My FP2: 5 years and counting

2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Redefining longevity: Android 9 now available for Fairphone 2

Just want to say thanks for your advice on the slim back for my fairphone 2. I got one for just a euro plus postage and it’s like a new phone.
Janet

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**
Pedidos fp2
** When I bought it and as it was sold, I expected at least 7… but no problems.
I’ve had it for 5 and a half years, with two modules changed, an extra battery and several cases. Except for some of the cases, all out of warranty. I’ve been using it for 715,14€. (Not to mention the one I gave as a gift and was stolen) :disappointed_relieved:

This is if we look only at its economic price, because the time invested in various problems with their consultations, in this forum, on other pages, with acquaintances … I have been up to several months without being able to use it for not finding the solution, even taking it to a store specializing in mobile phones.

Today I have a cell phone that is hard to get calls in and out, you have to try several times, if you’re lucky. The lower module (already changed once) does not hold the charging cable, not to mention the battery problem (I have 2) that does not even last me half a day, and with which I have spent years.

Anyway, with no brand I would have had so much patience. I’m surprised that someone who has had an FP2, would even consider an FP3. Although it is true that conscience has a lot of weight, and right now I don’t know what to do. I have ruled out buying new modules because one of them is not even for sale anymore, and buying it in this forum, which is not at all intuitive with so much language, is impossible for me. I don’t know if I should wait for FP4 to come out, or forget about the Fairfhone brand once and for all, so I don’t have to put up with my acquaintances’ teasing me about my “patatofono”.

By the way, what’s wrong with FP3, so that FP4 comes out so soon?

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12 posts were split to a new topic: Debating “what’s wrong with FP3, so that FP4 comes out so soon?”

A post was merged into an existing topic: Debating “what’s wrong with FP3, so that FP4 comes out so soon?”

My FP2 achieved its five-year jubilee a couple of months ago already. It’s still running fine, and I don’t have anything to add to what I posted when I had it for four years:

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I just passed the 5 years with my Fairphone 2 (badge please) milestone,
so Fairphone kept their promise that it is possible to use it for 5 years
and I kept my promise, I will do so.

I just had to change the back cover twice (black back deformed, then transparent was brittle, now blue working okay) and I have a new battery, though that was not a game changer in battery usage time.

I really appreciated having a a sustainable device and the possibility to replace parts. So I have not been too shocked when I dropped it (no damage on the screen yet).
I also appreciate the fact it came with a Guhgel-free Software. Having fixed some things on other people’s Guhgel-phones I would never go back to such a device. Never.

For me, the Fairphone 2 remains my daily use phone. Nevertheless, I like the idea to have a Linux pocket computer with telephoning capabilities. I would not have to wonder “how can I do this or that” or “is there an app for this what I am doing on my computer”. Therefore, as soon as possible I will get me a Linux phone, but I will miss repairability and the care for the environment and working conditions.
Nevertheless, I would not recommend Fairphone to engage in Linux phones as their main target is to change the industry and you need a big customer base to do so. And customer base is growing. So Fairphone stay main stream but do things differently.

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Mine is running sice Nov. 2016.
But I’m not happy with it anymore. It has too many issues I could not solve.
I tried a new battery - did not help.
I tried power managers - did not help.
I tried a factory reset - did not help.
I tried new installation of Android 9 - fastboot did not run.

Issues:
Random reboots (5-10 per day).
Battery empty over night - never holds a hole day.
Apps crashes somethimes.
Loses Wifi and has a bad telephone connetion.
Screen black during/afters calls.
Reboots while charging.

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Moved your post here as it’s only 5 years :wink:

I’m sorry for you… I own a FP2 and I recognize the issues, but not as often nor as bad as you.

You could open a topic in the forum so we help you troubleshoot, or search through the numerous fastboot problems in the forum with the search icon :slight_smile:

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Hi Thomas,
this is funny my phone before I bought the Fairphone 2 was also a Motorola Defy+ which I only used for 5 years, at the end with much more issues than the Fairphone2 at the moment.
Based on that, I hope that I will reach 7 years (my Fairphone2 is from the very first batch delivered beginning of Jan 2016.

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Granting you the 6y badge, but you might want to post here too :wink:

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Unfortunately I will not reach 7 years with the FP2. Slightly more than a month after posting above, it started rebooting multiple times per day, sometimes even rebooting again before a reboot was complete, reaching a point where it was no longer acceptable even for me.
Now I have a Pixel 4a (immediately installed LineageOS) and this is a level of stability I have never seen in any Android phone before that I or my family owned or owns.

And even if it would reboot during the night: It does not vibrate (like the FP2) or play some dreadful jingle on full volume and light up the room with maximum brightness while asking to accept the EULA of the preinstalled keyboard app (like my wife’s HTC U12) when rebooting :tired_face:

I have stopped using my FP2 (shipped 2015) 2 years ago. I switched to IPhone. There were multiple issues:

  • keyboard didn’t recognise the rightmost buttons anymore
  • since some update of FOOS I couldn’t install Open GAPS anymore → most of my apps didn’t run.
  • battery drain.

  • Now I am hesitating if I should give FP a 2nd chance by buying FP4. Are there any experiences if FP4 is worth buying.
    The feature I liked most was the google-reduced OS, but I probably would buy the standard OS, because I need to use some banking apps.

Hi

There are numerous topics/posts by Fp4 users

and

  • you can degoogle the FP4 manually via ADB no root or
  • install /e/
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Probably not. The iPhone (I assume you got a new one?) is only two years old, so you should probably keep it longer :wink:
Apart from that I’m sad to read that you retired your FP2 for some screen issues where you could easily have exchanged the screen. And that there were some software glitches that could have been fixed with some effort. At least these software issues were caused by the possibility to use a Google-free OS. Your iPhone probably doesn’t allow you to break free from the Apple environment. So by taking more freedom there’s also responsibility connected to that (e.g. take more care of your software than with everything in a very much integrated environment) and that will most likely not change with the FP4 if you want to avoid the “convenience solution” (for legitimate reasons).

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I’ve been using my FP2 every day for 5 years. It’s still running fine except lately it’s been freezing and saying System UI isn’t responding but other than that I’ve had no problems.

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I don’t have an exact date for when I got my FP2, but it was some time in January 2017. So mine too is 5 years and counting. Hoping it will make to 8.
Its predecessor, a faithful Sony Ericsson W350i, has just reached 13 years of age. It is going to outlive the network that it runs on, as that closes end of this month. Still be my quick camera (1MP!) and alarm clock.

Sadly, it's not coming. With prospect of emigration, I went smart (@Fairphone) in Jan. But still using #Luddyphone day to day.

— Ian Garman 🇸🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@bestdeadends) February 11, 2017
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Nothing much changed, apart from the four years part … it’s five years now.

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I ordered my FP2 in August of 2017 and received it by the end of October that same year. I switched to it as my daily dirver and only mobile phone in July 2018 after flashing SailfishOS on it. For Christmas of 2021 I got the camera upgrade, a ‘new’ (used) bottom module (as a spare since they went out of stock) and a brand new battery (not desperately required at this point but nice to have while at it). Switched the bottom module to make sure it works and started using the new camera. In July 2022, after four years of daily use I finally swapped out the battery for the new one before going on vacation just to loose my phone on said trip. :scream: :sob: I guess it goes without saying that I ordered a ‘new’ (used, obviously) FP2 before even returning home. It arrived before my replacement SIM card giving me just enough time to flash it with SailfishOS and install all apps I need. My ‘new’ FP2 has some reboot issues (I knew that when I bought it, though I had hoped they would disappear with the OS switch) and I have two old batteries instead of a new one but I am still happy with it. I doubt I’ll buy the camera upgrade again - I just don’t take that many (important) pictures with my phone - but at least I still have a spare bottom module in case my mic goes silent. Not sure what I would do once it dies for good. Maybe a used FP3+ if @mal has a working Sailfish port of it. :wink: :grin: Lack of 3.5 audio jack is a big downer of the FP4 and FP5 likely won’t support any OS that I’d feel comfortable with for quite some time. Let me know if you have suggestions. I hope I won’t have to think about it for some years to come. :crossed_fingers:

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