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Fair phone - an ethical mobile phone?

I've used both Lawn chair and Nova in the past on Samsung phones as I'm not a fan of their One UI. Both fine, easy to use etc.

Paid for Nova as I like it so muc.

I had assumed that Fairphone was more or less stock Android. This said, I can't find a way of turning that Google bar off on my pixel, either, and I'm sure there is a way :confused:
 
I still think they're going to have a problem in that most people who are interested in that sort of thing won't pay that much for a phone. Not when you can get a Pixel 7a at half the price and still get 5 years of support. I commend them on it, but no way would I buy it. I suppose it will depend on what they try and flog the Pixel 8 for.

I wonder what it would cost to get something Xiaomi 12c level. We're finally in an era where even cheap phones are good enough, and they're insisting on competing with the mid-range now. If they could flog a Fair 12c at twice, heck even 2.5x the price, it would be more interesting to me than a £600 phone.
 
Chz said:
I still think they're going to have a problem in that most people who are interested in that sort of thing won't pay that much for a phone. Not when you can get a Pixel 7a at half the price and still get 5 years of support. I commend them on it, but no way would I buy it. I suppose it will depend on what they try and flog the Pixel 8 for.

I wonder what it would cost to get something Xiaomi 12c level. We're finally in an era where even cheap phones are good enough, and they're insisting on competing with the mid-range now. If they could flog a Fair 12c at twice, heck even 2.5x the price, it would be more interesting to me than a £600 phone.
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My sil has a 6 month old pixel thing and has just paid nearly £200 for a repair on it. That would cost parts only on the fairphone.
Cheap phones, like cheap fashion are just disposable and throw away which is not ethical, so that's missing the point a bit. I'm trying to avoid that sort of culture.
Is £600 really that much for a phone that you would expect to last for 10 years or more.
I will have one as soon as I can get Mrs Tag to get me one.
 
hash tag said:
Is £600 really that much for a phone that you would expect to last for 10 years or more.
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Yes it is. But they're marketing something that no-one else can in the reparability thing, so that's either worth it or it's not depending on the person in question.
I've literally never repaired anything except the battery in my phones, and that's cheap enough even for sealed units. So on a purely financial level, it's totally not worth it to me and on an ethical level their "audits" of the Chinese factories that these things still come out of don't convince me any more than when Apple says they're nice to people who build their stuff.

Now if FP found a way to offer plug-in upgrades, I'd be all over it. I have the PC of Theseus under my desk that still has bits from 2006 in it.

Edit: If you break your phone a lot, the Samsung Xcover seems a better bet as a ruggedised phone that has IP68 (take that, FP) and a headphone jack. It does only get the 5 years of support, but it might still prove to be cheaper in the long run if you drop things a lot.
 
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Chz said:
I still think they're going to have a problem in that most people who are interested in that sort of thing won't pay that much for a phone. Not when you can get a Pixel 7a at half the price and still get 5 years of support. I commend them on it, but no way would I buy it. I suppose it will depend on what they try and flog the Pixel 8 for.

I wonder what it would cost to get something Xiaomi 12c level. We're finally in an era where even cheap phones are good enough, and they're insisting on competing with the mid-range now. If they could flog a Fair 12c at twice, heck even 2.5x the price, it would be more interesting to me than a £600 phone.
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There's a certain market. They probably read the guardian and buy fair trade.
 
UnderOpenSky said:
There's a certain market. They probably read the guardian and buy fair trade.
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Yes, but it's a subset of that because that would include me! Though I have to admit that sometimes I read articles and think "I am not upper-middle class enough for this shit". :D (I can't pretend to not be middle class, but there ain't nothing "upper" about it, I assure you!)
 
Chz said:
Yes, but it's a subset of that because that would include me! Though I have to admit that sometimes I read articles and think "I am not upper-middle class enough for this shit". :D (I can't pretend to not be middle class, but there ain't nothing "upper" about it, I assure you!)
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Do the "upper" classes even give a toss about ethics? My guess is they would mostly by "badges" IE Apple or Samsung.
 
hash tag said:
Do the "upper" classes even give a toss about ethics? My guess is they would mostly by "badges" IE Apple or Samsung.
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They do so long as it's embossed in titanium and led-backlit that it's ethical. (Though again, I'm totally unconvinced by them on that)
 
hash tag said:
Is £600 really that much for a phone that you would expect to last for 10 years or more.
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It didn't cost anything like that much, but my previous fairphone (3 iirc?) died after two and a half years, and it hadn't worked as an actual phone for a while before that. Is the latest one really that much better?
 
iona said:
It didn't cost anything like that much, but my previous fairphone (3 iirc?) died after two and a half years, and it hadn't worked as an actual phone for a while before that. Is the latest one really that much better?
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Yes, I guess so.
 
iona said:
It didn't cost anything like that much, but my previous fairphone (3 iirc?) died after two and a half years, and it hadn't worked as an actual phone for a while before that. Is the latest one really that much better?
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Specs-wise, it's a solid upper-mid ranger from 2 years ago. Which is a lot better than past FPs. It's just unfortunate that they've chased two mediocre spec cameras instead of a really good main shooter and a worthless ultra-wide like Xiaomi and Google do on their new ones. It looks great on paper, but the reality lags a bit. (I'm guessing the idea is that UW is only really used in bright daylight, and there's something to that) It's a decent phone, which again isn't something I accused the old ones of. It's just a painful price, knowing you can get the same thing at half the price, but with the inherent risk of non-repairability and a limited number of years of support.
 
had a fairphone 2 a few years back. bought into the hype. okay phone, fun to repair, lasted less than 2 years before it died and wouldn't turn on again.

partner had the 4+ and it was awful, breaking all the time. they arent keen on tech, just wanted something simple which takes pictures, does messaging and social media and liked the ethical branding.

the idea is okay, the actual phone and repairing process is pretty shite. plus they keep releasing new models rather than trying to make one phone which can be repaired and upgraded. i don't know anyone whose fairphone has lasted more than 3 years, and ive had other phones last for as long, and repaired them myself. based on this, i dont really trust their market spiel about ethical sourcing of raw materials ans commitment to "ethical working practices".
 
zedr said:
had a fairphone 2 a few years back. bought into the hype. okay phone, fun to repair, lasted less than 2 years before it died and wouldn't turn on again.

partner had the 4+ and it was awful, breaking all the time. they arent keen on tech, just wanted something simple which takes pictures, does messaging and social media and liked the ethical branding.

the idea is okay, the actual phone and repairing process is pretty shite. plus they keep releasing new models rather than trying to make one phone which can be repaired and upgraded. i don't know anyone whose fairphone has lasted more than 3 years, and ive had other phones last for as long, and repaired them myself. based on this, i dont really trust their market spiel about ethical sourcing of raw materials ans commitment to "ethical working practices".
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Mrs tag has had her 3 for a few years.
 
zedr said:
had a fairphone 2 a few years back. bought into the hype. okay phone, fun to repair, lasted less than 2 years before it died and wouldn't turn on again.

partner had the 4+ and it was awful, breaking all the time. they arent keen on tech, just wanted something simple which takes pictures, does messaging and social media and liked the ethical branding.

the idea is okay, the actual phone and repairing process is pretty shite. plus they keep releasing new models rather than trying to make one phone which can be repaired and upgraded. i don't know anyone whose fairphone has lasted more than 3 years, and ive had other phones last for as long, and repaired them myself. based on this, i dont really trust their market spiel about ethical sourcing of raw materials ans commitment to "ethical working practices".
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gonna heave to eat some humble pie abt this.

turns out it was the 3+. my old nokia broke and I've now got it as a handmedown. its great. I completely wiped it and it runs fine with all the major things I need for work and life. the camera is shit and laggy, but I dont really care about photos except taking the odd shit photo at a gig to remember I was there. I've managed to wipe most of the google bloatware and at some point will install a new launcher, tho not sure which one yet. i've treated it awfully, its been dropped, spilt on and the rest and its held up nicely since november. it also just feels and looks way nicer than the 1&2. if they'd release a decent camera upgrade, which obv they won't, I'd never want another phone (until the obsolescence obv)
 
Any news on what's happening with fairfones. Mrs tag tried to buy a 5 recently and it didn't go through for some reason. I know all phones are being despatched with 2 batteries and they have released a cheaper, lower spec one. Are they struggling or broadening appeal?
 
hash tag said:
Any news on what's happening with fairfones. Mrs tag tried to buy a 5 recently and it didn't go through for some reason. I know all phones are being despatched with 2 batteries and they have released a cheaper, lower spec one. Are they struggling or broadening appeal?
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Most vendors stretching out to 4 years support at a minimum (Samsung and Google out to 5 and 7 years) has got to hurt them. There's still the reparability aspect, but I've never once had to replace something other than a battery in my phone. I've got a Pixel, and I really don't care that support ends after 7 years because it's going to be hot garbage by then anyhow.

There's the ethical side, but personally I'm quite suspicious of anything that comes out of China no matter the efforts they make. If you ignore ethics, most people would be better off buying a new Xiaomi every four years at half the price.
 
Chz said:
Most vendors stretching out to 4 years support at a minimum (Samsung and Google out to 5 and 7 years) has got to hurt them. There's still the reparability aspect, but I've never once had to replace something other than a battery in my phone. I've got a Pixel, and I really don't care that support ends after 7 years because it's going to be hot garbage by then anyhow.

There's the ethical side, but personally I'm quite suspicious of anything that comes out of China no matter the efforts they make. If you ignore ethics, most people would be better off buying a new Xiaomi every four years at half the price.
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Cheers for that. I have no need for high spec but the ethics mean a lot, hence there are makes I would avoid but the fairfone tops the lot.
 
I had a Fairphone 2 which I got some time after watching Blood in the Mobile documentary which was about unethical practices in the phone industry, mining the rare earth minerals and production in China.

I didn't rush and buy it straight away, just waited until my Samsung died.

I did repair it a few times, replaced the screen, which only smashed once despite me dropping the phone relatively frequently. And I replaced the bottom unit after the microphone stopped working - one time, iirc, I'd accidentally dunked it in Horlicks after spilling some Horlicks on the table that the phone was on.

It lasted well, albeit it was showing its age with poor battery life. iirc they didn't have any spare batteries or another bottom unit in stock, (think I'd bust the microphone again), and there was some other reason.

So I've now got a 3+. Camera on the 3+ is much better than on the 2, but nowhere near as good as iPhone. Photos are currently lower resolution than possible because of storage, I need to declutter.

I was hoping to hold out for the 4 coming out before replacing, but needed a new phone. I did get a replacement bottom unit and batter for the 2 in the end, so I could use it as back up, but I haven't need to.

I'll probably upgrade to a 6 when they come out, unless I irreparably break this one first or lose it, because I really want a better camera.
 
Btw, they are quite sturdy, I've dropped this Fairphone 3+ countless times in the past four-ish years and haven't broken the screen yet. It's made with Gorilla glass, whatever that is.

(And like I said, I only cracked the screen on the 2 once, although had to replace the whole module rather than just a screen.)
 
hash tag said:
Cheers for that. I have no need for high spec but the ethics mean a lot, hence there are makes I would avoid but the fairfone tops the lot.
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Bear in mind a lot of the "ethical" production of the parts come through credits for fair mines, etc. They don't guarantee your phone is actually ethical, just that they've paid someone who is. Sort of like the "100% renewable" energy claims in the UK. That may, or may not be good enough for you.
 
Chz said:
Bear in mind a lot of the "ethical" production of the parts come through credits for fair mines, etc. They don't guarantee your phone is actually ethical, just that they've paid someone who is. Sort of like the "100% renewable" energy claims in the UK. That may, or may not be good enough for you.
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Is there a more ethical phone. Nokia's are quite up there
 
hash tag said:
Is there a more ethical phone. Nokia's are quite up there
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No, Fairphone is far and away the best of the choices. I would say, having read the report, that Nokia is less bad rather than good.
That being said, Nokia offers a lot more phone for the money.
 
I really like the idea, but the camera has been such a downside for me as it's probably the most important part of a phone for me. I've been buying second hand as an alternative with mixed success.
 
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