I guess if I change the OS myself, it would void the warranty, so is there a way to order a fairphone directly with an alternative OS pre-installed ?
You are allowed to change the OS yourself, it will not void the warranty. From Fairphone’s Support pages:
In addition, and because the code is openly available, everybody is free to work on making other operating systems work on the Fairphone 2. The community already offers alternative operating systems like Sailfish OS, Ubuntu Touch and LineageOS.
Source:
https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/204642759
However, Fairphone Support is not able to help you with any software issues you might run into when using an OS other than Fairphone OS or Fairphone Open OS.
3 Likes
No warranty is void 
1 Like
This article doesn’t specify anything about warranty but I will take your word for it.
1 Like
Until recently G%&$e disallowed pre-installing different OSes on a phone the officially support, but now they were fined, because that is illegal. So in theory the FP3 could come with your choice of supported OS preinstalled.
3 Likes
Thanks. I just learned about fairphone 3. I’ll see if I should wait for its release or not.
1 Like
I doubt Fairphone will pre-install OSes that the Support team could not help with. Fairphone Open/Sibon is supported, though, so it could come pre-installed.
5 Likes
I think pre-installing various OSes creates such a logistical nightmare (and probably: cost explosion) that I frankly hope (for the sake of Fairphone’s economic survival) that Fairphone will not do it.
3 Likes
Actually I am a bit puzzled about why there is not yet a working multi or at least dual boot solution to satisfy several user group expectations as many private users know and also have for their personal computers. Me too btw.
I think in FP2 is enough internal storage available and we also have a separate sd card slot too.
There are solutions out there for less open platforms, but as it looks no one up to now has tinkered to get this done on the open FP2 platform.
This sounds like a form of sandbox, emulation or virtualization. Until now I have never heard of something similar on any smartphone as I now such things from conventional computers. I know about and also use emulators for the Playstation and Amiga system. Which still is different than a full simultaneous virtualization of another OS. It would be nice to have but I think development is not yet far enough and Google is still in the way.
1 Like
There was a working solution for a while according to the EFIDroid topic you linked to, but then it stopped working, and now …
5 Likes
Hello !
According to the UBPorts team, a multiboot solution is not that easy to implement as it requires kernel patches and is difficult to maintain…
Cfr Community update 21 at minute 40’
For my FP2 usage, I switch time to time to others OSes with TWRP backups. It takes around 5 min for a backup of existing OS and a restore of the other OS 
7 Likes
Not the most convenient way, but would also do for me. 
I probably will get into this some time later.
I´m doing the same on my classical pc if I have to use some old software or different M$ OS version. It´s more resource saving (hd space) and easier to be maintained with Linux GRUB which is a lot more open, tolerant and flexible than any M$ OS out there if it comes to have a multi boot system.
That somehow confuses me. If I have two functional boot images. Android 6 and FPOOS. What has to be patched?
For my understanding it´s just a matter of which boot image is selected and booted (maybe decompressed first).
This seems to work quite different than on a classical computer using GRUB for multi booting.
The only thing I could think of here is that on a smartphone there is only one storage area available keeping everything, the compressed boot images and later the running system. So as there are no multible partitions other tricks (kernel patches) has to be performed to get all this working.
1 Like
Exactly. In a regular PC, you manage your disk partitions and MBR/BIOS boot whatever you want. In an embedded device, disk partitions are already set and they are fixed, plus the bootloader is something you cannot change.
2 Likes
Just to reassure you: I had overheating/battery drain issues on an alternative OS. During extensive troubleshooting with FP support they did ask me to reinstall the official FP OS, but just to confirm the battery issues would not go away. In the end I got a whole new FP2 under warranty.
2 Likes
Yes, I think there would be too many problems to deal with. A solution would be to order the phone via a Fairphone Angel who would change the OS. Many problems here too, but they would not involve Fairphone directly. This possibility would be advertised on the forum and possibly on Fairphone’s site: “if you need help getting started with your Fairphone or if you want to try an alternative OS, get in touch with a Fairphone Angel [link]”. Either in the shop (but I don’t think Fairphone would agree) or on a page presenting the different OSes (FPOS, FPOOS).
The buyer would get in touch with an Angel before buying the phone to check what to do and when. But he/she would have to wait before opening the phone (what a torture!!!). Another possibility would be to have the phone delivered to an Angel who would then give/send it to the buyer after the OS switch. I am not sure that I would like someone to play with my phone before me though and there could be security issues.
This is not a very good solution as people who don’t know about alternative OSes wouldn’t pay attention to this possibility as much as if the store let you choose between a Fairphone on FPOS, FPOOS, Lineage, Ubuntu or Sailfish… But anyway, it may be a thing to advertise more with the Fairphone Angel program.
2 Likes
I wonder if it would make any difference if some resellers/dealers would offer switching the FP2 “out of the box” to an alternative OS as an extra service? Would they run into the same problems as Fairphone themselves? If not, it would allow them to stand out – just like some online clothing shops offer free extras like a monogram on a polo shirt or custom length trousers.
Just thinking out loud here. 
3 Likes
That depends on the skills and willingness of the angels. 
I see a little problem with loading off some almost-commercial service to volunteers when Fairphone is in parts about avoiding abuse of the workforce. And if such a kind of service is advertised, people might get the impression they are entitled to it.
4 Likes
I will kindly assist users to learn how their device works and how to replace their OSes. But I won’t do the work for them. IMO, if you’re looking to get an alternative anything, you should take the opportunity to learn how it works.
6 Likes
I agree.
Also warranty issues for if something goes wrong and the phone turns out being troublesome who would like to take over warranty at last? Not only the user had his fingers on but initially an Angel. ATM all of this is in FP hands.
Also it´s a question of thrust. Staying permanently with the phone while it´s unboxed and reflashed with another OS should be more comfortable instead of coming by to pick up the finished handset not knowing what actually was done to it.
My words. I have helped different people in the past do get certain technical things done which actually weren´t rocket science but also not so comfortable nor interesting to get into.
So they got used to get back to me if something had to be redone or changed again which at some point turned out to become time consuming and not very entertaining for me.
Also I have met a lot of persons who kept the general view: “since you last have put your fingers on or done this action there´s something going wrong”.
That´s what you may get if people who you helped are not willing (capable) to get into and follow up with what is being done, but afterwards complain about something not going the way they were used from it to go. Or a new issue is being raised because of your actions (which maybe wasn´t even related to each other). There´s no motivation to help again.
2 Likes
Yup, I agree with @Ingo and @Roboe:
- it shouldn’t be advertised as a service
- people should learn to do it by themselves (or at least with someone)
The main thing is that Fairphone could point to the Angel Program, because a lot of buyers don’t come to the Forum until they have a problem.
–> for example, under www.fairphone.com/community/
@urs_lesse’s idea could work as a commercial service, but it is less in the spirit of the alternate Oses. And one should check if it’s legal.
1 Like