Seems to me Fairphones are not for older people

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Hello ALl, I am a new Fairphone user, and, tbh, I haven’t exactly found it easy, partly because I am 70 and not especially mobile savvy, and also because my other phone is an iPhone 12 and my last phone was an iPhone SE.

I choce Fairphone for the ethics and EU manufacture, because I am trying to free myself from USA and Chinese products and services wherever possible.

" Guide to bootlader and bricking" finally convinced me that perhaps this Forum is perhaps not for the likes of me. Too much jargon that is gobbledgook for me.

I just thought I’d mention it because I would like to see Fairphone become a market leader here in the UK, but I know most of the people I know in my age bracket would be put off by this.

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Hi Toni, the change from iPhone to Android is a big step, and I know lots of people of all ages who struggle with it, but it’s not’s too bad once you start to get the hang of it, and the functions are logical, so once you get used to how the functions work, you can transfer them other apps, just like you would’ve done with the iPhone.

I’m also in the UK, and my sister is only a few years behind you, and she has had her FP for a couple of years now. She had other Android brands before then, so it wasn’t an issue with FP but you’ll get there too. I would suggest having a look online for videos on how to use Android (version 14 or 15 depending on the phone you got). This will get you up-and running, and show you the various features and functions, and since FP runs Android as-is, without add-ons, the features you see will be pretty-much what’s on your phone. Be careful with videos about Pixel phones though, as they are Google’s own phone, so they’ve extra features to encourage us all to buy their own product, and not a rival phone like FP, so you might be looking for features no-one but a Pixel owner has access to use. They’re pretty niche though, so even then, you’ll be grand without them, like the vast majority of Android users.

As for the forum, well, a lot of the users are techies who’ve bought into FP for similar reasons to you, but they just know a bit more about the ‘back-end’ of the phone where all the programming lies. It’s a bit like buying a car and visiting a mechanics forum. They’ll start talking about stuff under the bonnet when all you want to do is learn where to find the button for the sidelights!

I’m one of those tech-minded people, and I’ve never touched the bootloader, or tried to do many of the other ‘developer’ options you’ll see mentioned on here, like replacing the operating system, or ‘sideloading’ apps etc. It sounds like you just want to use it as a mobile phone, so if you don’t need it, don’t worry about trying to learn it!

One thing you will find here is a lot of help when needed, so give your phone a second chance, and feel free to post questions or search the forum for help with those sidelights!

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Thank you so much for your reply Kenny, it makes a lot of sense.
So it makes me wonder whether it might be an idea to start a Non-Techie Forum topic with some of those links.

I will have a look for those videos and maybe start a Forum Topic entitled something “Help for non-techies” and paste the links I find on the simplest topics.

Once again, thank you. It’s lovely that we can get a reply from someone so sensible so quickly!

Ciao 4 now!

Toni :folded_hands:

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There is only 1 stupid question.
The question you don’t ask.

If you have a question and you don’t understand the answer, just say it. And the answer can be rephraised.
Or made more clearly with a photo.

By the way next month I will be 68.
The Fairphone 1 was my first smartphone.
I used to have a dumb mobile.

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Thank you and yes, you’re right! :folded_hands:

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Hi Tony
I’m also new to the Fairphone, and I am 71. So, I have to challenge your statement that FPs “are not for older people”.

I think the main reason for the problem you describe is that you have just crossed the iPhone → Android chasm. Different cultures, different ways of doing things. There’s a learning curve which you have to work your way through. Give it some time.

I came to Fairphone for similar reasons as you - to avoid the throw-away culture of most phone makers (Android and iPhone). I like the idea that I will be able to change my battery in 3-4 years’ time without having to unglue the phone and do other unimaginable things to it. That I will not be forced to change my phone because the operating system has moved, on but my phone has not.

As for the geek-speak in these forums, it is an inevitable evil. As the father of two geeky sons, I understand your concerns. However, if you ask your questions in a way that makes it clear that you are not tech-savvy, you’ll get advice that is more comprehensible.

Don’t give up just yet.

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Thank you Kes,
I will persevere, and try to look at some YouTube videos, if I can find any, that explain how Android works and where it differs from iOS.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Cheers

Toni

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Whilst designed in Europe it is almost impossible to escape “Assembled in China” and unfortunately since UK left EU it is a lot more complicated to return device to Cordon Repair Centre in France under warranty if needed.

AssembledChina
AssembledChina1920×1440 190 KB

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OH… I didn’t know :pensive_face: I hope they treat and pay their staff well. :unamused_face:

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Sometimes I have to help a neighbor couple who lives in the same house I do. The husband has an iPhone. I tried to find my way on that thing but failed. I been doing “computer stuff” since the Seventies (I’m 71), but I can’t cross the border into Apple sect territory.

I have never bought Apple gear and I never will.

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Yes, so have I, I started before PCs, on the Commodore 64, then Amstrads, and as soon as PCs came in I found myself learning DOS commands. I studied COBOL and BASIC, and I pretty confident around my iPhone’s iOS. I also have had Macs for the past 10 or so years, so it’s PCs and Android that I am not at home with, and the menus on the FairPhone are confusing.

What I don’t know yet is whether those are native to the mobile or the Android system.

I have toyed with the idea of goig with the Linus OS, but it would mean another uphill struggle, and I am too taken up with envionemntal and Climate campaigning, on my own small scale.

I would rather go plant trees, and talk to kids about energy, climate and curbing their own impacts.

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Hi Toni, I’ve helped a number of family and friends transition from Apple to Android. Yes there are some nuances but once you get around the walled gardens of Apple and Google the experience will be comparable.

I’ve toyed with putting Linux on my Fairphone 4 but like to keep it stock standard so I can help problem solve issues for any of my extended family using a Fairphone. Also, at least in Australia, the vast majority of companies and organisations I deal with only have iOS or Android apps and no web equivalent so I need to at least run Android. I know there are ways of getting those apps onto Android but I opt not to.

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Makes total sense.

In my experience the issue is not Android per se, but the specific launcher that is applied. FairPhone uses a fairly basic Android launcher and while that is great for users such as myself (who prefer a basic and do-it-yourself aesthetic) it can also be a bit more difficult for people migrating from another launcher (like Samsungs) or OS entirely. Especially from iOS where users are really guided and expected to stick with what they got.

Then there is ofcourse the issue that Fairphone is still a relatively small company in the smartphone world, so their quality control might be influence by this, causing some bugs (as we see right now in the FP6). This is a consistent “issue” for android, as companies like apple make about 3 phones per year (and focus their OS on this hardware), while there are hundreds, maybe thousands of Android devices, so the OS itself is more general and companies need to adapt it to their device.

I think its great that despite your experience with Android you still chose to switch to a completely different OS because of your beliefs. It is probably best to just start exploring and google / post on the forum whenever you run into any issues. I hope you manage to find your way around android and get to enjoy the OS and the phone.

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Thank you fo rtaking the time to reply to my post. I am persevering and taking time to learn how Android functions on FairPhones.

Your reply is much appreciated.

Toni

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Thank you also fo ryour reply, and I will Google (Or rather, search Ecosis, the search engine that plants trees) for some of the solutionsto things that crop up, as well a visit YouTube.

And if I cannot fathom it that way, I will post my questions here, now I know there are very kind people willing to help me figure it out!

Thank you again.

Toni

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69 here and am on my second Fairphone (a 3+ My first was a 2 and second hand.) I have never learned the Apple system either for computers or tablets/phones. I rooted my FP2 but have not risked it with my more modern one. I am quite familiar with computers and defenestrated 25 years ago to use Linux on my computers. Interestingly the kernel Android uses is a Linux one.

Don’t give up would be my advice. I know Apple and Android do a lot of things quite differently, just as Windows and Linux do so get it can be a steep learning curve at first.

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Thank you Dave, I won’t give up, I am getting to know the settings at the moment. Not as daunting as it was when I first tried. Little by little, when I have time…

I am glad I bought my Fairphone with plenty of life in my old one, though, gives me time without putting me under pressure.

Next I will look at an Ethical provider that works on a SIM only contract, on a PAYG.

Cheers!

:waving_hand:

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This is something I’d not considered, but definitely need to consider if I should change things up to a sustainable network.

Discovered this site that may be of use, Tini

I’ve not delved I to them to see if PAYG is an option for either of the top 2

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I am with Ecotalk, from the same stable as Ecotricity. Our deals | Ecotalk I am with the 30GB/month deal but they start at 1GB/month unlimited texts and calls for £5/month.