Fairphone brings a much better device to market with better cameras, a better screen, likely a better chip, open hardware specifications and modularity, a completely unlockable bootloader (with likely support for CalyxOS and other ROM’s shortly), and up to 8 years of software support(!), but people say they won’t get it because no headphone jack…
MFW people have their priorities extremely mixed up… That’s been the world now for 6 years, it’s time to get over it. Letting perfect be the enemy of good is how you decide to throwaway something as good as what Fairphone seems to be offering. Sony still offers Android devices with headphone jacks, just don’t be upset if you don’t get another Android version pushed to your device.
Yeah, it’s not available in my region. But, if it was, I would consider getting it. Snapdragon 778 level performance should be sufficient for most people.
Yeah, I hope the FP5 will come to the US officially too. I know the FP4 could work here, but it apparently did have issues with a carrier or two, or something.
Hopefully the 5 will bring true support for US markets.
It will be announced today, stay tuned
Ugh. Looks like they may never release a device with a headphone jack at this point. I’m fine with my FP3 but it still comes off a bad move.
Can they please just bring back the project manager that oversaw the FP3? Since the departure the company has made very questionable design choices and decisions (FP4 without headphone jack, and the unrepairable first gen Fairbuds)
Buy a usbc dac for everything you have with that plug from 1975. Join us in the modern world.
But that steals a port used for charging :/
I thought I didn’t mind when I bought my phone that doesn’t have it at first, but it really sucks having to reach for a dongle when I want to use my good headphones on the phone. If USB-C is really so superior for audio, then that would be a good argument to make 2 USB-C ports, don’t you think?
Yet barely any manufacturer does it, I only ever saw it on some niche gaming phones. Even if they did that, the jack still has a place IMO, because it’s still so ubiquitous even newer midrange headphone releases use itWork phone doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack, it’s a lot more annoying than I expected it to be.
I think I would be sufficiently mollified if phones that remove the headphone jack had a USB-C port on the top and bottom. I’d still be annoyed but I’ll be like okay they’re trying to make the experience better
Exactly! Right now it’s just trend and cost cutting
And pushing their bluetooth earbud sales, its a consumable!
No headphone jack? Not interested.
Fair phone really shot themselves in the foot when they removed the headphone jack, especially given their mission statement.
Yeah it was a real slap in the face. Especially when they debuted their branded Bluetooth headset at the same time. It’s like gee you guys just charge more money for the phone if you want to make more money. Don’t make me suffer
Sadly no headphone jack
If the USB-C is wired for ground/left/right/mic then a simple $1 adapter will bring you a 3.5mm headphone jack
99% of those adapters are garbage that break down in month or so. I am writing this on FP4 but I am also salty audio engineer and I would honestly trade my phones cameras to aux jack, just to avoid hastle.
I bought nice solid braided one on AliExpress for like $2
But is it? Is this even a USB standard or just something some vendors do sometimes?
Standard, phones from different manufacturers can use a passive dongle.
Honest question, how would i know whether the cheap passive adapter works on my phone?
You need to google your phone model and “usb-c audio adapter” for instance
You could type the model of your phone and “audio adapter” or “3.5mm adapter” into a search engine. Maybe the phone already comes with an adapter.
It’s an alt mode for USBC. But I’ve only ever seen HTC use it. Most just expect you use a dongle with a DAC, but I prefer this way because the dacs in phones aren’t always the best.
It’s too damn big. I got a Fairphone 4 and got rid of it because I just couldn’t properly use it (and because of the poor camera performance on top of that). Now they’re releasing an even bigger phone? I may be the minority here, but that’s a deal breaker for me. I’ll need a new phone in the next few months, but right now I’m only considering the s23 or the Xperia 5 V, just because everything else is just too fucking huge.
Is the Asus Zenfone available in your region ? If yes, its a pretty compact and feature rich phone.
That wasn’t on my radar, but the same point that kinda keeps me away from the Sony that I’d really like to like otherwise applies to the zenfone as well: really short update cycles. The zenfone even more so, as the Sony is just about to be released while the zenfone is already available for almost a year. I tend to keep my phones longer, so that really is a factor.
Zenfone 10 got released in july this year. I’d buy it on the spot if the software support was longer. The only phone in recent memory that has good specs and also looks decent
Ah, the 10 is already out… I checked the 9. So at least it’ll be one more year of updates, but it still just is really not much for a device that’s 850 €.
Asus just quit the phone market, closed their site and application, you can not ever unlock your bootloader anymore. Zenfone are dead.looks false?
https://9to5google.com/2023/08/26/asus-zenfone-series-ending-report/
Specifically, the Qualcomm QCM6490 octa-core SoC is used in the Fairphone 5, which is actually more intended for embedded and industrial applications. The chip has eight cores and reaches up to 2.7 gigahertz, whereby the performance should be on the level of the Snapdragon 778G 5G .
(Machine translated.)
Interesting. I’ll wait for benchmarks before jumping to conclusions. Considering how Qualcomm has been raising prices, I’m not really surprised that vendors are crawling down the product line.
In the article it mentions that the SoC might have been chosen because on it’s extended software support of 8 years. Industrial tier electronics also usually cost more than consumer counterparts, so unlikely a cost cutting measure
Awesome. Ars just posted their review and they mention this as well. I have not used a SD 776G phone, which they say is similar. Looking at quick benchmarks, it looks like it sits around the performance level of a SD888?
I am currently typing this on my Fairphone 4. I personally do really like it and the only thing I would really complain about is the cameras. They are fine but as soon as you get into low(ish) light settings or try to zoom just a little bit it get’s bad. When using 8x digital zoom you basically have pixel soup. And yes, I know digital zoom sucks. But at the same time my Galaxy S7 was older and did this soo much better.
I was also annoyed about the missing headphone jack but it turns out that it really isn’t a huge problem for me. I mostly need it in my car and I just have a dongle that splits into USB-C (for charging) and 3.5mm jack that I store in my car. I don’t really get why Fairphone decided against it but it really doesnt affect me as much as I feared it would.
I hope it gets a US release
Fairphone 4 with /e/OS (degoogled, privacy focused custom ROM) is available in the US. Check out https://murena.com/shop/smartphones
FP5 will probably get the same treatment.
Looks like it, yeah - they’ll announce it today
Yeah, but they also mention that if you choose to install stock android onto it instead of their e/OS. They will void your warranty :/
Same, been waiting a long time
There are currently 11 modules, which are user replaceable. It has 8GB of ram. It would’ve been so much cool if it was upgradable to something like 12/16GB.
Can I get this in Ohio?
Too expensive for me. I understand why, like the whole being “fair” thing and all but those specs are not good enough for 700€.
