up with your favourite apps an settings.
I did it and therefore, everyone can do it!
If you are still thinking that how it works and how you get it is none of your busyness - then you are wrong. We all have something in common, that we do care about all the things happening behind a product. If you are not able to take your time to read through the topic then you are not worth the new version, sorry hon.
When you do read through it, then you will see it is not really complicated and you will find help here if you need it!
cheers
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I don’t know where to ask this question so… (and it’s not that I don’t trust you guys… quite the contrary, I find incredible all that work; I will most probably upgrade to this after my next hard reset):
Is there any chance that there will be a official fairphone FP1 ROM update?
I do think that the Fairphone team will look into an official upgrade to Kitkat, but first they will try to solve the most urgent issues with the FP2 software.
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I do hope they don’t forget the FP1 users…
Do you have any idea, Stefan, if there’s a chance of there being a 5.0/6.0 update at some point as well? Or is the source code they acquired not enough for that?
Mediatek only has source code for up to version 4.4 for this SoC. Given how hard it seems to be to work with the Mediatek source, I don’t believe anyone will port any of the devices using this SoC to a higher version than 4.4 unless Mediatek does it themselves (which I don’t think will ever happen). It seems definitely out of scope for a small company like Fairphone.
So, unfortunately, the answer is: No, I don’t have any hope for Lollipop or even Marshmallow releases for Fairphone 1.
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There is the theoretical possibility (I just researched a bit). This quote is from a XDA post and concerns a Micromax Canvas:
So start looking for a developer, who wants to try this more than difficult task! 
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