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Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

androidcentral.com

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Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#121

Post by okanat »

msgodel wrote: post #38
jacek wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They should switch to an SOC with mainline Linux support so you don't have to throw it out in three years. Starting 20th of June this year (so 3 days ago) every new phone released in European Union will need to have software updates for at least 5 years from the date of the end of placement on the market. This might be the first one released under new regulations. Also looking at Fairphone's history it looks like t…

The problem is that it's not really up to Fairphone. Qualcomm and Google have to collaborate to provide the artifacts that Fairphone packages and signs for their devices. If for any reason they're unable or unwilling to do that there's nothing Fairphone can do. (and they have pretty consistently failed to do this after just a couple years. In the past it sounds like Fairphone has managed to hack around it with varyin…

It is for all the phones sold in EU. So Qualcomm has to provide them for all other providers too. They might release updates for Fairphone SoC as well.

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#122

Post by snvzz »

jacek wrote: post #32
msgodel wrote: post #8

They should switch to an SOC with mainline Linux support so you don't have to throw it out in three years.

> They should switch to an SOC with mainline Linux support so you don't have to throw it out in three years. Starting 20th of June this year (so 3 days ago) every new phone released in European Union will need to have software updates for at least 5 years from the date of the end of placement on the market. This might be the first one released under new regulations. Also looking at Fairphone's history it looks like t…

I wonder if I am alone in thinking 5yr is way too short. It should be 10, if not 20 years.

This is software, not hardware. It is ridiculous to pretend it is ok for a phone to artificially stop being useful after just 5 years simply because the vendor won't give software support or even provide the necessary documentation, source code and keys for the community to do.

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#123

Post by thallium205 »

al_borland wrote: post #117
godelski wrote: post #7

They mention the Pixel and I just got to say, I wish someone would bring back the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. That was seriously the best solution. Fastest way to unlock your phone, because no matter how slow the fingerprint reader is you activate it while pulling it out of your pocket. I honestly don't get why people like Face ID more (what I currently use). Someone, please bring this back

I was a FaceID skeptic and it quickly won me over, not because of the unlocking experience, but for the authentication during use. What used to be a prompt, followed by an active fingerprint scan, turned into something completely seamless and automatic.

My wife and her sister can unlock each other’s iPhones using the face unlock feature which blows my mind because they do NOT look super similar and are 4 years apart. I’ve turned off all biometrics and use only a PIN. I’m extremely skeptical of the tech.

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#124

Post by xavdid »

bradyd wrote: post #104
xavdid wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea, but it's a constant source of frustration. Sunglasses also lead to failed reads, which makes a little more sense but is just as frustrating. "Here's a new phone. It works great except you can't use it quickly if you're wearing sunglasses. Sorry!"

It works with some sunglasses. Probably related to the coating on the lens.

It works occasionally, but unpredictably. Consistently frustrating though

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#125

Post by makeitdouble »

al_borland wrote: post #117
godelski wrote: post #7

They mention the Pixel and I just got to say, I wish someone would bring back the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. That was seriously the best solution. Fastest way to unlock your phone, because no matter how slow the fingerprint reader is you activate it while pulling it out of your pocket. I honestly don't get why people like Face ID more (what I currently use). Someone, please bring this back

I was a FaceID skeptic and it quickly won me over, not because of the unlocking experience, but for the authentication during use. What used to be a prompt, followed by an active fingerprint scan, turned into something completely seamless and automatic.

FaceID is still not working well for many cases. I thought it was just my family, but it seems common enough [0].

It's nice that is works for you, but it really sucks when it fails as there's no other biometric alternative. And changing their whole ecosystem just to get working biometrics is a high bar for many.

[0] https://www.reddit.com/r/Makeup/comments/wfjy5x/apple_id_doe...

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#126

Post by zozbot234 »

guappa wrote: post #90
snapplebobapple wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried phones with it on the power button? That was the best for me by far.

Yeah it's great! I want to put off the screen and instantly after going off, it reads my finger and goes on again! Who came up with that idea?

With many phones these days you can suspend by just double-tapping the screen, or the status bar. Sometimes this works for resume too, other phones require a physical button press.

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#127

Post by _carbyau_ »

chaosharmonic wrote: post #24
jack_pp wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's about planned obsolescence. It's about cutting costs and having one less hole water can get in. Also wired headphones are a very niche market. If you care so much there are wireless DACs that can feed your wired headphones better than any phone in history.

My hotter take is that this is the same problem as IR blasters, and relative to the old normal -- when device makers like LG were specifically advertising how awesome their built-in DAC was -- this whole thing could be solved in a much more elegant, flexible way if anyone at all would just give us a second fucking USB port.

> just give us a second fucking USB port

So much this. I had an nVidia (Tegra?) based phone with USB, headphone jack, HDMI.

While I don't think a USB port would allow for FM radio using the headphone cord simply having more would be fantastic! But if laptop designers can barely fit two USB-C ports I'm not sure what chance we have against the phone designers...

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#128

Post by illiac786 »

bombela wrote: post #11
strangecasts wrote: post #2

Was lucky enough to get my Fairphone 4 on sale, but I'd happily pay full price now - even though the Fairphones are pricey for the specs, unless you absolutely need 24 cores etc. I'd say they are worth it, knowing the company is at least trying to improve the parts supply chain, and knowing you stand a chance of fixing the devices yourself (luckily I've only had to replace the USB-C port, which was trivial) About the…

The removal of the phone jack is so obviously planned obsolescence, it is ironic that this project for sustainability follows the trend. Wired headphones still have better sound quality. Don't need charging. Don't break with software update. But because of that it means less consumption. Think about how insane it is that companies can remove the phone jack and glue in the battery with the very obvious goal of planned…

No, that’s not planned obsolescence. Why would it become obsolete faster due to the lack of a phone jack?

Not delivering updates, that’s planned obsolescence.

I do agree however, that a jack is nice. Wired USB-C headphone do exist though, if you insist on wired.I am not an audiophile, wouldn’t that provide an even better sound quality potentially (digital to analog conversion happens later, not distortions due to cables for example)?

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#129

Post by crazygringo »

godelski wrote: post #7

They mention the Pixel and I just got to say, I wish someone would bring back the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. That was seriously the best solution. Fastest way to unlock your phone, because no matter how slow the fingerprint reader is you activate it while pulling it out of your pocket. I honestly don't get why people like Face ID more (what I currently use). Someone, please bring this back

> I honestly don't get why people like Face ID more (what I currently use)

Because it works for authentication too. My password manager just... automatically authenticates me without me having to tap a thing. It recognizes the login form on the validated domain, it scans my face, it fills in my info. Same as paying with Wallet, I just slide up the credit card I want to use and it scans my face as I hold it against the reader.

And I'm not always pulling the phone out of my pocket, I'm picking it up off the table. I grab it by the edges, I'm not putting my finger on its back.

Re: Fairphone 6 is switching to a new design that's even more sustainable

#130

Post by Gigachad »

thallium205 wrote: post #123
al_borland wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was a FaceID skeptic and it quickly won me over, not because of the unlocking experience, but for the authentication during use. What used to be a prompt, followed by an active fingerprint scan, turned into something completely seamless and automatic.

My wife and her sister can unlock each other’s iPhones using the face unlock feature which blows my mind because they do NOT look super similar and are 4 years apart. I’ve turned off all biometrics and use only a PIN. I’m extremely skeptical of the tech.

Two situations I can think of, they might have Bluetooth unlock with an apple watch enabled, or they might have the work with masks setting turned on which turns the accuracy to shit.
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