Hi Fairphone users! We are a group of students who were asked to help out with fairphone, to make a new app. We aren’t that familiar (yet) with Fairphone and wanted to get a better picture of the Fairphone community. And what better audience to ask then you guys! If some of you could take a little time out of your day to answer a couple of questions to us, that would be awesome. Here are the questions:
what motivated you to use fairphone?
Why do you choose fairphone over the other competition?
What motivates you to keep using fairphone?
Do you modify your own fairphone?
How did you find out about fairphone?
Do you know other people that use fairphone?
For how long have you been using fairphone and what are your experiences?
My daughter is a human rights lawyer and she wanted the Fairphone
There is no choice if you care about Fair trade
Fair trade for mineral miners and factory workers
While it’s under a two year warranty I have installed a new launcher to get rid of the horrible ‘google’ search bar and I have removed a lot of google gaggle via ADB
I knew about Fairphone when it was originally promoted some 6 or 7 years ago
No. I bought one for my daughter but she gave it back to me, so now I have two
Is it possible to know what kind of app you are planning to do ? Which university are you from ? and who asked you to do such app ?
Here come my personal answers to your questions:
what motivated you to use fairphone?
Limiting our impact on planet and limit our own (human) exploitation to expand better work conditions
Why do you choose fairphone over the other competition?
As far as I know, Fairphone was the first one phone manufacturer who cares about manufacturing conditions and extraction. Fairphone also takes care about longevity of their products (in terms of hardware and of software).
What motivates you to keep using fairphone?
I keep using Fairphone because, in my personnal experience, it works very well and fit my needs !
I also believe Fairphone example is making “the ball roll”: Other phone manufacturers (early followers and/or big players) did change or start changing their way of working: using FairTrade materials, making support and warranty longer, etc.
Do you modify your own fairphone?
I do not understand well this question. I am not enough “hardware empowered” to be able to modify my Fairphone.
How did you find out about fairphone?
When my last phone broke (around mid-2015), I was searching for a (smart)phone in line with my beliefs technology should be: respect of human and repect of the planet.
My internet searches lead me to Fairphone. Fairphone1 was not more sold and Fairphone 2 was not yet… I learned patience, and though my FP2 had some delay early 2016; I was happy that chinese factories take some time to have good working condition !
Do you know other people that use fairphone?
I have met several people using Fairphone during monthly meetings around my area. My girlfriend also had one FP2, a co-worker also has one. But Fairphones are not so cheap for people around me.
For how long have you been using fairphone and what are your experiences?
I have used a Fairphone since 2016. My experience is very well, despite some (minor) missing features. I would have loved that Fairphone had a totally Free and Open Source software. I have appreciated https://code.fairphone.com/ and I even more appreciate /e/OS-Murena and Fairphone partnership.
I love that after taking a call with my Fairphone, people around me start to ask what is this model and then we exchange points of view about human, technology and future of the planet !
As LowMemory said, it would be a good idea if you presented yourselves and your project a bit better, and also indicated the aims of the app you are intending to design. Or do you expect to orient the app from the answers to your questions?
As to the questions, you might want to reconsider them a little. For example, the first three are very closely related, if not quite the same. I have tried to reply to them constructively.
To reply to your questions:
What motivated you to use Fairphone?
Last year, my previous phone broke and it would have cost more to repair it than to get a new one. This is unfortunately typical of the present consumer society and economy, though things are now changing a bit thanks to initiatives like Fairphone.
This brings us neatly to your next question:
Why do you choose Fairphone over the other competition?
I had heard a little about Fairphone over recent years and had intended to find out more when the time came to replace my phone. I had a look round and I liked what I saw: modular design (a factor related to my immediate problem); everything possible oriented towards sustainability and away from waste, both with materials and with software maintenance (my old phone was running Android 4.4); finally, serious attempts to source raw materials from responsibly managed industry, making sure that everyone in the chain, and in particular at the source, gets a share of what I pay for the finished product.
I’m not aware of another manufacturer who takes as much care as FP do. Fairness in the procurement of materials and labour will naturally mean the phone will cost more than many other devices offering the same performance. But that’s another problem with our present economy: the cost of many commodities is not realistic if we aim for a sustainable and equitable economy and society.
What motivates you to keep using Fairphone?
It’s a good phone and does everything I need it to do. FP is rare as a manufacturer of electronic devices I know of, whose goal is to enable the phone to continue to be useful for as long as possible.
This of course compensates too for the higher purchase price.
Most importantly, it’s much better for our planet to continue using a phone that’s already been made, than to have to make a new one, even if it’s possible to recycle some parts of the old device. And when it comes to the end of its life as a phone, hopefully some modules will still be of use to someone else to keep theirs going.
Do you modify your own Fairphone?
No, except for reducing Google’s presence somewhat.
How did you find out about Fairphone?
I came across some references on the web and followed them up.
Do you know other people that use Fairphone?
None in my immediate entourage, though I sometimes call attention to it. Makes quite a talking point.
For how long have you been using Fairphone and what are your experiences?
I’ve had my FP3+ for over a year. I certainly see no reason to change it for the moment. I have of course encountered the same generic problems as everyone else, such as the recent ambient light / screen brightness bug, but none so far have been a really major problem.
Finally, let’s not forget the great FP community that uses this forum.
Hi, I’m in the UK and have had FP2 for a few years. I am not an IT or tech wizard in the slightest. I do use a lot of apps on it.
what motivated you to use fairphone?
Why do you choose fairphone over the other competition?
The avoidance of conflict minerals and sustainable approach
What motivates you to keep using fairphone?
The longer life of items to reduce the need for impacts arising from manufacturing
Do you modify your own fairphone?
No, although I did fit the camera replacement, and have bought a bottom module that a member of this forum is manufacturing as my power cable keeps slipping out while charging
How did you find out about fairphone?
I can’t remember now, it would be 5 or 6 years ago
Do you know other people that use fairphone?
No, others have opted for second hand.
For how long have you been using fairphone and what are your experiences?
Nearly 5 years. It didn’t start well with frequent reboots, but a new one was sent which made it better. It is now getting rather slow to load apps. I have been tempted to try the non-google options that people in the forum talk about, but don’t have the confidence
what motivated you to use fairphone?
I am not happy with phones that can not be easily repaired of have the battery changed. That aspect is covered with FairPhone.
Why do you choose fairphone over the other competition?
Acceptable specs, dual sim and a bit less damaging to the earth
What motivates you to keep using fairphone?
No answer here - it’s my first.
Do you modify your own fairphone?
No, or is inserting a memory card a modification?
How did you find out about fairphone?
Read about it in the papers.
Do you know other people that use fairphone?
One or two
For how long have you been using fairphone and what are your experiences?
7 months. I was used to dual sim (Sony, Motorola). It doesn’t work as well on the Fairphone, but with an extra app it’s acceptable. Experiences are good on all aspects.
