What a relief to see such a beautiful piece of engineering. I love the modular, but sensible design.
Personally I’m very interested in getting Ubuntu Touch to work, as it seems to be the only OS which has properly addressed the issue of delivering software updates across many different platforms (by way of several layers in the OS). Would I be able to donate and/or contribute time-wise to a coordinated effort to get Ubuntu Touch to run on the Fairphone 2? Or to put it differently: will Fairphone take an active role in getting other OS’s to the phone?
true, 525€ divided by 5 is 105/yr. But the 5yr is not realistic. 5G is coming, and replacement elements will not for free either. Also, the Samsung, HTC, Apple flagship models often come with a contract (~ 30€/month including usage). Here you have to cough up 525€ upfront), and buy a contract without a phone. And that doesn’t come cheap either
@ Daniel
You’re absolutely right. I did a ninja-edit of my comment to incorporate the idea of also selling a lower-end phone, before I saw your comment.
I think the better option for FP is to sell also low-end phones, that make it possible to be improved in the future. This:
allows for more people to buy it (don’t we want more people to be fair buying a fairphone?)
is closer to the policy of repairing, modifying, hacking, by allowing people to upgrade it in the future
and… come on, we all know it will not last 5 years with these specs, the smartphone world is moving too fast to predict anything; people that buy smartphones that cost 500€ are used to replace them in 2-3 years, exactly as people that buy less expensive smartphones: the only difference is that 500€-people can afford 500 all-at-once
Well if they are indeed still talking to Jolla and Canonical, maybe they should have though to ship their phone “blank” with the ability at first start to install one OS between two or three systems officially supported (no community ROM). Or even ship the phone with an OS selected when we made our purchase. We should have the choice right from the start.
Just one question, what do you mean when you write that Fairphone is open source ?
Well, unfortunately modular phones aren’t ready for the market yet. Maybe in about 1 year, like for example google Ara, but not yet. Improving phones afterwards is a huge deal, it’s more than just plugging in a new camera or processor.
However, as the most-sustainable option isn’t possible yet, I agree that a fair phone that can be bought by more people is better.
I guess I was too blind and underestimated their urge for profits…
Edit: Plus, I’m using a almost 4 year old galaxy nexus right now. So using a 4-year old phone is possible. But I agree, most people won’t do that. And I was lucky with my phone, one can’t guarantee that they’ll last that long.
Relatively happy with my 1.1, so I won’t be needing this version (I hope), especially considering the steeper price and android aligned (apparently). I know nothing about smartphone but how does it hold from a performance point of view compared to other models/brands?
@Amiki I don’t understand your argument. This is a modular phone. But rather than placing the modules on the outside, Fairphone has put it on the inside, making it a viable product to be sold right now. The connectors have been around many years, contrary to the construction used in Google Ara (Phoneblocks). There is still the option of adding features, and the main driver for innovation are improved battery, processing and graphics. When you upgrade say the screen resolution you might as well update all other elements of the phone. Electronics are very intertwined. So it is more about maintaining a phone rather than upgrading it. I know plenty of people using old phones, only ditching them because certain apps are no longer available or they can’t replace the battery or other defected hardware. So Fairphone addresses just that (although software-side might require some additional work I’d have to admit).
@Vinth It would be great to educate people about the software on their phone by having them install it themselves.That is a great opportunity. I asume it has more to do with contractural agreements, the out-of-the-box experience, and the fact that no ports are currently available. Maybe there would be a place for “liberate your fairphone” meetings, where people are helped with installing a different OS. (or you could just order a module with another OS preinstalled, why not)
Well, but how modular is a phone? Yes, the parts can be replaced when defective. But they can’t be exchanged for newer hardware. Take my old galaxy nexus as example:
it runs fine, everything works. I only have one concern: the camera. I’d just like to have a better, up-to-date camera.
With a truly modular phone I could plug in a better camera module. I even could upgrade the RAM, which is the only other part where this phone shows it’s age. Yes, I had to change the whole CPU-unit. But still, a new camera and Processor is way better than a new phone.
Plus, my argument was: They didn’t build a phone like Ara/phoneblocks, because that technology isn’t ready for the market yet. That was a response to somebody who would have preferred that.
@apheiner The previous Fairphone was offered with a contract by KPN, so other deals might come into existance again. When you’re in the market for Fairphone 3 with 6G connectivity, you might just resell your Fairphone 2 as it would still be a relevant product in the future. You can update the software to allow then current apps to run, and put in a new battery to make it last for days again. Mucht more valuable than selling a phone with unserviceable hardware and a depricated operating system. So please subtract that resell price from your calculation.
@nicorikken I understand why you would recommand to educate people and it’s fairly noble. However, if we only offer one system and make it harder for other alternatives to be installed, people are not going to risk toying with their phone as often it is their primary phone (and maybe their only one).
Considering the price of this phone, I would not agree to have an OS not officially supported and updated, nor would I risk installing a community edition. I still believe that giving users a choice is a means to educate them, and a better one.
@Amiki Alright, so then we agree on the modularity. That’s why I like the approach for the Fairphone 2, it is sensible modularity. I’m not sure where the dividing line with the camere module is exactly, but it might be upgradable just as easily. It might just take longer to transfer the data thus causing a longer loading-time for you to take another picture. I guess upgrading the RAM would imply upgrading the CPU as well, considering the System on Chip. To me it seems the most relevant upgrades would be: more powerfull battery, better camera, brighter screen, more powerfull speaker, better microphone for voice quality. I’m hoping modules will have some compatibilty across future models, although that would bring an additional burden to the engineering. I’d like to see a cost-breakdown, to get a sense what replacing/upgrading the core module would theoretically imply.
At the very least this modularity allows Fairphone to do reruns of popular modules, even when certain electronics are no longer available and a redesign is required.
I’m still not understanding why to build a modular, easily repairable and upgradable phone, with the fact of giving a long-lasting expensive hardware out-of-the-box. If the phone would be good for 5 years, nobody will upgrade it at all (unless it will break and needs to be repaired, but this is another story).
@Vinth Yeah, at the very least you should be able to revert gracefully, without bricking your phone. That’s why I thought of a replacement core module. That might even be a aftermarket service: you get sent a module for review and if you like the other OS you can keep it after payment, otherwise you return it.
Regarding official support, that’s what I like about Ubuntu Touch: the basic low-level port has to work and then Ubuntu supplies the updates for all existing ports automatically. Granted, I’d rather have Fairphone’s collaboration to make sure the port is done properly, having the hardware functioning properly.
I’m undecided. I mean, I’m perfectly happy to keep using my FP1 for a few years yet, but it would be nice to have 4G. So there’s a reason to upgrade.
The price is disappointing… I don’t know how much of a step up that is for you guys in the Eurozone, but at current rates I’d be spending 380 GBP. That’s 80 GBP more than last time, so it’s expensive, but not a complete barrier. I’d put that in the “serious consideration” list
(and obviously all my considerations here are always going to be slightly swayed by the desire to own and support something with an ethical background)
But I’m interested in this built-in protective case… does that mean there’s a raised “lip” around the edge of the screen? If so, that’s a definite no-no for me.
And regarding the 5-inch screen… does anyone have the full external dimensions of the whole phone? (I can only see the thickness quoted in the specs)
To be honest, I think the 5 years are either not honest or naiv. Show me a smartphone, which people who are targeted with this price buy and which lasts 5 years.
I would assume, there is such thing like a milieu of „good-doer“ people in the world, which is in average max. middle class, but to a high percentage also not rich. What they lack of money, they keep up with beeing idealistic.
I assume, they have been the target group for the FP1.
But it looks like with the decision for this strategy (high quality + very high price), Fairphone assumed buying fair technology is trendy like buying organic food - so enough potential non-idealistic customer.
I think, this assumption is wrong. And then a very promising experiment is going to fail.
I’m very sad.
