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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

#191

Post by userbinator »

ben-schaaf wrote: post #184
userbinator wrote: post #139

When unscrewed, users are likely to be greeted with an option to remove the battery as well as it isn’t attached to the device with the help of glue but rather with additional screws. What a horrible state of things that "not gluing the battery in place but screwing it in" is considered an improvement. IMHO smartphones have been on a horrible decline ever since ~2016. Before then, most Androids had [1] easily replace…

FairPhone used to be a manufacturer still doing the right things. My FP3 has all of that, including an official guide for unlocking the bootloader. At least they've kept their promises regarding updates, because I won't be buying their newer phones.

The original Fairphone was basically just a branded version of the generic common Android of the time (MT6589 reference design --- I have an unbranded one that looks very similar but with a better screen and cameras), so they were "doing the right things" like everyone else.

https://www.gizchina.com/2013/06/25/6-top-quad-core-mt6589-p...

There were tons of these little-known companies making very similar phones at the time. Unfortunately most of them disappeared within the next few years. Hence 2016 as the year I mentioned of when things started going downhill noticeably.

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

#192

Post by colordrops »

sebtron wrote: post #189
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 guess this is highly subjective, I was just talking with my girlfriend last night about how much I dislike when the fingerprint reader is not on the front. Specifically because only if it is on the front I can easily use it when my phone is lying on the table. Also, my current phone phone has it on the back and I can only configure one fingerprint, so if for some reason I am holding it in my left hand I am out of l…

Agreed, the front fingerprint reader works perfectly fine.

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

#193

Post by TremendousJudge »

hashworks wrote: post #188
bombela wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Nothing stops you from using wired headphones with USB-C.

I had to settle for a phone with no headphone jack. I thought it can't be that bad, I got a usbc adapter. It's a strictly worse experience:

- It disconnects easily

- It's much more uncomfortable to keep in the pocket with it plugged on, since it's longer

- I feel like I'm stressing the usbc port much more

- I can't charge and use headphones at the same time (unless I buy a different, bulkier, adapter)

- If I don't have the adapter on me, I can't plug my phone in some music system that doesn't have bt. This has bit me in the ass twice already in four months.

- The adapter already seems to be breaking down (I didn't get the cheapest one available) and sending weird inputs to the phone which pauses the music or causes the assistant to tell me the time

So yeah, nothing's stopping me, but my experience is worse now for the sole reason that Apple decided they wanted to sell Bluetooth headphones

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

#194

Post by illiac786 »

SlowTao wrote: post #137
illiac786 wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 cab…

There seems to be more movement in the standards space on wireless headphones. The wireless standard today could be very different in 5-10 years time. The 3.5mm jack is over a century old, it isn't being changed dramatically in any way. Personally, I am just not a fan of something that requires both a software connection that usually isn't always the smoothest thing rather than a direct hardware connection. And havin…

But what about usb-c wired headphones, as I suggested?

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

#195

Post by godelski »

sebtron wrote: post #189
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 guess this is highly subjective, I was just talking with my girlfriend last night about how much I dislike when the fingerprint reader is not on the front. Specifically because only if it is on the front I can easily use it when my phone is lying on the table. Also, my current phone phone has it on the back and I can only configure one fingerprint, so if for some reason I am holding it in my left hand I am out of l…

Definitely subjective. But popular enough that it should exist in the many many versions of Android phones that exist. What's the point of having so many varieties if they're all the same?

Fwiw, it I'm at my desk it'd usually be on its face for flip to silent. Then I pick up and it's natural. Or I'd be using scrcpy because if I'm in front of a computer why are my hands moving from the keyboard? I guess I'll compromise with the mouse lol

Single fingerprint registration is weird. Iirc I could do 2 on my pixel 2

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

#196

Post by illiac786 »

codedokode wrote: post #162
illiac786 wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 cab…

Wireless headphones use lossy compression, so the sound is of worse quality. Also some of them use low bitrate profiles like 256 kbit or even 128 kbit to get longer battery life. Also as I understand they are a pain to use because you need to charge them daily.

I was suggesting usb-c wired headphones

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

#197

Post by godelski »

Bluestein wrote: post #153
DrAwesome wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of the big things I miss from my Pixel 5a; it was so nice to be able to unlock the phone and pull down the notifications bar with one hand. There's a lot I like about the Pixel 8 Pro I replaced it with, but that's one thing I miss.

At some point, somebody is going to have to bring back the "track pad" aspect of the fingerprint sensor at least.- (Heck, I'd buy it even as an add on, that one could stick to the back of the phone ...)

Seriously!

There's so much design innovation that's been pushed off the table in an effort to make everything look the same.

What bugs me is there's so many Android phones but so few differences

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

#198

Post by userbinator »

qwe----3 wrote: post #173
bigstrat2003 wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First, that's almost all the time for me because my primary use case for listening to music is in the car. Second, adapters are not a good solution because they can easily be lost.

You shouldn't have earphones on when driving.

Plug the phone into the car, listen through the car's audio system.

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

#199

Post by jpk »

makeitdouble wrote: post #120
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

It's nice that it was working for you, and I also wish we could build more options for ourselves. I think, even having a stable physical design would help tremendously: imagine each new Pixel with the same standard screen size and casing attachment. Google could still change the overall outer feel as long as it fits the inner latching mechanism. Then building a third party back panel with a fingerprint reader becomes…

Yes. I pine for the ATX of phones.
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