The design and build quality of the device are bad. Sharp edges that feel so unfinished. The components, like the fingerprint sensor, are beyond unreliable. The camera is absolutely shit. Yeah, great, I can replace parts - against exactly the same garbage they put in at the factory.

Android Auto reliably is a frustrating experience in any car I tried. You have to manually adjust the USB mode, or wait minutes for the phone to connect, every single time you plug in. Sometimes I take a quick stop and the car/phone will absolutely refuse to cooperate with each other. Just connection errors. You reboot the phone, still the same shit. You stop the car, get out, lock it, unlock it, get back in, connect phone, change USB mode, connection error... You give up, the next day it just works again. I keep an old OnePlus in the car now. It has zero of these issues. You plug it in, 100% of the time AA comes up instantly. Fairphone is a waste of time in this regard.

They have no ARKit certification, which I haven't even experienced ever before. You don't need it until you need it.

I also heard the 3 was designed better, but I would never buy another Fairphone after owning the 4. It is the worst smartphone I have ever owned, and I actively hate it every single day. I bought it, because I wanted something that'll last me a long time, and break buying new devices all time. No smartphone I have ever owned created such a massive motivation to get a replacement.

[–] Boeddabart@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I agree, to some level at least. It is not good enough in its current state as my daily driver, but i do believe the hardware is good. Not €700 good (more like 300 good, if we don't talk about 'fair' products). If the software was better, i would've used it as my daily driver.

I don't care about the fingerprintreader and camera for example (but i do understand that it is a dealbreaker for some). I think the camera is actually pretty good (again, not €700 good, might be somewhat software related). I think the vibrationmotor and battery are the things that are the worst on the FP5.

I just wished they focused on software and better new parts for once, instead of earsbuds, new versions of phones etc. They can improve what is already there, for the most part...

I wished i tried out the FP4 first, because for now it is 700 not very well spent. Hope that can change in the future.

[–] gencha@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Fair. But I will never retreat from my stance on the FP4 fingerprint sensor. Several times these few cents worth of technology stood between me and important financial transactions, to a degree where my banking apps got locked and required unlocking operations involving having a letter sent to me via snail mail. Today, I have all biometric stuff disabled on the phone. Not because I'm paranoid, but because this phone made it an unbearable annoyance, instead of the convenience it should be.

I had other smartphones before that had the sensor under the screen, and this worked flawlessly for years. The garbage sensor they used in the FP4 is the worst fingerprint sensor I've used in the past two decades. It is literally pure garbage.

As you already mentioned, the device is insanely overpriced. At every single corner, you feel how they cut even the tiniest bit of cost to increase revenue. It is a dishonest device from a dishonest company.

[–] Stitch0815@feddit.org 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I disagree on most points :D

I would be most interested on how you think they are dishonest? I bought the fairphone knowing fully well it will NOT be the best bang for the buck.

I bought it because

It has 5 years of waranty

Easily replacable battery (and other parts)

Somewhat sustainable manufacturing techniques

And not as much sweat shop in it as the rest

Edit: formating

[–] gencha@lemm.ee 1 points 1 week ago

The idea that the phone was made purely in manufacturing processes where you could have a good conscience is ridiculous. Like any similar greenwashing strategy, it relies on indirection and fragmentation. You have no way to validate their claims other than some badges they bought from eco licensing companies.

The warranty is worth nothing. At the launch of the phone it was already crystal clear that no security updates would be released for the SoC of the phone after 2 years. So you get 3 more years of cute Android UI on a phone that's potentially insecure. They knew this when they designed and marketed the phone!

I have not yet replaced my battery, but I remember thinking this would be a win. This phone is a piece of shit. Why would I ever want to prolong this suffering?

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