Switching from FP3 to FP2

I think in about June 2019 my FP2 was starting to die on me so I had to buy some spareparts. As they weren’t available back then I had no choice but to buy a new phone. A couple of days later, the FP3 was announced so, as a matter of support for Fairphone, I also bought that one and I thought I would sell my FP2 or sell it for spare-parts. The period from June to September 2019 I could cope with my dying FP2.

Since the very first day I had my FP3 I’ve been having issues with my USB-C connector. If I hold my phone vertically, the cable would fall out and also lying down there were bad connections. Tried multiple cables but no luck. Seeing the forum here and also on Tweakers.net I’m about the only one with these issues. But I found a way to insert the cable under a specific angle so it could load at night. I’ve dealt with the bad speaker-volume, mediocre camera and learned to live with the non-connected FM-radio (still stummed : why not connect this radio if the chipset has it?) in my FP3.

Yesterday however the dreaded day came where I couldn’t get my FP3 to make a connection with the cable no more, no more charging. And my battery was almost empty. Well, surviving one day without a bottom-module would be possible, just order a new module. But to my despair they are sold out… Seeing the messages on the forum, it could take some while before a new batch arrives. And I’m using my phone all day, so had to find a solution this weekend…

Switching to FP4 is a no-brainer : no 3.5 mm jack and an even larger phone… To quote Sheldon : “The tinier the phone the more concentrated the fun”. Also, it’s only pre-order now, two months without a phone will be impossible…

Then I remembered I still had the brand new FP2 lying around, off course I forgot to sell it. So in a hurry I started to install my apps and with the last drips of battery-juice in my FP3 I managed to switch my 2FA-accounts and Digid to my FP2.

My first question, after this long intro :
How would one switch 2FA if your phone is really broken?

All apps I use also work on my FP2 :grinning: , got a smaller phone with decent speaker-volume and also FM-radio is working :heart_eyes: Think I’m going to stick with my FP2 so my second question is :
Why shouldn’t I stick to FP2 for a couple of years?

Which then leads to a poll. What should I do with my FP3, what is best sustainability-wise:

  • Sell it for spare parts
  • Wait until bottom module is available and keep it as a spare
  • Donate it to a Fairphone Angels group
  • Put it up for recycling
  • F**k that sustainability : Kill it with Fire :fire:

0 voters

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Did you never consider contacting Fairphone Support about your FP3 bottom module? (I guess by now your two year warranty has expired though)

Anyway, if that’s an option, vireo in Germany still seems to have FP3 bottom modules.

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(Imagining every Fairphone Angel seeing this voting “Donate” :slight_smile: )


I know the Amazon links don’t have the chargers available currently, but the pictures there still better show what to look out for with the contacts.


Their current delivery time estimate might also be down to a date when they are expecting stock. I saw October 5 mentioned in some online shop a few days ago.

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I’ll echo what Urs said: if you’re still under warranty, I’m pretty sure you can get this fixed. Your phone came out of the box with a defect so you’re entitled to a free repair. And I’d go so far as to say that even if you’re out of warranty, shoot them a message and see if there’s options.

Warranty is there to be used! Don’t settle for a broken device!

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By reading the secrets which are saved somewhere. The secrets are the input for TOTP (the 2FA you are referring to). If you can exfiltrate these somehow, you are good to go. These secrets are still saved on either the internal flash memory or the microSD.

The first thing to do in such a case is put the screen as dark as possible, and disable as many radios as possible. Screen brightness is the largest juice user (juicer? :rofl:).

Depending on the 2FA app used (e.g. Aegis) there might be a backup option. :wink:

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