The new fairphone 5 came out, it looks cool but the price is really, really high…

If it’s a phone that can really last 10 years it could be good, but is that true? Is it worth it? I could get the one with /e/os from Murena because i want a degoogled phone with a bootloader locked, but is it usable on a daily basis?

  • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏
    5•10 months ago

    Those legacy connectors (AV, SCART, S-Video, RF Modulators etc.) have had a superior replacement with no compromises though, HDMI.

    The 3.5mm jack hasn’t really had a viable replacement IMO, and to be honest I don’t think it needs one. Personally I use bluetooth headphones when I’m out, usually switching it off in shopping environments (see #1 below) but indoors everything is 3.5mm.

    My main problems with the omission of the 3.5mm jack are…

    • privacy: Beacon trackers can follow you through a store by monitoring the bluetooth packets between your phone and headphones
    • Limited spectrum space: if you’ve been on public transport where everyone is wearing BT headphones, the signal is terrible. Newer versions of BT are much better at frequency hopping compared to the old ones, but it’s still not a great listening experience
    • interference: retrofitting/replacing a perfectly good sound system just to add Bluetooth capabilities isn’t realistic for everyone. Most of the retrofit BT recievers add unnecessary interference to a sound setup, and this gets worse if you need a longer cable to put the aftermarket reciever somewhere to get a better BT signal for your phone
    • dongles: they’re a solution, however IMO it’s a bit of a janky one that puts unnecessary strain on your charging port when you’re out and about. They also may consume more battery life (external ADC via USB, if your device/headphones/dongle does not support amplifying audio directly over the C port) and even more jank when the headphone cable is weighing down the dongle. In something like a car, or maybe home too, these dongles are OK, but they’re a non starter for people who like to go out and about.

    My biggest issue though is the planned obselecence stuff. The tiny li-ion batteries in the buds being pushed by manufacturers as a “3.5mm replacement” are likely going to get their recharge cycles rinsed out with frequent usage, leading the consumer to buy new buds every 2 years, just like with phones. It’s really disappointing.

    • WardPearceEnglish
      2•10 months ago

      if only USB C headphones existed, also 3.5mm jacks aren’t prefect and tend to snap and get warn out quite quickly.

      But like your comment is completely beside the point, your allowed to want a headphone jack and u can freely dictate your purchasing habits due to that. But it isn’t anything to do with Morals

      • 𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏
        1•10 months ago

        True, worn out 3.5mm jacks are very annoying.

        I’m in no way trying to imply they’re perfect - IMO there’s always room for improvement. I just don’t think a low tolerance 10 gigabit, 100W capable connector is the right choice to replace a port that gets a lot of abuse.

        I did get a bit carried away in my response though tbh, I did not notice you were focused on the morals part - I agree a connector jack is not a moral issue

        I just double checked OP’s post (now edited) and couldn’t see anything related to morals though, unless they’ve removed it?

        • WardPearceEnglish
          2•10 months ago

          yea original comment included something along the lines of “im not going to buy it even if i don’t need a 3.5mm jack, just out of morals”