Investing in long-lasting design: Android 7 for the Fairphone 2

Not much of a decision … the feature is just not there in Android 7 by default, and it is uncertain whether Fairphone will be able to add it themselves.

https://bugtracker.fairphone.com/project/fairphone-android-7/issue/55

“Regarding disabling SIMs: This option is indeed not available on Android 7. Currently we cannot say if we will be able to bring back to feature, but for sure it will not be included in the first official Android 7 release for Fairphone 2.”

1 Like

I guess a fairly high number of (active) forum members are FPOOS users, compared to the general non-forum FP-users :slight_smile:

4 Likes

Hi Francois,

I asked Fairphone to prioritise my Android update as there is not much time left on my warranty and I wanted to see the phone work well before my warranty expires. I have found the battery drain to be really bad, and have not found an effective answer whilst Fairphone have promised battery improvement via Android 7 for quite some time now.

Fairphone sent me a generic response, they didn’t help prioritise my download.

I found a shortcut to the update to Android 7 by accident. The Updater told me I was up to date on Android 6 as I was awaiting the Android 7 update.

I tapped on the ‘Fairphone OS’ text on the Updater app and noticed a ‘click’ sound. I tapped several times and the phone put me in developer mode and offered the Android 7 update. The installation went smoothly, and yesterday my battery and phone performed much better!

For those of you whose warranty is about to expire, this shortcut could expedite the update process.

8 Likes

Indeed, just tried it, and also got the update!
Edit: the update is actually 18.09.02, not the latest 18.10. Since it was still beta testing in September, not sure how stable this version is…

1 Like

Got a completely new FP2, installed FP Open immediately (v18.04.1 from the ‘Installation Guide’), installed F-Droid (which didn’t work - seemed to have no data-connection), installed the Update to 18.10 with fp2-sibon-18.10.0-manual.zip from ‘Download Releases’.
-> Phone only shuts down with the torch on - otherwise it reboots …

Dear FP community,

as already asked in this question on mouse-functionality in Android 6, I would like to know, whether the FP2 can still be operated with a mouse after the Android 7 update. I don’t dare to update, before I can be sure that Android 7 on FP2 supports this mouse-functionality. :wheelchair: :computer_mouse:

To check, whether mouse-functionality is integrated in your FP2, you just have to connect a usual mouse via a USB-to-Micro-USB-adapted to the fairphone’s micro-USB-port. Then, either a mouse cursor appears on the screen and can be controlled via the mouse (in this case mouse-functionality is available) or nothing happens (in this case mouse-functionality is not included in Android 7).

It would be great if either the developers or some fairphone-users could give me feedback concerning the above stated question!

1 Like

Hi Tuvok, if Google didn’t remove the feature then it should still be present. If it’s not working, you can create a bug in the bug tracker and the next update might solve it :slight_smile:

@Tuvok is dependent on mouse functionality and can’t operate the phone if the feature breaks, hence the need to really know for certain :wink: .

I can only confirm it works in LineageOS 15.1 for microG (Android 8.1).

3 Likes

Hi Francois

I thought the same as you, however the article linked below describes 18.09.2 as the Android 7.1.2 release:

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/208342503-Fairphone-OS-for-Fairphone-2-Release-Notes

I think version 18.10 is the Open Source alternative.

Cheers

3 Likes

I updated to Android 7 yesterday. Ever since I have a very flaky WIFI connection. The WIFI drops out often and sometimes reconnects, sometimes doesn’t. Not really usable that way. I’ve seen this effect on two WIFIs so far, doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the base station.

Has anyone experienced similar issues?

Update: After two days the issues seem to have disappeared by themselves. Wifi works fine now. The only thing I did, was removing the “optimization” apps “Powerful monitor” and “Greenify”

1 Like

Yesterday, still on Android/Googles Fairphone OS 2018.04.x (or whatever that latest Android6 based was called and numbered) showed google app store update for Fairphone Updater app. Updated that one. Immediately after the new Fairphone Updater app came in, it showed that Fairphone OS 2018.09.2 were available. Triggered the updated. Downloaded via WiFi, took quite a while to install it. Eventually rebooted back nicely into 2018.09.2, became quite hot whilst updating upgrading ;).

Now sits nicely on 2018.09.2, dont see much differences to previous Android6 based functionality. Wondering if cpu/power consumption became optimised. The screen timeout after 30seconds is still there, no matter what I set as a delay for screensaving locking screen. This is madness :(((((

1 Like

I just did attach a simple USB-OTG adapter to the Fairphone2 running Fairphone OS 2018.09.2 and some simple cord usb mouse, logitech or something. Mouse cursor appears on the middle of the display screen and works as intended and compared to other Android 5 and 6 and 7 devices with USB-OTG mice attached. See no difference. Can confirm that this Fairphone OS 2018.09.2 release of Android 7.1.2 stack works nicely with USB-OTG mouse.

7 Likes

Disabling a SIM was the workaround to an issue introduced in a previous update:

Dual SIM after Marshmallow update

Does this update restore the ability to force an affected SIM into 2G mode, in order to get 3G/4G on the other? If not, then I guess that means I now have to shut down and physically remove the offending SIM (like people with single-SIM phones do).

I don’t know. I neither run Dual-SIM nor one of Fairphone’s OSes currently.

Thanks for the tipp.
Upgrade went smooth.
Didn’t check all functions yet.
Just tested calling with my headset. Microphone did not stop Working as prior to the upgrade. GREAT!

1 Like

Thank you so much for testing, abittner! :+1:

And thank you to the FP development team for integrating this feature.

1 Like

Tried using an Apple Magic Trackpad 2. Works on Android 8.1 (pointer appears, can be moved, etc). Tested OTG and Bluetooth.

1 Like

Updated to Fairphone Open 18.10.0, smooth as usual.
I have the new FP2 with new version of camera module but mine isn’t affected by the bug of shutdown.

1 Like

Thanks for Android 7 !
Now Fairphone has sort of overfullfilled the promise given for Android 6. I’m amazed.
I’m also amazed, how much longer a battery charge lasts.
(Downside: Got hit by the “new Camera and no shutdown”-bug (#7), but the trick with the torchlight works.)
Martin

1 Like

Uhm, is the update still limited to some phones? My updater tells we are on 18.04.1 and it thinks that this is the latest version. The Play Store doesn’t report any update of the FP updater. With the missing HD video hardware acceleration I’m not yet very keen on updating anyway but I’d like to know if it’s my phone or the update policy that prevents me from getting Android 7. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Martin

1 Like