I don't need a new FP3, i need my FP2!

I’ll keep it very simple.

I bought the FP2 for two/three reasons:

  1. It’s supposed to be fair for everyone from start to finish.
  2. Parts can be replaced by my self.
  3. It will last longer…5 years.

replaced - to me, and a lot of other people, it meant in case of brocken part or the need for a better one. Not just brocken.

So when i just now saw that there is a new FP3 coming, i didn’t felt tricked first. I thought yes, maybe a new look will keep the company around for longer. But now the parts can not be changed from one to the other. With that i see point 2 and 3 out of the window. Who will sell me parts for my FP2 in 2 years when FP4 is coming soon…

Who thought, when he first bought his FP2, that there will be updates to the parts and no new phones please raise you hands :raised_hand: !?

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Second hand: a lot of people, likely for good prices. We, as a community (and Fairphone as a company), can keep merging and merging FP2 until we get a working device (with perhaps some reserve parts for future repairs). That is the beauty of the FP2.

Nobody ever said a future Fairphone would be backwards compatible with the FP2. If you thought so, you misunderstood the concept. Because the way the FP2 is modular does not fit in the current age (where size matters), and because it has design flaws, a new iteration which is not backwards compatible makes sense.

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I worked in electronics industry for some years. Mostly SD-, micro-SD cards , USB-Memories and the like. Compared to a phone these systems are pretty simply. Nevertheless, within 1 year, technology advanced so quickly that it was never possible to re-use an old design for the next generation. Controllers get smaller, get some new features and are loosing others. This is driven by technology, the ever pushing for lower cost and the roadmaps of the BIG customers.
Starting from changing various controllers in a system, the PCB has to be adapted (higher speed on the busses thus better impedance matching for the lines etc), “chicken food” (tiny SMD components) have to be replaced and placed to different ports etc.
Bottom line: if you really want a sustainable phone, keep yours as long as you can, and even longer. The plus of Fairphone is that you can replace some parts, which e.g. with other phones is not possible, and that Fairphone keeps stock of these. I doubt that they still can get them manufactured.
An upgrade for the components also follows the technology rules above. The electronic manufacturers simply do not use 1 year old technology in their factories. Just think of the problems Fairphone had with the supply of the battery (new manufacturer), the update camera (also new manufacturer) and I think even the screen. I think the used components are still very good, there was no technology leap which requires an upgrade.
An update of the main board with a new processor and adding new features is nearly impossible and would have an even higher effort than developing a completely new phone.

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Earlier this year Fairphone said they have spare parts for at least three more years (part of the “FP2 is out of stock” announcement). See Proving our case: Fairphone 2 is sold out! - Fairphone

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It is possible with other smartphones but it takes a lot more effort because it was not designed with that in mind (for example it could be difficult to remove the glue, or detach the screen).

See iFixit.com for guides.

Also, it may require refurbished or aftermarket components (ie. not the original, brand new ones).

Now, even though I’m currently a Fairphone Angel, I am actually quite (relatively) clumsy when it comes to repairing. There are people for whom iFixit smartphone repair guides are easy peasy. The Fairphone is, in contrast, a lot easier to repair. Even for someone like me.

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:raised_hand: Here, I did. But it is not possible as @DietmarP has explained. One of the many things I have learned from having a Fairphone and reading in the forum :blush:.

But @Hannes1 thanks for asking and welcome to the fairphone forum!

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You seem to have joined this forum not long time ago. First of all welcome!
Quite a lot of information and discussions has summed up within time.
You may keep on reading to find plenty of interesting posts, discussions and useful pieces of information.

…but now to your post…

Well since you are asking so explicit - NOT me and another post from me for more information.
Probably not the answers you are expecting - but anyway. I can state that it wasn’t rocket science to gather information on the FP2 in advance before placing my order for this device at a price of >500€.

You see, I’m not living in my parents house or receiving any financial support from anyone. I have to ordinary go for work to earn some money. Of course I was pretty sure what for I would spent 500 bucks before I have paid.
So I wasn’t surprised by delivery and am still quite satisfied with my FP2 as it just does what I expect from it.
Fairphone is still in business keeping spare parts and even second hand would be an option for spare parts.

I don’t see anyone else to blame for the next phone becoming available disappointing some users, as these users who were not gathering enough information in advance to get a clear picture of what Fairphone was about. And furthermore - it was FP2…there was a FP1/U before. Also this step brought some users up to complaint. Now there is FP3…, sorry but when will some people simply wake up to get the correct idea of what Fairphone actually is about and what can be expected. It looks to me atm. some will simply never wake up but rather keep on complainting.
I assume the big boys such as Apple, Samsung… did not yet kick some buts far enough to finally get them calmed down by the Fairphone idea.
Btw. no one can serve everyones expectation. It’s always the same game. That’s something people should get used to.

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You are quite right, and so was I - but in spite of FP never touting the upgradeability of the FP2, a fairly large number of people perceived it as being the upgradeable phone. Clearly, people really need to be told (some would say spoonfed) what ‘modularity’ means in this context, as they immediately associated the FP2 with concepts like Project Ara and got angry when no upgrades appeared (even though two upgrades did appear).

And it does look as though Fairphone have learned that lesson, and are consequently being very clear on the FP3’s modularity being about repairs and not upgrades.

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Heya @Hannes1 and welcome to the forum.

It must feel pretty sucky to have spent a lot of money on something and have it not meet your expectations. You made a financial sacrifice and didn’t get what you were hoping from it.

Fairphone have some serious, big changes they want to make to a huge industry and it can be disarmingly easy for our expectations to be high in the face of these high ideals. So I don’t really blame you, and I’m pretty sure you’re not the only one who’s disappointed.

It’s probably not much consolation right now, but if you consider this purchase a mistake then you can learn from it. And either way, y’know… it’s not an awful way to have spent your money… you didn’t spend it on drug trafficking or whatever :stuck_out_tongue:

And lastly, I’m hoping to get more involved with DIY for FP2 in the coming months, see if we can’t find a way to create our own modules and upgrades. There’s still (unofficial) hope yet.

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There are many small DIY projects already. Take a look into the Do It Yourself section. The biggest one I would consider is “New FP2 motherboard”..
Unfortunately Fairphone went a completely different path.

But if you are to need a new bottom module with USB-C , he’s the guy who actually done it. :+1:

Hm, and where do you see the cause of this great misunderstanding? Is it rather Fairphone not having excluded every point for what FP2 isn’t designed or the users who perceived that FP2 with its design is upgradeable?
As I wrote in my previous post, it didn’t happen to me.
I stick to the point not assuming something that’s not clearly stated.
I have a few more examples where manufacturers cannot be held accountable for (my) wrong assumptions.

Teslas “auto-pilot” assistant. Many customers may have thought about: auto-pilot → plane → self-flying ->hence self-driving. Well, I tested it, activated it, I am still alive, why? Because I knew in advance it was only an assistant and no autonome self-driving function and yes - I had to correct it after my first attempt when activating it. But the second attempt was successful albeit quite strange to let loose the steering and just watch what the car does…

I have an ILockIt (Haveltec) automatic bike lock since the first Kickstarter campaign. The first generation has no GPS, but only a map function to keep a lock on the Google map on where you have last parked your bike. (There are people who seem to forget over night where they have parked their beloved bike, car…:face_with_raised_eyebrow:)

The team did not explicitly negated in advance that it was no full GPS (tracking) function…so guess what…yes there were complaints as this tiny little detail was cleared up some time later.
Now the latest campaign is for a full featured GPS tracking next generation lock.
I knew from the beginning before I funded the initial version it wasn’t offering full GPS tracking as I read through the full webpage and also questioned the team by email. But I wanted to have an automated bike lock with a form of alarming anti-theft function. What for something to just remind me - here you left your worthy bike last night…I’m not mentally ill or something like this who would forget about this.

So, why again I have received what I have paid for? How come some others were disappointed? I don’t see a point in blaming the manufacturer.
I could go on with other examples.

It’s as simple as this: Always gather information on what one spend his/her money on in advance, not complaint afterwards and blame the manufacturer for unfulfilled expectations.

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While your logic is impeccable and your discernment ineffable, Fairphone has to deal with people who misunderstand what they’re buying into, beyond declaring them inattentive readers and telling them they just shouldn’t have bought a Fairphone.

If Fairphone advertise a phone as being explicitly not upgradeable but people still buy the phone thinking that it is, those people will be unsatisfied customers and why that may not matter to you or me as we knew what we were getting into, it is bad for the company.

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Just a FYI: I had this very issue. I always parked my bicycle on around the same spot. Why? Because then I know where I put it. Searching it was then a matter of seconds, and I lost virtually no time during my travel.

If you regularly (e.g. due to commute) use a bicycle parking (hence forget that one time where you put) you may forget where you put it if its in a different spot. Or if you are not familiar with the area, you can get disoriented. My solution? I make a picture (and sent it to my partner in case the bicycle and my smartphone get stolen/lost). It does not have GPS coordinates (as I have that disabled, and they don’t work in underground bicycle parking anyway) but it does show the surroundings well enough.

I don’t know if its just me who has this issue suffice to say I just don’t have a very good memory (especially compared to other people with ASD).

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You are lucky that you do not drink to excess. Alcohol can be a curse :wink:

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I have! Leo_TheCrafter 's doing some great stuff, hoping to work with him in future

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Oh, wow, sounds great! :+1:
Maybe again the FP community can benefit or even give support in the one way or another.
Good luck for your further projects.

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