this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2025
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[–] philthi@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (41 children)

Fuck these guys... Seriously. I bought a phone off of them hyped at the idea of the ethics. It didn't work on arrival. Over 3 months later and not one single reply to my helpdesk request (other than the Automated acknowledgement of receipt).

Unbelievably bad user experience, I went from hyped at the concept of reducing my production of electronic waste to beyond disappointed at a brutally bad user experience.

Then to make matters worse, it is difficult to source spare parts for the fairphone 4 (according to a friend of mine who owns one that he bought a while ago)... Like is that not the entire point of the phone, reduced consumption of new phones by supporting repairs. If you're going to stop producing the spares at least release the patents then.. if you really believe in the promoted ideals that you spout... Which they clearly do not.

It turns out that it's just another money hungry company hell bent on burning the planet down to see a line go up, as far as I'm concerned. All gaff to sell shite phones at higher prices.

Do not buy.

[–] kopasz7@sh.itjust.works 26 points 5 days ago (22 children)

All I needed to know was when they released their BT earbuds just when the jack port got removed to figure out where their priorities are.

[–] Trihilis@ani.social 1 points 5 days ago (3 children)

They are easily repairable and you don't have to throw them away if the battery goes bad (just replace it).

How is that a bad thing? About 90% of other brands you can throw them away if the battery goes bad or they break.

[–] kopasz7@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

How is that a bad thing?

I have to buy them? Every replaceable and repairable stuff is manufactured and has an impact.

About 90% of other brands you can throw them away if the battery goes bad or they break.

I don't have any of those, for related reasons. The best one can do is to consume less and less often.

Buying a USB-C-2-Jack dongle or BT headset is anything but eco-friendly. It goes straight against the whole brand if you need to buy new stuff in addition to make it work.

[–] Trihilis@ani.social 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

What about people who already have a BT headset, or people who are looking to buy their first headset and don't own one yet? You just straight up assume everyone still had a headset with wires lying around and that they somehow never break.

Having to buy something makes it bad isn't really an argument. The very post you are making right now is made from a devide that has been manufactured at some point in time. If you start reasoning like that its better to start living in the woods with no possessions at all.

[–] kopasz7@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Before BT headsets even existed, all of them were wired and none of them required lithium batteries or chips inside.

Having to buy something makes it bad isn’t really an argument.

It costs resources to produce. It is one of the main missions of FP to reduce this by having to not by a new device if your current one breaks. If buying a new one wasn't a problem, why are they trying to make it repairable?

They are easily repairable and you don’t have to throw them away if the battery goes bad (just replace it).

You get it.

If you start reasoning like that its better to start living in the woods with no possessions at all.

Taking my argument to the extreme naturally makes it absurd. But living in the woods isn't my point.

If you look at FP's yearly financial statements, you can see how they are struggling. In 2021 and 2022 they were roughly at a breakeven point, turning basically no profit, in 2023 their operating loss was 37% of their net turnover.

See previous comment:

I’m saying it is very hypocritical and goes against their brand. If they simply came out and said: Look guys making phones sustainably cost too much, we need to sell higher margin items like dongles, BT earbuds and cases to have enough cashflow to continue manufacturing and R&D.

Ok, fair enough. I would say.

But trying to justify and greenwashing the whole ordeal is insulting. The tactic is straight out of Apple’s “Think different” book. Paying more for reduced functionality. Only for them to sell you more accessories for even more money.

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