As this is a user forum, you have to be lucky, to get an answer by FP staff.
From your report, it seems you might need a toughphone.
And to me it seems, you are doing some hardcore testing for Fairphone, proving so far, that the modular concept with click-snap solutions for easy access to the phon has its limitations, when it comes to toughness.
So maybe the actual FP2 is rather a business/office phone.
For an outdoor model, I would guess the phone should be constructed differently:
smaller dimensions while at the same time thicker, as this would reduce twisting of the phone and movement between different modules,
tougher frame (magnesium?)
display and cover fixed with screws
connections fixed with plug and lock mechanisms
That phone would of course be heavier and should have a shock absorbing rubber casing.
I just donāt know, if thereās enough of a market for that kind of phones. There are some, but I have no idea how good they do sell ā¦
That is one of the issues. I would have bought one of those expensive CAT-phones, but that would mean buying a phone thatās probably produced under significantly worse working conditions. Moreover, I donāt think I use my phone that hardcore. I cycle for several days, during those days my phone is mounted on my steer or in my pocket if it rains. Thatās it, and none of my previous phones ever had any issues with this. But yes, Iād love to buy a ācommercialā phone which is extremely durable, if it werenāt for child labor and such.
Yeah, you sure are right. Thatās not exactly construction workerās use or outdoor expeditions.
Still, I have the feeling, that right now, as the modular design has just emerged, it will need some more development. Inside the usual phone everything is fixed and glued together, making the whole construction more stable on the one side but less repairable on the other.
I am no engineer, but my guess would be, that maybe the connections need enhancement.
When I had a problem with the microphone (twice), I made a complaint and a replacement bottom module was received just a few days later - no problem there with delivery of replacement part under warranty!
I contacted the support team which sent me a new microphone module. Since I installed it, everything works fine like before. Seems that the module had a dysfunction.
I just had the same experience as Annique in August '16. Ordered a new bottom module, it worked, then after a few weeks it did not work any more.
So I opened the phone, removed the module and put it back in. Booted the phone and tested the mic -> worked. So I believe my module purchase was all for nothing and itās a connection problem.
I want to chime in on this one as I have had this issue for a long time now and itās degenerative to a now unusable degree. I purchased a new mic unit 3 months ago and iām now back to the same level of usefulness.
The crazy thing I donāt get is that I have to bend this phone to get the mic to work even very badly. Surely a āloose wireā is fixable but no one seems to have solved this one. If something needs a dab of solder then fine, iām sure most people here are happy to try it. I just need to know whatās going on. I am trying to figure it out without breaking it altogether but iām still none the wiser for many attempts at trying.
I find it very odd that this is something that has been left to just happen without figuring out why. We all bought into this as a developing concept and I appreciate that the battery life is a bit rubbish and I make acceptations because itās a damn good idea for a damn good reasonā¦but I canāt actually use it as a phone, and thatās ok?
I have the same problem since a few weeks : my microphone for calling (primary microphone) doesnāt work. I checked it with hardware diagnostics, and that confirm the trouble. I donāt hear anything during the test.
Thinking about a connectivity problem, I opened the phone, removed the module, cleaned the pins with alcohol and put it back in. But the microphone still doesnāt works.
The phone never fell, and never suffered any shocks. I contacted the support team this morning, I hope they can suggest me a solution.
My bottom module has been replaced āonlyā twice under warranty so I guess I am lucky.But now it (the microphone) broke again and my phoneās not under warranty anymore. So I have to pay for the new bottom module myself. Also, my screen has been replaced at least 4 times under warranty.
I would like to reference:
I think as soon as more and more Fairphones fall out of warranty they will make quite some money selling the modules which happen to break very easily. So donāt worry about them going bankrupt. I myself would rather worry me going bankrupt, depending on how many replacement modules I will have to buy. Then again modules I will buy myself will have warranty for two years.
If the fact is proven, that the microphone keeps breaking because ofthe USB interface, I will be very upset: my battery of my replacement Fairphone (which I got under warranty) couldnāt keep any charge for more than 5 hours (max) and it was starting to show swelling on the sides. But because there was a huge backorder on the batteries I couldnāt get a new one for a few months. Thus in these months I had to charge my phone frequently which could explain the broken microphone.
Thereās a couple concepts you might want to chase up further on this topic. Firstly, in many countries I believe these exists such a thing as warranty on your repairs. If within a few months after the repair on your phone the same issue pops up you might be entitled to free repair because their initial solution didnāt solve the problem satisfactory.
The second concept, at least in the Netherlands, is ālegal warrantyā - which is different from factory warranty. Under Dutch law you are entitled to warranty for as long as you could reasonably expect a device to function, even after the factory warranty expires. For Fairphone, their aim was 5 years, so three to four years of expected lifespan seems fair if you can reasonably show that you did not abuse the product, and under the caveat that the battery was expected to last only 1-2 years. This is a warranty you can claim from your seller (so Fairphone if you bought it directly from them, your store if you got it elsewhere), and I think in NL there are many stories of claiming this warranty and eventually settling for shared cost (usually a ratio of age/expected life span) to avoid a legal procedure of demonstrating whoās at fault.
Similar concepts may apply in your country, and Fairphone being a legal Dutch entity there might be a case for Dutch law to apply on your purchase. I am, however, not a lawyer, so Iād recommend studying this rather than taking my word on it. Youāll find that many companies are actually quite reasonable about these problems in large parts of mainland EU as long as you are reasonable and honest with them, because customer satisfaction is valuable for mouth-to-mouth advertisement and follow-up purchases.
After contacting fairphone team, they suggest me to buy a new microphone. I have just get it this week, changed very easily, and I hope it will run a lot of time. Wait and seeā¦
I got the same problem here : the microphone is not working no matter phone calls or recording apps. In stead, it is recording some weird background parasite noise.
The FP support suggested me to :
unmount the bottom module and reassembly
do a hard reset
I did all, but nothing worked. Since Iām running LOS, there is no diagnostic app.
It was last february. They sent me a new microphone module and it has been working perfectly ā¦ until now !
Since two weeks, my new microphone doesnāt work again, exactly like last time. And Iām currently in contact with the FP support which is replying me exactly like last time. So I guess theyāll send a new microphone module againā¦
The question is : are we just the unlucky ones ?
I notice that it occured each time I was landing in China (from Europe). Just a coincidence maybe ? Could it be related to the pressure difference during a long flight ?
Edit : just got a very simple reply from FP support : no more warranty. Please buy a new module.
Thatās really not reassuring. The module was just half year old ā¦ and itās already deffective ā¦?
I have encountered the same issue, primary mic not working. Quite easy to check by going to settings/maintenance/checkup/primary microphone.
However, as some other unfortunate users noticed, plugging the USB pin and bending it upward (toward the screen) made the mic work!
Through more detailed investigation, I found out that the problem would be fixed by applying a significant pressure onto the right hand side (close to the edge) of the upper part of the visible part of the bottom module (around the USB plug). This can be checked with the phone and the microphone test turned on.
Then I fitted a tiny nail between the bottom module and the screen, and the mic works. A bit of an ugly solution since I cannot fully close the cover around the USB plug, but not too bad either. A better solution would be open the bottom module (would need a torx T5 screwdriver) and look for a place to fit a screw tightening the module.
Hope it helps those would like to fix things themselves and do not want to go through support. I like fairphone, but they yet got to understand that reliability should be among their values.
Hello. I started having micro problems a week ago. I tested, dismounted, cleaned, placed a small piece of folded paper, reassembled ā¦ When I plug a USB cable I have noises. Finally, I tightened all the screws inside the FP2 and the mic started working again.
Until now, of course.
I have also trouble operating headphones that work very well everywhere else.
That sounds, like Fairphone does not care about reliability.
Well, I am most certain, that they not only understand it, but in fact share that value. At least thatās my guess, based on their goal of long lasting design.
Itās just, that this reliability value is facing two major obstacles in this case.
First of all itās a totally new - modular - design. Therefore some problems caused by this modular design revolution come up with the customer. The bottom module/microphone seem to be on that list.
Second point is the fact, that that FP is a small company with limited funds and market power only. Understandably FP is lacking the means and funds to do a long and thorough testing of their products: simulating a lifecycle of a few years with all the wear and tear; testing every batch of modules/products extensively for faults and rejecting whole batches, that are not up to highest standard (meaning they will be dumped). Neither can they do it on their own, nor do they have enough power to make all their suppliers do it in the same way, they would do it for the likes of Samsung, Apple, Huawei, LG ā¦
In the end I really agree, that reliability is a vital goal and value for Fairphone, but I disagree with the impression, that they donāt share that value and donāt strive to achieve this goal.
Hi, I have the same issue. When I insert the charger and use it to press the bottom module upwards, then I can hear myself. Is there something I can open up and adjust in the bottom module?
Youāll find that many companies are actually quite reasonable about these problems in large parts of mainland EU as long as you are reasonable and honest with them, because customer satisfaction is valuable for mouth-to-mouth advertisement and follow-up purchases.