Software Update: 8901.4.A.0016.6

WPA3 was already possible with Android 10 release versions on the FP3 and was disabled with update 8901.3.A.0077.20201221.
See: Is WPA3 officially supported? As it does no longer work

Facing the same issue with Bluetooth earphones with the FP3 after this update. Is there any fix for it?

The only things we can do are:

  • wait for an update
  • downgrade
  • switch to /e/OS or that other one
  • get a new phone without that update installed

No workarounds or fixes are known. We’re stuck with this issue for now. Devs apparently are aware of it but there’s no timeframe when we get an update solving it.

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I noticed another issue:

I’m using Tasker to do various little things for me. For instance, Tasker sets the audio-level for media to the highest value and sets the ringer volume to zero, activating vibration mode. Tasker has done that when I connected the phone to a bluetooth device (box, headphones, car).

Now, after the update, Tasker no longer sets the media-volume to max.

Maybe someone could try and verify/falsify.

Thanks in advance

In addition: I have made some tests on Tasker and the bt-functuonality.

I let Tasker get the weatherforcat and read it aloud when connecting to my car via bt. I do the same for calender entries. The phone connects to the car bluetooth and both things work. I get the weatherforcast and the calender is read.

Then music should start either via FolderPlayer or via VLC. But… nothing. Not only is the external bluetooth communication down when it comes to media control, but there is something broken internally, too, because music wont start automatically.

Maybe this helps to narrow down what happend.

Issue with diminished audio volume on Bluetooth devices after updating to 8901.4.A.0016.6

Same here! I was wondering now since two weeks until thought of checking the forum. :unamused:
It seems to be a general problem, before this update everything worked fine…

I can report a couple of other problems with Bluetooth.

  1. most of times the phone doesn’t connect with the Bluetooth car system by itself, I must go in the car settings, select the Fairphone and click on “connect”;

  2. always in the car, the “recent call” list is no longer sent to the car system. I can only make calls by selecting a number in the contact list, I don’t have any list of recent calls to choose from.

This is annoying.

I’ve quickly checked the forum and I can’t find any information from Fairphone about when a fix will be made available.

This is really annoying.

Ciao,
Max

That’s not unusual as they don’t predict when they can fix an issue and they are no doubt responding to support complaints, of maybe of a more pressing nature, and are not ‘readers’ of this forum.

If I were Fairphone I’d just write something like “We read about the issue you reported, we made an analysis and we find there is a problem in the last update we released. We’re sorry for that, we’re working to solve it. You’ll get an update by end of this month”.

It doesn’t cost much time, it’s not a contractual agreement to solve the problem by 30th Sep 12:00PM, it makes you feel there is someone working on your problem, it would probably prevent tens of people to open support tickets that cost time to manage that they could better use in solving the problem, and gives you that feeling of “community” that I’d expect from a company such as Fairphone (and that I’ve already found many times in these two years as a FP user).

It’s just about paying little attention to those little things that can make a difference in your relation with customer.

Ciao,
Max

3 Likes

Why would they read about your issue? Surely a user would contact them and not rely on the forum.

I doubt they have made an analyisis to pin the problem to the last update, especially if they have to red the forum to know some users do have > how many > all the variables

So they are not working on it most likely so why say they are. They probably haven’t found the ‘problem’ software wise

When you say update do you mean a software update or just an indication that analysis is gathering momentum. ?

there is a way more important issue with broken NFC preventing people to measure their bloodsugar and this was picked up directly by Fairphone and a patch created and all this is communicated here in the forum. They cant comment on each an every annoying bug and yes its annoying but really nothing important like the health related NFC issue.

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The update broke bluetooth control completely. The Fairphone is not usable for me like that as I’m using those broken features extensively.

This is not the first time an update broke important features of the phone. Meaning that there is a clear quality issue. This would not be a problem if we need to wait a month for a fix. It probably takes months though (as experience suggests).

I can’t recommend the phone like that to anyone. It’s clearly broken repeatably.

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I understand, you can still use the BT devices, you can just not use the devices control buttons and you can still control the device with the Fairphone, correct? Thats annoying yes, in my eyes not unusable. Not everyone is hit by this bug, btw.
Funny off topic thought that come to my mind: when it was announced the FP4 would come without a headphone jack, reading the forum one could get the impression BT devices are only rarely used. now that BT is partially broken, reading in the forum gives the impression BT is the most important feature of a phone.

Back to the topic: reading this, I’m wondering what settings the broken devices use?

It’s clearly more than a little annoying to have such software failings and almost insulting to get an update, which by accounts implies some improvements, only to find a ‘new’ failing.

I acknowledge your stress and likewise wouldn’t recommend the Fairphone on that basis.

I would draw anyone’s attention to these repeated failures and point out that’s the cost of a small company investing in fair trade for those that source the minerals and manufacture the phone.

So far I am prepared to pay that cost. However I don’t use bluetooth in the ways described and haven’t had this issue.

So you say it “The update broke bluetooth control completely” and does that refer only to a particular bluetooth headset you have? Maybe you would like to name the device and I hope you have contacted support offcially so they understand the range of devices that are not functioning as expected.

Seriously and with due respect now …

I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with Fairphone B.V., but do you honestly not understand that disappearing/broken features are NOT acceptable and completely destructive for the brand? You sound like a Fairphone public relations officer in some of your posts…

Some people use Bluetooth exclusively, some people use headphone jacks exclusively and - this may sound crazy - but some people even use both (but don’t tell anyone … :shushing_face:).

It is VERY probable that a bunch of people will buy a different phone instead of the FP4 simply because they like using headphones with a wire. This is fine, people look for different features in phones. However, just because SOME/MANY people wanted a headphone jack, this does NOT mean that SOME/MANY OTHER people don’t want or NEED to be able to use Bluetooth. The trick is to understand that we are potentially talking about DIFFERENT people here and not do a very weird Apples/Oranges comparison.

And just to make this clear: If a phone is advertised with Bluetooth, people who buy it expect Bluetooth to work properly. They don’t expect features to disappear, and they don’t expect to be told by “fairphone angels” that something is merely “annoying” and does not make the phone completely “unusable” after all… as if that was the standard we are supposed to hold a European company to… as long as our phones are still somehow usable everything is ok?

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Totaly understandable but sadly Fairphone is a small company and can’t deal with the issues as quick as Samsung, Apple etc. They don’t have the quality control before release it seems either.

Maybe but the issue is more the fact that bluetooth doesn’t perform as expected and the better place to voice that is with offcial support.

Users of the forum, unless tagged as Fairphone employees most certainly are not. Yet long time users of the phone and forum clearly don’t share the same irritation as they are comfortable enough with the ‘failings’ and so their replies may seem a bit dismissive. I know I am like that a bit :slight_smile:

It’s a lot of work responding to the posts here and so you will no doubt find that the responses are not what you would like.

Absolutely. Let’s hope this and other issues have quick resolutions

By the way Fairphone angels are just users that offer local help, they are more User Angels than fairphone ones. I don’t like the word angels as it implies they are above and faultless and that is not the case.

Local Help would be a preferred title for me.

:hear_no_evil::see_no_evil::speak_no_evil:

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It’s me that wrote “annoying” and I’m also an “angel” so I think you’re talking to me.

I wrote “annoying” because in this case it’s only that. As you read, I’m complaining about the loss of not important features. They’re not important to me but they can be extremely important for someone else. But as I’m writing what comes out of my mind and not what comes out of someone else’s, I wrote that’s annoying.

Even more… I’m most disappointed by the fact that Fairphone broke my phone and nobody said “I’m sorry” and nobody tried to reassure their customers that a fix will soon come. In my opinion this is impolite. Someone could answer that Samsung is even worse and that’s probably right but I didn’t buy a Samsung phone so I don’t mind the way they treat their customers.

Let’s come to being an “angel”. It’s just a funny name given to people that’s available to have his/her email on the site and give some support to nearby users. That’s all.

And if you think being an “angel” has something to do with being a Fairphone public relation officer listen to this: I’m very disappointed by the quality of my FP3+ and I’d never suggest anybody buying one unless I know human rights and/or the environment are among their top priorities. My position is : if you just need a phone don’t buy this, if you want a fair phone buy this because there is no other choice on the market.

Ciao,
Max

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I’m glad I can almost agree with someone ~ sometimes ~ just not the environment part :slight_smile:

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So are your devices that can now use AAC, also effected by the current bug or not? As Urs said on your thread, the AAC fix might have caused this bug

I would not worry, this was clearly addressed towards me and my statement that it is an annyoing bug and nothing potentially life-threatening as the NFC bug.