Fairphone 2: world's first modular phone goes on sale
bbc.co.uk
bbc.co.uk
But it looks to me that all of the actual functions of the phone are integrated into one big SoC.
That misses the entire point of a modular computing device - phone or otherwise.
I want a wireless comms module (which contains not just the wifi/bt/cellular antennas, but the chipset itself) that I can remove or hard disable with a switch.
I want an inputs module that contains not just the mic and speaker, but their enabling circuitry so I can remove it or hard disable it with a switch.
I want a GPS module ... a USB ports module ... a camera module.
That's what a modular smartphone is all about. There's nothing modular about a big monster (closed, telco-owned, user-hostile) SoC that contains all of the actual functions.
The Fairphone is the first phone to get a 10/10 repairability score from ifixit. Though there could be more components, it's definitely a step in the right direction. The whole point is to a able to use that phone for 4-5 years. If one part breaks (touchscreen, battery), you can replace that part yourself. If a better camera becomes available, I can choose to update just the camera instead of buying a new phone. Cheaper for me as a user and better for the environment.
Wtf are you people doing with your phones? I downright abuse mine (think longboarding falls at 50kph with phone flying out of pocket) and it survives all.
Battery life
On average, lifetimes consist of 1000 cycles, although battery performance is rarely specified for more than 500 cycles. This means that batteries of mobile phones, or other hand-held devices in daily use, are not expected to last longer than three years.
I left my 3gs on the roof of my car and it flew into the street when i pulled out of the gas station... intact. My brother in law is a fireman, and his fell out of an aerial ladder 4-5 stories up, and survived with bruises. I dropped a 6 and 6+ from chair height into carpet tile and shattered the screen on the plus, and cracked it on the 6. It's now held together with scotch tape. :)
If a new transmission standard becomes available, you need to buy a new phone. This could have been avoided with a truly modular design that would have satisfied security-conscious people as well.
No. A new module interconnect bus standard might become available, which would limit you just as much when you compare to the competition with integrated phones which can change both in new devices as needed.
No it doesn't. One major use of a more modular device is easier repairs. Many devices are difficult to repair to increase support or replacement revenue. A device whose modules are easy to replace is a differentiator and benefit as it let's us just use Google. :)
Of course, the modularity needs to focus on the devices that will break the most often. In mobile, I'd say it's screens, buttons, speakers, mic's, connectors, and maybe batteries.
>more modular
different goalposts
It's not at all clear that a modular phone needs to be anything but what I described. The goal would need to be much more specific.
The point with Fairphone is repairability - their purpose is to lower impact on the environment, and improve the social outcome of the trade along the supply chain. It's really the same sort of modularity for repair as the old Thinkpads. It's not supposed to be something like Project Ara.
This is why, I saw the other week, Fairphone 2 had been given a 10/10 score by iFixit:
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Fairphone+2+Teardown/52523
And you can see on that page, you can break the phone down into:
* Case
* Screen
* Battery
* Main antenna
* Headphone jack, earpiece speaker, and front-facing camera module
* Rear-facing camera module
* Microphone module
* Main circuitboard, with extra USB device interface for future extensions.
It may be that calling it the first modular smartphone is taking it too far, it depends really on what you mean by the word. Although I doubt there had been a phone like this before, designed to be taken apart and reconstructed. These days most phones don't even have a removable battery.
Edit: FWIW, I think this also has benefits for software. Given the difficulties of phone hardware, if you can keep the phone going for longer, it makes a more stable base for ROM development. They also make it easy to root the device (and I think that will not void the warranty), and provide the code and instructions to build and flash their AOSP-derived OS in its entirety. They still have binary blobs unfortunately (you can read their various struggles with hardware supplier around this on their blog), but it's all a step in the right direction.
http://code.fairphone.com/projects/fp-osos/dev/fairphone-os-...
People on their forum came up with a good explanation for your and my reaction: The media calls this a modular phone, although it isn't. You want Project Ara.
This phone is supposed to last long. It's supposed to be more 'ethical', by picking a production chain according to the values of the company. By giving you ways to repair your phone without generating waste: Repair, don't throw away.
It is _not_ a custom phone, where everyone adds gadgets and features in .. blocks. That's Ara.
I'm interested in the FP2, but haven't fully convinced myself yet. I'm waiting for CM and ideally SailFish support and _hope_ for a hardware revision with more RAM. Until then I have to suffer this braindead, broken, useless POS that is a Samsung S6 Edge - or run around with a Flame and FxOS..
The FairPhone 1 also has its drawbacks, in particular not all materials are guaranteed to be fair. Also the GPS driver/software sucks. I guess if you buy the FairPhone because of hardware/software, you'll not become happy. If you buy it because you believe that phones should be fairer, than you might get really happy with it... ;)
There is obviously no 'truth' on this - it's a matter of preference. But I believe 99.99% of mobile consumers are with me on this.
The only things I care to replace / upgrade are:
1. Screen - assume that over time they get better 2. Camera - 3. Battery- 4. Main module with various chips that I don't care about in isolation. Ie I will never care to upgrade the comms module, the wifi or bt antenna, etc. Perhaps as faster processors come out / onboard memory gets cheaper, I'll care to upgrade that.
The only thing I'm afraid of is this company won't survive because, after initial purchases, there'll be no reason to buy new phones. They'd need to grow horizontally, pulling in more customers from other brands.
They'd also have to push upgrades for cameras, screens, etc to keep existing users buying new parts. Even with an amazing device like this conceptually, capitalism and consumerism will find ways to rear their ugly heads to make this business with a superior product fight for survival while those companies with less durable/upgradeable hardware will tend to make more money because they can always push the latest device to the market.
It's IMHO more important for repairs.
I wouldn't expect there to be. :)
My wishlist for this kind of phones:
- OS support and updates beyond the standard 1 or 2 years (TBD, but I think they're aiming for a 3 year lifecycle)
- upgradable RAM, check :)
- upgradable internal memory, check :)
- replaceable battery, check :)
- glass fixable separately, nope (they do say it's much more sturdy than standard phones though)
- alternative OSs, check :)
things that don't influence my buying decision that much
- fairly traded materials (their original value proposition, which DID appeal a lot to the early backers :) )
Their success depends on appeal beyond their initial core backers, and whether someone comes up with cool or killer app modules :) (they mention some like solar cells, etc.)
For the OS support, they cannot commit fully as they work with partners.
For the Fairphone 1 (released end 2013) they were able to secure licenses to get the source code and are working hard on making it live for as long as they can even if that means replacing Android: https://www.fairphone.com/2015/09/16/long-term-software-supp...
It's worth noting that they released the "Stagefright" fix very quickly.
In fact, I'll go so far as to say: If the android OS cannot be kept updated, claiming that this phone has what it takes to last you more than 2 years is ridiculous. Even if you somehow get to keep security updates coming, there will be features in the new OS that are worth upgrading for even if the hardware is still perfectly fine, and apps will begin requiring an OS version you don't have.
down vote all you want, but there's no security or functionality after that. only silly animations and insane bright color schemes.
And from that link:
> Google also states the "most severe of these issues is a Critical security vulnerability that could enable remote code execution on an affected device through multiple methods such as email, web browsing, and MMS when processing media files,"
Sounds pretty relevant and severe to me.
http://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requesting...
if you don't use your phone like clueless people used their computers (i.e. install 20 browser tool bars and such) you have zero need for it.
also, that was included since 2.3 but never exposed (some custom firmwares did)
MAYBE you'll be able to replace the core module at some point. But I don't know about any promises and it doesn't seem to be a focus.
http://fairphone.com/costbreakdown/
I would love to see which IP holders receive what portion for their IP.
Me and my son just upgraded his PC. It was a 4 yr old PC. We wanted new graphics card and we had to replace entire PC except power supply (barely!) and the case.
Even more fun, we wanted to build a PC from the leftover parts for friend of my son who is less fortunate. OK not top of the shelf, but he can play some games. We ended up spending $150 for new power supply, overpriced memory (DDR2), thermal grease, new fan (plastic leg broke off the original) and set of screws (where are they when you need them?).
In the end, upgrade = new PC, setting up the old one was still super expensive ($150).
Another factor is: these phones get a beating in daily use. While it may still make sense (technically) to keep some components during upgrade, they will be in bad bad shape.
It may make sense in context of repairs. Just like a car: I will fix it buying parts as needed, but after N years and M miles I will replace it.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wwhHP6
But you seem to be picking very overpriced components. Also You are bit of outlier if your motherboard supports only DDR2 RAM. DDR3 has been in market for like 10 years and it is pretty cheap.
Still, would you prefer to not have an option to disassemble the PC and replace it piecemeal? I know I wouldn't: more options is good. Also, in theory modularity creates possibilities for users to create uncommon configurations that would not otherwise be manufactured or cost impractically much (because of their rarity); it is not the case for Fairphone, but is the case for the PC and should be the case for Project Ara.
E.g. I have been modifying my PCs for low noise the way that should be outrageously expensive to buy serially. With Project Ara I should be able to assemble a high-end phone without the camera; a phone that goes all-out on battery life at all costs, etc. Fairphone has a noble goal to develop a smartphone with minimal harm to people and the planet, not necessarily a cheap or modular one: it is repairable (called modular here) only as a means to extend it useful life and thus reduce harm to the planet, even at the users' expense.
High-end Apple computers have always targeted the producer rather than the consumer. I look back to the days of upgrading graphics cards, heatsinks, power supplies etc, and wish that I'd spent that time honing other skills that would serve me better in later life.
My arguments sound elitist? That doesn't bother me at all, I'm afraid.
Each upgrade can make a significant difference, and you don't necessarily waste anything, unless you change the graphics card. (If you go from 4GB to 16GB, you waste 2*2GB sodimms.)
Seems to me this was also true of earlier eras, too, only with smaller numbers.
Graphic card needs fast buses, if your mainboard gets behind you won't have access to the latest. I remember struggling with this long ago (pci -> agp; pcie 2x -> 4x).
It may be less an issue nowadays, so my point was off.
ps: It's funny you consider 2011 vintage, my most recent computer being from 2009 and I find it modern :)
Well, that's because I bought my i5-2500K desktop in 2011. I just chucked in a new hard drive and it's about to get another 8GB of RAM ;-)
My previous tower lasted 8 years. I'm not a gamer, but that one got a graphics card upgrade as well....
It also helps a lot if the performance and requirements change at different speeds for different components. For a gaming PC you'll upgrade the GPU more often than you actually need to upgrade the CPU and the rest of the system. My 4 year old CPU is still fast enough (i2500k), but I upgraded the GPU in the meantime and added an SSD.
Reusing old parts can be pretty cheap, but probably doesn't make all that much sense if you need parts that aren't in common use anymore like the DDR2 in your case.
It sounds like you're kind of an outlier in the build your own PC market -- it's pretty impressive you managed to find a motherboard supporting only the old DDR2 ram and having to replace the CPU fan. You also seem to have had to replace the motherboard to support your (likely PCI-E) GPU. Even before I built my first computer PCI-E was long supported by even cheap pre-built PCs.
There's a sweet spot around $600 for a PC, if you buy in this range you'll save money because you won't need to upgrade the majority of components in many years. I often recommend logicalincrements.com as it has PC prices per-component in tiers.
$150 is insanely cheap for a gaming PC and I don't think $150 has ever been "super expensive" by PC standards.
Exactly. It's the same mantra I've always used when doing computer builds. Incidentally, the last gaming rig [1] I built was about $600 with more power than necessary. :)
If you aren't buying stuff like this on eBay, you are doing it wrong. A 4GB stick is less than $10 including shipping (new, even) whereas the cheapest 4GB module on newegg is over $70.
I've spent months trying to find a reasonably simple way to have a smartphone where I have end-user control over my data and communications, and it seems impossible (without building my own phone or OS).
I know many people don't care; that's fine for them, but I should have the option.
I recently bought a phone that's so large it takes both hands to operate it. If I'm grasping it reasonably tightly, my thumb can't navigate to over 30% of the screen. If I stretch uncomfortably to try to reach those areas, the phone is likely to slip out of my fingertips entirely. I do not have small hands.
I'm not sure what the market standard definition of "phablet" is, but for me, a 136mm x 68mm device has served me fine for years, and this new device (which I'm returning after almost accidentally throwing it across the train for the n'th time in as many days) is 148mm x 76mm. Apparently that extra ten millimeters is a big deal. (Interesting to look at Apple's product page for their sizes. They measured this too, evidentially -- the 6 and 6s went up to exactly 138x67 and aren't budging; they use the Plus series to probe over that line.)
The fairphone2 is 143x73 -- it's not as big as some other flagships on the market right now, so huge kudos for winning the miniaturization battles so far -- but I bet they're falling prey to competing on screen size, and frustratingly, though I'm interested in everything else about this phone, I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to hold it in my hand.
There are still small phones out there for you. There are large phones out there for me. I am not sure that I see a problem.
I use a Nokia Lumia 620, a slow, 3-year-old phone with a 3.8" screen. Twice now I've dedicated a week to using only a larger phone (4.5-4.7", so not big by today's standards) and both times at the end of the week I've given up and gone back to the 620.
The two most common things I do with a phone are (a) use it on a train platform or strap-hanging on a train, one-handed, and (b) leave it in a jeans pocket and ignore it. Even an iPhone 5 is really a bit too big to be a happy device to use like that.
(Previously I had a Nokia 700, with a 3.2" screen. That was fantastic, best phone hardware I've ever used, but it ran Symbian and eventually became too poorly-supported to stick with)
What I'd really like to see is a phone of the same size and shape as a 3rd gen iPod touch -- so like a thin version of an iPhone 3G. Maybe one day the market will swing back that way, and hopefully when it does, it'll be with a bit more choice so we can have big or small, rather than producing a hundred-and-fifty examples of devices all basically the same size.
I never bought a smartphone because I never wanted to carry around huge devices ... for the last few years I have used a motorola F3 ("moto fone")[1]. I loved this phone.
It finally broke, however, so I was forced to buy a modern phone, and I found the Neptune "pine"[2] which is a phone-watch, but you can detach it from the watch band and it essentially becomes a very, very tiny full featured android phone.
I have been using it for about two months and it is great - it's basically a very tiny hotspot device that I use for mobile wifi and bluetooth, etc., and it works great as a phone ... and texting/typing isn't ideal, but it works.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Fone
[2] https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neptune/neptune-pine-sm...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_9000_Communicator
Didn't build it for obvious reasons. It was the shit back in the day, though, with probably some people willing to buy if they get trusted chips. Not sure enough on return to want to risk it, though.
If the goal is upgradability, you don't just need modularity. You need a whole ecosystem building components to some standard. The Fairphone doesn't have that. Google, in 2014, was talking about an upgradable modular phone held together by magnets. It didn't work very well; if dropped, it fell apart.[4]
IFixit likes it if you can unscrew and replace every part. This does help maintainability. But do you want to go there? Here's the extreme case of that - a Model 15 Teletype. Every small part, of about 2000 of them, is replaceable. Here's repairing a damaged Model 15 from a dumpster, something I did last year.[1] Just because you can doesn't mean it's an effective use of time.
Phones should Just Work. Make them indestructible, not field-modifiable.
[1] http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,43672.0.html [2] http://www.catphones.com [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVPku-xItv8 [4] http://www.techtimes.com/articles/77985/20150819/googles-pro...
I would like to share a terrible experience which I had with Micromax. I got a brand new phone Micromax Canvas A350 (2GB ram, Octa core processor) as a gift.
After a week of use I accidentally dropped the phone and broke the screen. I took it to Micromax service center and they asked me for 6K to change the screen. Since the warranty does not cover these type of damages.
A local repairing shop fixed the screen for 2K but now the warranty is violated. After a month of use power button failed and GSM signal receiving is too weak. I opened to phone to see that the antina wire was broken. (which connected GSM module to the mother board)
I took the phone to Micromax customer care they gave me a list of things to replace: Whole case + GSM module. Total cost : 7K + 6K = 13K.
Only things broken was a power button and a simple wire which will not even cost 10 INR. The cost of a new phone is only 12K
What does that mean?
From the animation on FairPhone site, I counted 17 screws and 6 standoff. How many people, who would not even try to repair their phone will find this easy enough to start repairing their phone?
For comparison sake, there are 10 screws on a Nexus 5 (according iFixit teardown). Sure, the Nexus 5 (or other smartphone) will be a little harder to repair. But the difference is far from huge, and won't make someone take a FairPhone over another "good enough" smartphone, repairability-wise.
The upgrade ability? Sure, it might be nice. But, as the PC market as demonstrated (which has a lot less contraints, too), you can only go so far, until you need to replace the whole thing. Since it's not a well-established project, it's not even a sure-bet you'll still find parts at an affordable price in a few years time. And at that price point, it's not a given that FairPhone + upgrades in a few years costs less than one similar phone now, and a similar to the upgraded in a few years.
That leaves social impact and openness principles. That might appeal to part of the geeky crowd (the ones that buys Librem), and social-aware persons, if they are not turned off by the price. Let's see if it's enough to sustain a smartphone line. In the current saturated market, I have some doubts.
So we developed into society where 17 screws is such a major problem to deal with it... Also people who wouldn't not even try to repair their phone will not try even if there is no screw.
In my opinion such phone should appeal to what you call geeky crowd and from there it should initiate some social change (probably via media such as Internet) where changing 17 screws will not be difficult task but highly rewarding in terms of being human and hardware/cost wise. After that it should spread to people and with it the hardware becomes industrial standard (parts at least) so the price of changing goes down both in cost and finding them.
Wouldn't it be more environmentally friendly to keep my current phone or to buy a second hand one?
What I want is freedom of PC hardware of the 1990s in a smaller form factor. A smartphone consists of a system-on-chip (SoC) computer, memory chip, modem, display, cameras, antennas, sensors, card slots, battery - all could be modular. And be of a convinient form factor so that several companies offer such parts.
Android took the omnipresence role of Windows 95 on smartphones and tablets (though Android device driver are hard to find).
Back in 2006 I had a modular notebook built by an OEM sold under different brands. (picture: http://p-fst1.pixstatic.com/51b62f6dfb04d67b66000b29._w.540_... ) What a great hardware platform.
In 2016 the notebook market is in a bad shape - business notebooks: lower build quality (no Thinkpad robustness), higher prices and no modular notebook platform. And on PC the trusted computing (UEFI, GPT, Palladium) accelerated by Microsoft is hostile to non-Windows 8+ operating systems. Hopefully, the EFF can do something there.
Checkout youtube videos for Samsung or Lenovo phones. In amateur conditions it takes about 10 minutes to replace "build-in" battery. Or 30 minutes to replace broken glass or motherboard.
In any case, you suggest Samsung/Lenovo phones take 10 minutes for a battery replacement. The iPhone 6 takes just four minutes:
Jesus, it's gotten that bad...?