Leaving my FP2 - a feedback after more than 3 years of active use

2 posts were split to a new topic: Dysfunctional phone because of multiple problems

Yes, the coloured ones and it is multiple broken.
And yes, calibration done.

I have to update my evaluation of Fairphone. Since I know that their is a FP3 and its camera module is not compatible with the camera of the FP2 I decided not to recommend Fairphone any more to other people. With FP3 it’s clear that my FP2 is not produced for future but for 3 years+ only. If Fairphone really wanted to build a sustainable phone they would build a phone that could be updated in his deficiencies, and wouldn’t stop upgrading its hardware after a short time and at a unsatisfactory state. Without hope for a third and better camera module for me Fairphone is inauthentic.
So my evaluation of my FP2 is at the end unfortunately negative because the lifecycle is designed/decided to short.

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I understand your disappointment. But your expectation is not related to the specifications Fairphone once released for the FP2. The phone was created modular for repairability not for upgrades as it is pointed out in detail in other threats.
The upgraded camera module was the maximum the FP2 chipset is supporting and like a bonus for the FP2 owners, especially if you have a look on the price tag. And the support of newer camera modules by the chipset is nothing Fairphone is able to change. This is in the hand of Qualcom, the vendor of the chipset and sadly a closed source.
Fairphone is trying to change these circumstances as the first manufacturer of smartphones on the marked. I am sure you understand that such a pioneer is not able to chance the industry over night.

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I guess, your conlusion is a bit harsh.
While it is true, that the FP2 has come to an end and will not be produced any more, it is still supported and will be repaired. They are taking care of updating the OS as well.
As @ElKrasso already said, upgradebility was never the essence of the FP concept; it was a mere bonus to be able to get a new camera module for the FP2.

To me even more important is the fact, that FP obviously had to realize, that they had taken the modularity too far with the FP2.
Just compare the display clips of the FP2 to the 13 screws used to fix the display of the FP3.
There are other troubles as well, like possible wear and tear of the cases from opening them too often just for showing off, the breaking of the bottom module etc. Lots of the problems - just my guess - will be caused by the rather flexible design of the FP2 (you can twist and bend the phone remarkably) in combination with the fact, that the contacts are just pressed together instead of soldered.

Thus the concept of the FP2 was a dead end street, unfortunately. Putting much more effort into upgrading the FP2, while the number of users and the market are shrinking, would have even been economically a waste of time, energy and money.

Supporting the FP2 the way it is with OS updates and spare-parts, is all I am asking for. And on this Fairphone delivers, so far.

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Very similar story here.

My list of issues:
) Reboots virtually every day
) Microphone not working properly (even after replacement)
) Multitasking doesn’t work as expected in FPOS
) Useless proximity sensor causes my cheek to do all kind of stuff while having a call
) Display stays black when someone’s calling. Most of the time.
) Display makes random noise. Occasionally.
) Camera occasionally takes only half-postprocessed pictures (with a harsh transistion right in the middle of the picture) and is very slow
) Back cover got deformed
) GPS only works sometimes
) There’s rarely a software update that doesn’t come with a new regression
) DualSIM never really worked for me
) Generally this must be the most unreliable electronic device I’ve ever owned

But there’s also a bright side:
) Modularity! The reason I opted for the FP2 in the first place after I had bad experience with unrepairable phones in the past.
) Fairphone as a company seems to be the most open-minded on the whole smartphone sector. More or less transparent in communication and sometimes listening to the customers. Also the focus on ethics is very nice, although I have my concerns about feasibility/impact.
) Battery life never was great but it also didn’t change much. Even after… 3(?) years in use It almost keeps the phone up for one day (I can’t believe, I write this as one of the positive points)
) Camera is rather useable after upgrade - while still being extremely slow and occasionally causing artifacts.
) Frequent updates for the FPOS
) Root support
) Stock android after finally dropping their annoying swipe-stuff in Android 7
) MicroSD slot
) Option to have virtually google-free android
) A really good excuse to miss a call (Nothing more credible than a “Yeah, you know… my fairphone again. Hahaha.”)

Eventhough this doesn’t look all too positive it’s just a matter of emphasis.

Do I hate my phone? Oh yes.
Do people I communicate with hate my phone? Even more!
Do a few facts like modularity and a more or less sympathetic company outweight this enough to make me endure the FP3? Barely, but yes.
Did friends that I told that I just ordered a FP3 believe me? Not at first.

Less of a success-story for me but at least its’ a let’s-give-them-another-chance-story.

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Great!
Just be prepared, that you might no longer have the FP as an excuse for missed calls (or so I hope :grin:).
Designwise it seems they have learned from stories like yours (13 screws for the display instead of some plastic “clips” is a most obvious development).
Now let’s just hope, that they learn communicationwise as well and send out some more information on the ongoing delays.
(While one-on-one dialogue - see this blogpost " First Line Support is Coming Home" - is a valuable thing, there is stuff, they should share with all their customers.) :wink:

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Nothing that a custom ROM can’t fix ^^

Yes. Eventhough FP is rather communicative compared to the big players, there’s still (very) much room for improvement.

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Ordered my FP2 in July 2015 and got it in November 2015. €453

5 years on:

Bottom module failed, new battery and module on warranty: €0
Original soft case fell apart: replaced under warranty
Broke screen by dropping the phone: €98
Broke replacement screen (trapped in car door): €100 to vimeo (FP out of stock)
Screen went mad: new refurb phone on warranty (inc new hard case)
Had to buy €100 unfairphone whilst waiting on replacement
Microphone went crackly - new bottom module, battery and case: €71
Transparent hard case cracked - new white case on warranty
Camera stopped focussing and wouldn’t fix
Stopped charging, new bottom module and camera €67

Total cost of ownership since July 2015 = €689 plus €100 for a spare phone to use whilst FP2 dead. Thoguh given the amount of warranty support, I’d be suprised if FP made any profit out of that.

Still cheaper and more eco sound than buying a new iPhone! But possibly more troublesome too.

Hopefully good for another few months before I buckle under and order an FP3.

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Which you sold again, right?

With the new or the old camera modules? Have you tried with Open Camera application?

Of the 3 screen replacements, 2 were your own fault. These are not design flaws.

I find it a bit meh to combine problems which were your fault with problems which were not.

You could’ve bought an iPhone SE back for less money, but you’d have spend far more on the screen repairs. Then again, perhaps a screen cover would’ve saved you on these.

Do you see me complaining? its simply a statement of facts. And you may note that I’m keeping my FP2 having just bought new modules to keep it going. So no need to be defensive :-).

The unfair phone sat in its box between repairs, but my partner took it when their Sony broke (again) and finally I could No longer repair it. Yesterday I nearly bought another unfairphone, whilst I ordered and waited on an fp3, but managed to fix the fp2 … mostly. I think having a spare phone is probably a necessity for fp2 ownership … If you use for work, anyway.

The camera is the original, doesn’t focus, the fixes didn’t work. Open camera doesn’t help. But the replacement will be an upgrade …wahey!!

And as I said, better value than an iPhone!

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The value behind repairability is sustainability and it’s not sustainable if the progress of a phone stops after three years.

I remember a justification for ending the progress of FP1 that sounds similar.

No, not for me. All your arguments don’t really touch my FP2.

Truth.

Sorry, I guess, we might have a misunderstanding.
I really get it, that you have multiple troubles with your FP2. Unfortunately you are not the only one and I really do feel for all of you and would have wished for this not to happen.

My argument was not referring to your phone, but directed at this point:

(boldface by me)
To me the end of the lifecycle of the FP2 has been neccessary, even because the phone design (including he modules obviously) caused so many troubles for many people.
So, I see your phone troubles as an argument/part of the reason for ending the lifecycle. It would have been most stupid - in my opinion - to transfer modules like the camera to the next generation of FP when people were already complaining, that the camera is not good enough; same with the troublesome botton-module.

But the important part - to me - is, that the support for your phone (and mine) will continue for the next years, even though they do not sell it any longer.

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That is three years longer than any other phone manufacturer is able to offer right now. And in my eyes a step in the right direction.

It belongsto the system on chip desgin. Small electronics need high integrated components to be small. Would you buy a phone with form factor like 20 years ago and a weight of ~1kg?
Everything is a compromise and is needed to be rated as an evolution from model to model.

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I won’t bother you with the complete story of my FP2, but it is working well since more than 3 years. Some issues in the last two months convinced me to order an FP3, but nothing I would call a negative experience.

One positive point has not been mentioned in this thread so far:
A replaceable battery is a simple but big step towards sustainability that many other smartphones do not provide.

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About the same story as the first post on my side. I had to replace every component one by one from the beginning, and some of them up to 3 times. And now my 3 years old FP2 is still almost impossible to use (screen dysfunction, battery weakness).

I am truly willing to support FairPhone for ethical reasons but I am sorry to leave it since my phone is my work tool and has to work perfectly at least 2 years.

I hope the FP3 or FP4 will reach the reliability of the competitors in the future, then I will definitely consider about coming back.

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