u/ManagerOfLove

5 years ago, I bought my Fairphone 4. Coming from a LG G5, I wanted to keep the repairability and was willing to take trade-offs. The extended waranty, the availability of parts and the 5 year software support, felt like a no-brainer to me. Contrary to the phones at that time, who were all hold together by glue with no software aupport after two years, I felt like everyone was an idiot who didn't buy a Fairphone.

But after 5 years the market situation has changed. More and more companies offer extended Software-support. And with companies like iFixit and the European Repairability index, companies got incentivised to build more repairable and lasting phones.

What nailed the coffin for me, was the software Fairphone keeps producing isn't great, Android versions coming extremely late, are not even bug-free and the amount of functions Fairphone offers in Android feel limited. And the phone itself feels antique after 5 years of use, the battery life got horrible (maximum half of a day, even after 3 battery swaps). The phone became like a burden.

I don't know how Fairphone wants to circumvent this issue, other than going more premium. And sadly, that experience is universal in my small circle. The guys who bought one Fairphone, didn't buy a second one, since the downsides are too present.

I will still keep my Fairphone but using Murena this time. For some limited use. But it won't be my daily driver no more. I wish Fairphone all the best.