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What about the software side? Fairphone 3 supports Android 9, Fairphone 2 supports Android 7. I see no use in a smartphone with replaceble hardware parts if I c

by mkettn 7y ago

What about the software side? Fairphone 3 supports Android 9, Fairphone 2 supports Android 7. I see no use in a smartphone with replaceble hardware parts if I cannot install at least security patches for my phones OS on the long run.

vanderZwan 7y ago
FP2 still gets Android security patches - the main problem by now is that the drivers for the hardware are not properly updated to Android 7 (due to the manufacturer not providing any updates)
- jsingleton 7y ago
  And that's better than even Google's own devices. Old Nexus models don't get patches any more.
  - sct202 7y ago
    In one way, but the comparably aged Nexus 5X at least got updated to Android 8.1 while the Fairphone 2 is still on 7.1
    - Fnoord 7y ago
      The Fairphone 2 can run Android 9 via LineageOS. The official versions (the one with and the one without OpenGapps) still get security updates. Can you say the same about Nexus 5X with Android 8.1?
joecool1029 7y ago
That Fairphone 2 fully supports Android 9 officially on LineageOS: https://download.lineageos.org/FP2 https://download.lineageos.org/FP2
- alerighi 7y ago
  Sure, but we are not talking about custom ROMs, but rather official support from the manufacturer.
  - AWildC182 7y ago
    That's like saying that you insist on using the Windows XP image that came with your laptop forever and will only update through the vendor rather than just installing the latest Ubuntu image. We really need to stop giving a fuck about manufacturer images and demand that the industry ceases to lock bootloaders so we don't have to wait on them to update anything.
    - pedrocr 7y ago
      Unlocked bootloaders everywhere would be nice but there are already manufacturers that give you that across the range. The big issue is that none of the drivers are upstream so even with LineageOS you're stuck on and old and often unpatched kernel. When a new Android version comes around it's common for support to be dropped for devices. Right now there's no Ubuntu-like experience with Android. Get a Pixel or an Android One phone if you care at all about security and access to new Android versions.
      - wolfgke 7y ago
        > The big issue is that none of the drivers are upstream Demand from the Linux kernel developers that the internal APIs for drivers are kept stable for a much longer time.
    - freehunter 7y ago
      No, it's like saying I want to get Windows Updates from Microsoft and not some random person on a forum. It would be great if Google published a full Android release that worked on all phones and had the manufacturer's best experience in mind, but they don't. So the next closest thing, the company I choose to put my trust in, is the maker of the phone. The company who originally installed the OS in the first place. I want updates from a company who can be held accountable. Not some random ROM from XDA.
xorcist 7y ago
Fairphone has had very solid software support. It is together with Nexus and Oneplus the hardware most enthusiasts choose, so there is a functioning community around it. It is not only well supported in LineageOS, but also most alternative phone OSes such as UBports (Ubuntu Touch), Sailfish and postmarketOS have or have had people actively using the hardware. It's quite a good track record considering the Fairphone 2 is already twice the age the minimum software update guarantee from Google for their own hardware.
- jsingleton 7y ago
  I'd say a Fairphone is better supported than a Nexus (no experience with Oneplus). For example, the Nexus 5 is no longer supported, even by lineage (https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/hammerhead/ https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/hammerhead/), although they do say: > A build guide is available for developers that would like to make private builds, or even restart official support. Edit: I should add that although I've already ordered my Fairphone 3 I've not had a chance to actually test it out yet. If anyone is interested I can post a 25 EUR discount referral link?
  - johnday 7y ago
    I currently use the Oneplus One, ie the first phone they brought out, 5 years ago. It still has lineageOS support.
  - opan 7y ago
    The Nexus 5 is one of the best supported devices for running postmarketOS right now.
  - Woberto 7y ago
    I'd be interested! Thinking of getting one even though I'm in the US, I've heard with tmobile you can get 3g which is aight
    - jsingleton 7y ago
      http://fairphone.refr.cc/jamess http://fairphone.refr.cc/jamess I'm not sure they are supported in the US but it looks like you are well aware of that.
mattkevan 7y ago
I bought one of the second batches of the first Fairphone - I love the idea and the phone was great for a proof of concept, but it was disappointing to find it was never going to be upgraded beyond Android 4.4. It kind of broke the promise of repairable, sustainable hardware if the chipset provider obsoleted the device through lack of updates in less than a year of ownership. While 4.4 wasn't brilliant, I could have continued on with it - but I was uncomfortable using such an increasingly insecure OS.

by mkettn 7y ago

vanderZwan 7y ago

FP2 still gets Android security patches - the main problem by now is that the drivers for the hardware are not properly updated to Android 7 (due to the manufacturer not providing any updates)

jsingleton 7y ago
And that's better than even Google's own devices. Old Nexus models don't get patches any more.
- sct202 7y ago
  In one way, but the comparably aged Nexus 5X at least got updated to Android 8.1 while the Fairphone 2 is still on 7.1
  - Fnoord 7y ago
    The Fairphone 2 can run Android 9 via LineageOS. The official versions (the one with and the one without OpenGapps) still get security updates. Can you say the same about Nexus 5X with Android 8.1?

joecool1029 7y ago

That Fairphone 2 fully supports Android 9 officially on LineageOS: https://download.lineageos.org/FP2 https://download.lineageos.org/FP2

alerighi 7y ago
Sure, but we are not talking about custom ROMs, but rather official support from the manufacturer.
- AWildC182 7y ago
  That's like saying that you insist on using the Windows XP image that came with your laptop forever and will only update through the vendor rather than just installing the latest Ubuntu image. We really need to stop giving a fuck about manufacturer images and demand that the industry ceases to lock bootloaders so we don't have to wait on them to update anything.
  - pedrocr 7y ago
    Unlocked bootloaders everywhere would be nice but there are already manufacturers that give you that across the range. The big issue is that none of the drivers are upstream so even with LineageOS you're stuck on and old and often unpatched kernel. When a new Android version comes around it's common for support to be dropped for devices. Right now there's no Ubuntu-like experience with Android. Get a Pixel or an Android One phone if you care at all about security and access to new Android versions.
    - wolfgke 7y ago
      > The big issue is that none of the drivers are upstream Demand from the Linux kernel developers that the internal APIs for drivers are kept stable for a much longer time.
  - freehunter 7y ago
    No, it's like saying I want to get Windows Updates from Microsoft and not some random person on a forum. It would be great if Google published a full Android release that worked on all phones and had the manufacturer's best experience in mind, but they don't. So the next closest thing, the company I choose to put my trust in, is the maker of the phone. The company who originally installed the OS in the first place. I want updates from a company who can be held accountable. Not some random ROM from XDA.

xorcist 7y ago

Fairphone has had very solid software support. It is together with Nexus and Oneplus the hardware most enthusiasts choose, so there is a functioning community around it. It is not only well supported in LineageOS, but also most alternative phone OSes such as UBports (Ubuntu Touch), Sailfish and postmarketOS have or have had people actively using the hardware. It's quite a good track record considering the Fairphone 2 is already twice the age the minimum software update guarantee from Google for their own hardware.

jsingleton 7y ago
I'd say a Fairphone is better supported than a Nexus (no experience with Oneplus). For example, the Nexus 5 is no longer supported, even by lineage (https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/hammerhead/ https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/hammerhead/), although they do say: > A build guide is available for developers that would like to make private builds, or even restart official support. Edit: I should add that although I've already ordered my Fairphone 3 I've not had a chance to actually test it out yet. If anyone is interested I can post a 25 EUR discount referral link?
- johnday 7y ago
  I currently use the Oneplus One, ie the first phone they brought out, 5 years ago. It still has lineageOS support.
- opan 7y ago
  The Nexus 5 is one of the best supported devices for running postmarketOS right now.
- Woberto 7y ago
  I'd be interested! Thinking of getting one even though I'm in the US, I've heard with tmobile you can get 3g which is aight
  - jsingleton 7y ago
    http://fairphone.refr.cc/jamess http://fairphone.refr.cc/jamess I'm not sure they are supported in the US but it looks like you are well aware of that.

mattkevan 7y ago

I bought one of the second batches of the first Fairphone - I love the idea and the phone was great for a proof of concept, but it was disappointing to find it was never going to be upgraded beyond Android 4.4. It kind of broke the promise of repairable, sustainable hardware if the chipset provider obsoleted the device through lack of updates in less than a year of ownership. While 4.4 wasn't brilliant, I could have continued on with it - but I was uncomfortable using such an increasingly insecure OS.