With 5 years of OS support and 8 years of security update.

Related threads:

75 points
*

Interesting how they went for an IoT SoC (Qualcomm QCM 6490), instead for an SoC that’s actually meant for usage in phones.

They probably did this to be able to get longer Android updates. As a side effect, that means it natively supports desktop Ubuntu and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise.

On the other hand, this is pretty much the only phone using this SoC. (There are three models by a totally unknown brand from India that use the same SoC.)

It’s going to be interesting to see whether that’s an advantage or a disadvantage.

permalink
report
reply
9 points

Mhm desktop ubuntu phone sound fun, or even desktop windows

permalink
report
parent
reply
9 points

That’s what the SoC supports. Let’s see what the phone ends up supporting. But I agree, it does sound fun.

permalink
report
parent
reply
74 points
*

I really wish it had a 3.5mm audio jack. I don’t see what companies stand to earn, other than money, when they remove the headphone jack.

I can see why Apple and Samsung removed it because the they can market their own wireless headphones.

Removing the jack only removes capability, it is not like older phones didn’t have the capability to connect to Bluetooth headphones

permalink
report
reply
40 points

Yeah their original excuse to remove it was largely related to space due to the modular design.

If you want to read it is here.

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/9836188988049-Audio-jack-3-5mm

permalink
report
parent
reply
9 points
*

They don’t even send a charger anymore…

permalink
report
parent
reply
52 points

If you’re savvy enough to buy a Fairphone you likely have a gajillion USB-C cables and adapters laying around. I appreciate them not generating more waste.

permalink
report
parent
reply
11 points

if you buy a fairphone maybe you do not buy new devices every year

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

When I got my FP3, I needed a new USBC cable as I was upgrading from a Galaxy S5. To be honest, my (now broken) Galaxy S5 still has its original charger in the box, since I reused my S4 charger for it.

Nowadays though it should be pretty common for people jumping to an FP or other USBC device to at least have an existing USBC cable kicking around I think

permalink
report
parent
reply
46 points

How is that bad? Go to your drawer and use one of the dozens you’ll have accumulated over the years

permalink
report
parent
reply
10 points

None of my existing chargers supported the fastest protocols that my device from a few years ago supported, and it didn’t come with one. Also, what if you’re getting a device for the first time and actually don’t have any? At least it should maybe be an option when buying one so you can decide not to get one if you don’t need it, but a new device should come with everything needed to operate it.

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

only micro usb and very slow charging bricks in there

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points
*

You don’t accumulate that many if you don’t buy phones every year or two, and then as mentioned, over more time your charger needs could’ve changed.

The charger shouldn’t be only thing that’s built to last.

permalink
report
parent
reply
28 points

We are long past the days of proprietary charging ports on phones, my guy. You can use any charger that came with any phone you’ve owned in the past like 10 years.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

get wit the times

permalink
report
parent
reply
69 points

Threads for Fairphone often fill up with “it’s not going to work if they don’t X.” Lots of people don’t seem to understand that their personal viewpoint can be quite different from other’s.

There are people who are aware of the trade-offs of a Fairphone, but still choose to get one.

permalink
report
reply
41 points

I’ve always been in favour of a phone with a shitty camera. I don’t give a fuck about posting on social media, and these days a huge chunk of a phone’s price is determined by how powerful of a camera they were able to cram into it.

I recognize that this apparently sounds insane to most people.

permalink
report
parent
reply
30 points

It’s nice to have a decent camera, but honestly, 90% of the people (including myself) are so bad at taking pictures, that the difference between mid range and ultra premium is almost zero.

The only thing that’s really really cool is night mode. My Pixel can take really great photos with extremely low light levels.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

I don’t post on social media either, but my phone have replaced the compact camera that I used to pack for family vacations.

I suspect that’s what most people use their phone camera phone: to take personal photos that will only be shared with family members.

permalink
report
parent
reply
10 points

My socially isolated self rarely if ever needs to take a single picture. I’m doing perfectly fine with the base camera that my old devices came with.

permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

The cameras aren’t even bad, they are perfectly acceptable for a mid-range phone. If you use a GCam port they can look great.

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

In terms of BOM the cameras usually aren’t even that much. It’s just one factor that allows them to differentiate “premium” phones they can gouge more for.

permalink
report
parent
reply
58 points
*

I pre-ordered already.

Ok, so honesty time: The fact that this company is good for the environment, pays people well, etc… is NOT my main “thing” for wanting to own this phone.

It’s the fact that it is open. I can unlock and flash whatever I want, I can fix things by ordering replacement parts, a new screen is TOTALLY do-able both price wise and doing it myself.

Also it does not come with bloat, or vendor-lock in software like on ALL samsung shitty phones.

Out of all the phones, this one makes the most sense.

(And my current FP4 goes to my mother, perfect for her and many more years of support)

permalink
report
reply
7 points

What OSes support the fairphone? I’d consider one if I could run something other than android on it

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

Nice, I still had this in my browsing-history: https://forum.fairphone.com/t/operating-systems-for-fairphones/11425

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

That’s quite a list. Nice.

permalink
report
parent
reply
6 points

What are you currently running? Just curious what non-android and non-ios is working well for you.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point
*

I see Google Drive, Gmail, Google Messages on screenshots so it does come with bloatware.

permalink
report
parent
reply
20 points

While unfortunate, not shipping these standard Google apps is not really an option for any Android manufacturer due to Google requirements. Including them is required if you want to use anything from the GSM, which includes things like the Play Store and everything it touches. You can technically ship a different Android distribution like Lineage or /e/, but that’s not really what most people will be expecting of an “Android” phone and will narrow the viable target demographic even more than the value proposition already does.

permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

That’s correct, and people who want a fully degoogled OS usually know how to install it, people who expect to see the Play Store and other Google apps are less likely to know how to install that.

permalink
report
parent
reply
7 points

Easily removed, though. The great thing about Fairphones is, like Pixels, they have loads of deGoogled OS support.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

As a side note, Google Messages replaced the recently discontinued AOSP SMS messaging app

permalink
report
parent
reply
33 points

The first company that produces a phone with

  • removable battery
  • maximum 6in screen
  • 3.5mm jack
  • open bootloader

will break the market

permalink
report
reply
11 points

The Fairphone 3 has that. It also supports Android 13.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Yeah that would be nice, unluckily it’s been discontinued and whenever I find one on the secondary market the price is prohibitive…

permalink
report
parent
reply
6 points

People want big phones for some reason, so it’s unlikely it would break the market. Those who want what you described are (unfortunately) very few.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

People want big phones for some reason

Bigger battery, better for content consumption and overall usage if you use it frequently. It’s not that weird, yet you treat it as if we were talking about aliens.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Not sure where you got the aliens conclusion.

I mean, almost complete disappearance of smaller phones is kinda puzzling? The difference in screen/battery size between a 6" and a 6.8" phone isn’t that big, yet one will fit pretty much any pocket, while the other one won’t. I still find it counterintuitive that most people would put that much priority on gaining screen real estate over mobility. Another interesting thing is that these smaller sized phones are still present in flagship releases, so they’re kind of a premium feature now.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

What’s weird is that it’s the only option. They discontinued the iPod since the phone did it all, but then also stopped making phones that are convenient sizes and any analog sound option.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point
*

I don’t think that we are very few, I mean look at the upvotes…
It’s just the market that is going the other direction and we just take it instead of spending a little bit of time looking for other solutions.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Fairphone 3.

I do not see any suitable replacement anywhere on the market 😭

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

And a transparent back cover

permalink
report
parent
reply

Technology

!technology@beehaw.org

Create post

A nice place to discuss rumors, happenings, innovations, and challenges in the technology sphere. We also welcome discussions on the intersections of technology and society. If it’s technological news or discussion of technology, it probably belongs here.

Remember the overriding ethos on Beehaw: Be(e) Nice. Each user you encounter here is a person, and should be treated with kindness (even if they’re wrong, or use a Linux distro you don’t like). Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Subcommunities on Beehaw:


This community’s icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

Community stats

  • 3K

    Monthly active users

  • 2.8K

    Posts

  • 55K

    Comments