Nice to see a mainstream option de-Googled in the US.
For those considering getting this phone for sustainability reasons, just a reminder that the most sustainable option is to keep the phone you have until there’s something actually wrong with it
I mean, as long as I chose to return/donate/hand-down/upcycle my current phone (whatever prevents it from going to a landfill) shouldnt it be fine?
If you have a plan for your current phone, then yea it’s not much different. I think you’re touching on the larger point at hand, because individuals have a miniscule fraction of a percent when it comes to things like e-waste. The overproduction of electronics is a much larger portion of e-waste
Thx you !
And this apply to everything you want to replace for sustainability reason.
The most sustainable stuff, is the stuff you don’t buy :)
I want to get one but unfortunately due to the nature of the phone, there is no resistance to water submersion which is a dealbreaker for me. I want my phones to be at least IP67 which I don’t think is possible while also being repairable.
Buy a Pixel phone and flash CalyxOS or GrapheneOS.
CalyxOS is also available for the Fairphone and you don’t have to give money to Google.
Sadly it’s old (2021) and underpowered. That’s not a huge deal breaker because it has pros like being repairable and pretty private. The real problem is that they are regularly late on os and security updates (multiple weeks to months). For example they only officially added support for Android 12 this February and there is still no official support for Android 13.
Unless you specifically want the repairability a Pixel with GrapheneOS is simply much more secure and private.
You can put Calyx on the FP4 (which is what I did).
Sustainable
No headphone jack
They actually seem like quality phones when my girlfriend’s friend got one, but seriously? No headphone Jack and force you to use wireless buds that will have to be thrown away when the tiny battery degrades?
USB-c to headphone jack converters are an option. Not ideal because you can’t use it and charge the phone simultaneously, but certainly better than those wireless buds.
They make usb c headphones and (as much as I also hate adapter hell) usbc to 3.5 adapters. Although, the lack of wireless charging means you’d be choosing between charging and listening.
Also see their official response on the audio jack removal.
TL;DR:
- Modularity and its influence on the phone’s size and weight
- Market and legislative trends (headphone jack is getting less popular)
- Longevity (less ports = less vulnerable to dust, water and general wear?)
I have an FP3 and I facepalmed real hard when I saw the announcement. That last reason, vulnerability to dust and protection from water, I find especially dumb. If that’s their reasoning, they might as well remove the USB-C port, too. Fuck it, just make it a featureless plastic brick.
might as well remove the USB-C port
Well don’t say it too loud, if there is any big improvements on “wireless” charging… I could see the mainline of phones doing it…
