How does the evolution of spare parts work?

Hi everyone,

I would like to understand, if I take an FP3, should I later switch to an FP4 or can I simply change the spare parts for more efficient processors, camera, memory, screen,…?

1 Like

Hi there and welcome to the community forum!
The cameras and speaker modules were upgraded, so this, Fairphone proved it was possible, but for the moment, Fairphone don’t plan to upgrade any other module. The motherboard can’t really be upgraded, this would result in having a new phone. So the processor of the FP3 will stay the one of the FP3.
You can’t “simply” change, Fairphone first have to develop anew module, which they did for cameras and speaker.
The best would be to keep your phone as long as possible even though it is a bit old, instead of switching to the FP4 as soon as it gets out just to have the latest specs.

4 Likes

Hi Feanor,

in some cases you might be able to upgrade a module with a newer, better one - there was a better camera for the FP2 after a while, and now you can buy the FP3+ cameras for the FP3, too.

Processor (SoC) and memory are built into the frame, though, and cannot simply be swapped. Also, so far it was never possible to change modules between different device generations. The new FP3+ is an exemption here b/c it is rather a slight evolution and not a new model.

Best wishes,
Thomas

4 Likes

Thank you for your replies. it’s pitty :frowning: but the main concept is really good, I love it

Hi @Alex.A!

You mention a “speaker upgrade”, I presume for the FP3. The only thing I can find is https://shop.fairphone.com/en/fairphone-3-speaker-module which looks to be the same as shipped with the FP3 (and FP3+). Can you clarify, please? (I myself tend to use headphones, in part because I’ve never like the sound from the my FP3’s speaker.)

Apologies if I’ve misunderstood!
cheers,
-blf-

The speaker upgrade is only available for the FP3+. The FP3 will not benefit from this upgrade as it is due to an amplifier in the core-module of the FP3+, which can’t be applied to the FP3. I don’t really know if there is a new speaker module implied as well, but in any case it won’t work on an FP3.

The sound on the FP3+ should be sharper and a bit better, and also louder. Yet, according to some reviews, the sound is pretty much the same at the only difference it can be set louder.

Actually the speaker sold in the shop is now the new speaker module (with two circles around the logo). It is compatible with FP3, but won’t be as loud with it than with FP3+.

1 Like

Thanks @Alex.A and @Antoine!

It’s not the loudness of the FP3 speaker which annoys me, it’s the very poor quality of the sound. It’s Ok(-ish?) for telephone calls (albeit I still prefer to use a headset), but for videos and similar, I’m not impressed. Very “tinny” is one complaint. I just reconfirmed by playing the same video via the speaker with two different apps, AIMP and VLC, and yuck! (Care was taken to avoid distortion and other artifacts.) That video is fine with my headset, or when played on my Linux workstation.

It’s not much of an issue since the headset has other advantages.

cheers!
-blf-

Well I have no idea if the sound would even slightly be improved on an FP3 with this new module, but anyway, it seems to me you can’t have a better sound with any phone’s speaker than with a headset or even small earpieces…

I agree a headset’s sound will be better, my complaint is simply the FP3’s speaker audio is not too good, excepting for telephone calls. Apologies if I gave the impression I was expecting audiophile-quality hi-fi! To be clear, I am not, especially from a mobile’s speakers.

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.