📊 POLL: How satisfied or unsatisfied are you with your FP4?

Discuss The Products
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163

Here’s a quote from a (german) article based on an interview with Miquel Ballester (head of product management at Fairphone), that mentions it:

In Vorbereitung der Veröffentlichung einer neuen Android-Version stellt sich unweigerlich die Frage, warum dieser Prozess so viel Zeit benötigt. Ist Android 14 nicht praktisch schon fertig? Immerhin steht Google selbst mit der letzten Beta 5.3 doch kurz vor der Veröffentlichung. „Andere erhalten frĂŒhen Zugang, wir nicht“, sagte Ballester. Der Zugang zu einem neuen Android sei ein Aspekt fĂŒr den Fahrplan neuer Releases, ein anderer die notwendigen Tests mit den Netzbetreibern. DarĂŒber hinaus mĂŒsse Fairphone auch ein „finales Android“ noch weiter auf gerĂ€tespezifische Bugs testen und optimieren.

Source:

3 Likes
164

I want to believe in the sustainability and repairability mantra
 But is FP actually achieveing this with their devices? Has anybody actually been satisfied by their FP4 purchase from a non-idealistic point of view?

I’ve stuck with my FP4 since day one. Nearly (but not quite) 3 years and it feels like it’s already time to throw in the towel for something that actually works.

For a point of comparison, my OnePlus 3 (non T) survived exceptionally well for 4 years until the glue holding the screen in failed and I got some OLED burn-in, which was entirely my own fault - I somehow accidentally had the screen on full-brightness without turning off whilst being charged under a pillow
 Not great conditions for a phone.
It is still more than usable today, nearly 8 years later. I use it as an Android development device regularly, and I would actually consider switching back, because I think it’s still just about comparable to my FP4.

Unlike my OP3, which was rock-solid for those 4 years, My FP4 has been plagued by hardware and software bugs virtually since day one, and I stuck with it because I want to believe and support the cause for a repairable and sustainable phone.

Almost all of the frustrations with my FP4 have been unacknowledged software regressions either completely ignored or extremely slow to fix, and it makes using the phone miserable.
The Android 13 update causing two of the more recent problems. I thought we were finally over the worst of it with the insanely disruptive ghost input bug, which eventually got acknowledged and finally fixed.

  1. The recent GPS fix bug has been frustrating me almost every week when I need to navigate.
  2. Battery drain means I have to consiously mind my screen brightness and general usage to make my phone last a full day. I don’t WANT to carry a spare battery around with me, even if it’s possible. The phone is physically big enough that it should be capable of lasting a day.
  3. Slow unlock/home screen/app drawer. My phone sometimes needs 10+ seconds to become usable after being locked for a while
 WTF is it doing!?

I really want to believe in the mission. Both repairability and a sustainable long-term device. I put a lot of value into those attributes. However, when that device does not work properly day-to-day, ultimately this device is going to end up being disposed of and replaced with something that actually works and has better support.

2 Likes
165

For the issues @all comment at the corresponding topics not here, to avoid duplication.

@bbrks did you ever contact support?

Overall a factory reset will most likely help at least with 2 and 3.

Moving your post, see above.

166

I voted unsatisfied but most of it comes from the form factor (I didn’t choose it since I received the phone as a gift).

  1. Form factor: :face_with_head_bandage: Too heavy to fall, too big to be well protected and usable with one hand. IMHO the FP4 (size, weight, ingress protection aka “IP”) is simply too large, heavy and fragile for non office jobs / daily activities
  2. User repairability: :slightly_smiling_face:
  3. Support: :neutral_face: Official one is pleasantly respectful, though too far away (live in north-western France) and a bit slow. Unofficial (forum, FP Angels) are great, though are far away in this location
  4. Sustainability: :face_with_head_bandage: unsatisfied
  5. Tech side: :heart_eyes: getting rid of Google as been a pleasure; with iodéOS being surprisingly polished and privacy friendly
  6. Performances (iodeOS) : :grinning:
167

This is definitely a very individual choice issue. I for instance am very happy about the form factor (I have big hands
), and the weight doesn’t bother me. On the contrary, it feels reassuringly solid–to me.

I agree it probably also depends on the use. My use is indeed mostly (99.9%) “office” use, meaning in a controlled indoors environment. The FP is definitely not an “adventurer” phone you’d lug up a mountain or use during long trekking or sailing trips.