Fairphone 6 downgraded to USB-C 2.0
Fairphone 6 downgraded to USB-C 2.0
So sad. ☹ Nice and clean design but it’s clearly a downgrade in some places. At least FP5 is not obsolete, it’s just an alternative to FP6.
Despite all the other compromises with the FF6, I still was ready to buy it until I noticed the USB-C 2.0. Which means no Android Desktop and significantly slower data transfer than the USB-C 3.0 in FF5. The linked Discussion thread from the Fairphone forum has some interesting additional points.
Is this a dealbreaker for you? (It is for me, I'm ordering a different phone today..)
I understand it's not great as it doesn't future proof the phone but how often are you transfering lots of data or actually going to use android desktop which is completely unproven? If you do transfer lots of data over a cable (I guess backing up videos?) then I'm sure this will hurt but if you do it like once a month then it's not much of a ball ache. Also, the phone does support microSDXC so you just need to use a different method to do the same thing. Android desktop would be cool but it will take a while before it's actually robust. Even if it was, you would have to think how you integrate it into your life and if you would genuinely do that.
I currently have an S20 FE and looking to replace it and I hardly ever transfer over usb or use Dex. I personally don't believe these are deal breakers. For me, a deal breaker is a phone that you can't easily replace a battery without cutting through adhesive
I use the USB port for charging, and charging only. It really doesn't bother me at all.
That's super fair! I totally see that Fairphone is more of a brand for people who are a bit more minimalist with their phone, hope that maybe one day there will be a Fairphone for power users with specs closer to what Google Pixel offers (a girl can dream haha)
Same, I wish they did a pro model with a proper flagship processor. I'd happily pay much more for that option though they probably don't have the resources to do 2 phones at the same time. The one in the FP6 seems decent but I'm concerned if it can actually last 8+ years with how bloated apps seem to keep getting. I'm not a power user but my current phone (S20 FE) is inconsistent with loading things and is supposedly on par with FP6's processor. Hopefully more reviews come out that give more insight into this
Same here, if I want to use a large display for any task or a movie I fire up my laptop.
Hard pass. What a pointless downgrade in functionality. I'm due for a new phone, and this had tweaked my interest, but lacking desktop mode and fast USB is crazy in 2025.
So do you not care about easily replaceable batteries? If these features are more important than that then unfortunately fairphone doesn't work for you
Fp5 managed to have both, they arent mutually exclusive features.
And battery replacement is a once every 2-5 years event, if I had to pay a professional (or ifixit) every few years thats fine with me. I replaced the battery in my Samsung s10 with a ifixit kit, its really not that hard. Its not on-the-go swappable, but battery banks exist for that.
Yes, I was particularly wanting that, as this would be a phone to have for years to come. This is a real bummer.
It's such a weird choice considering that they want the FF6 to be "The Fairphone" that you'll keep for like a decade, but then cutting one of the biggest new things that Android 16 offers :/ There was speculation that they'd sell a replaceable USB-C 3.1 port, but people on the forum say that just changing the port won't help if the Motherboard doesn't support it. Really sucks.
Samsung has had Dex for years now and it hasn't changed how people use their phone (for vast majority anyway). Maybe having it built into android will increase adoption but given that Dex is still not that practical or robust, it will be a while until Google's implementation will be robust. Obviously, it's a shame the feature won't be available on fair phone but the phone isn't that fast or have lots of ram anyway so I doubt desktop mode would truelly be that useful. It's a shame but, for me, it would not impact my buying decision
Really cool software! But my use case is that the Offices at my Job have Dell Docking stations everywhere and I really like just plugging my phone into those and using it as a small Desktop PC. I'm not really allowed to install software like this to my Work Notebook as a workaround ;_;
absolute dealbreaker. they hosted an AMA on Reddit about 4 days ago. One user brought this matter up but it was left unanswered.