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The Fairphone 5 represented a serious step ahead for the sustainable telephone firm. Whereas it improved upon a lot of its predecessor’s shortcomings, it was removed from excellent. Not solely had been there battery life and warmth dissipation issues, however there have been additionally a couple of different areas the place it fell quick as an Android telephone. Though its successor continues to be a good distance off, right here’s my wishlist for what I’d wish to see within the Fairphone 6.
Higher thermals are a should
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
The Fairphone 5 performs pretty nicely in terms of fundamental duties, however even then, you’re prone to encounter overheating points that may actually spoil what would in any other case be an honest mid-range expertise. Our personal Rita El Khoury beforehand famous in her overview that the telephone would typically overheat, and never simply from prolonged classes. Even simply thirty minutes of use was sufficient to make the telephone noticeably heat, and longer classes might turn into uncomfortable shortly. It’s not simply the processor that causes these thermal overloads, both. Simply 5 minutes of digicam use in our check mannequin was sufficient to make the module very heat, even in comparatively cool climate.
It’s fairly apparent this received’t fly once more. I understand that creating a contemporary telephone that the common Joe can take aside comes with huge challenges in terms of constructing respectable thermal options. The modular design leaves much less room for one. It’s additionally only a problem to construct a case with correct airflow that’s nonetheless straightforward to open proper up. A big a part of the issue was the Qualcomm QCM6490 chip discovered contained in the telephone, which we’ll get to a bit in a while this wishlist. Nonetheless, it’s essential for Fairphone to deal with this challenge within the Fairphone 6. Even a slight enhance within the telephone’s case dimension might assist, as it might present additional room for air flow.
Let’s resolve the battery life subsequent time, we could?
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
Battery drain is a serious challenge with the Fairphone 5. Whereas its 4,200mAh capability is usually large enough for a telephone with mid-range specs, that’s not the case right here. In our testing, we discovered that the Fairphone 5 might hardly ever make it via a full day’s use with out a top-off. Even after we stopped utilizing it, it sat on the overview desk for some time, and we observed it might solely take about two days to empty even when idle, a course of that takes most different telephones nearer to per week.
Fairphone has promised it’s engaged on software program optimizations that ought to hopefully enhance battery life on the present era, however wanting forward, the Fairphone 6 ought to leap as much as a 5,000mAh battery, much like what you’d discover in one other mid-ranger, just like the Galaxy A54 5G. I think that many people keen on telephones with minimal affect on the atmosphere are additionally prone to go off the grid once in a while. Having a much bigger battery looks like a pure match for this sequence.
After all, simply transferring on to a extra power-efficient processor will possible assist the battery life leap up dramatically. However the one-two punch from upsizing the battery would possible make this a telephone that might simply final into the two-day mark if Fairphone performs their playing cards proper. On the very least, it wouldn’t die earlier than sooner or later is up!
A extra highly effective, optimized processor, please
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
The Qualcomm QCM6490 is a curious selection for a processor, because it’s not primarily constructed with telephones in thoughts and is as a substitute billed as an IoT chip. Nonetheless, there’s a technique to the insanity right here. Fairphone opted for this processor as a result of it knew it had long-term help on its facet, permitting it to confidently promise eight years of safety updates. Sadly, it’s very possible the chip is the rationale for each battery drain and overheating points, because it merely wasn’t optimized for this position.
Fairphone tried to assume exterior the field right here, however I’d argue it’s not a transfer value repeating. Whereas Google and Samsung each provide replace insurance policies of seven years of OS and safety updates for his or her flagship telephones, Qualcomm will possible proceed to enhance its help for cell chips. Though this improved help could presently solely apply to higher-end SoCs, Samsung’s help tendencies sometimes prolong downward over time, suggesting that a lot of Samsung’s future funds gadgets might additionally provide higher help. By that logic, Fairphone would take fewer dangers subsequent time round by sticking to a extra tried-and-true mid-range chip. In spite of everything, the Fairphone 6 received’t possible floor till 2025, so it nonetheless has just a little time earlier than it has to lock down a chip forward of manufacturing.
A wi-fi charging choice can be a pleasant additional
Okay, not everybody cares about wi-fi charging, myself included. I’ve a wi-fi charger, however I typically find yourself simply plugging within the USB-C cable because it’s sooner. Nonetheless, the modular nature of the Fairphone sequence lends itself to a bit extra flexibility. I hope the Fairphone 6 provides wi-fi charging for many who favor it, even when meaning making it an add-on. Maybe Fairphone might accommodate room within the case design however require you to purchase the module individually so you’ll be able to add it your self.
A bodily 3.5mm jack is smart for a telephone like this
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
One other smaller factor however the Fairphone 6 is a telephone that’s additionally a pure match for a 3.5mm headphone jack. Let’s face it, immediately’s wi-fi earbuds and headphones have a a lot larger environmental affect than old-school wired options. There’s a battery, the elements wanted for Bluetooth, in addition to the elements for any on-device controls. If the Fairphone is meant to enchantment to those that wish to reduce their environmental affect, a headphone jack can be a pleasant additional. Identical to wi-fi charging, it might even be one thing you can add on your self for an additional value if the corporate doesn’t wish to provide it by default.
Fairphone 6 wishlist: What would you most wish to see?
17 votes
Improved thermals
0%
Improved battery life
24%
A sooner, extra optimized SoC
65%
Wi-fi charging
6%
A headphone jack
0%
Different (Inform us in feedback)
6%
Will there be a Fairphone 6?
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
It’s method too early for any actual Fairphone 6 rumors simply but but it surely’s fairly possible the telephone will exist ultimately. Fairphone’s first launch was method again in 2013, so it’s a fairly established participant at this level. Then once more, it’s also a really small fish in a giant pond.
Whereas I wasn’t in a position to dig up newer numbers, it seems like the corporate bought round 115,681 handsets in 2022. After all, this was in the course of the Fairphone 4 days, and it was already a 12 months previous. That’s fairly puny when you think about an enormous like Samsung bought round 259 million models. Even manufacturers smaller than giants like Apple and Samsung handle to do a lot better than this. For instance, the Pixel sequence bought round 10 million models in 2022.
It’s actually arduous to gauge how financially steady the corporate is with out understanding extra about its workers prices and different belongings. The world can also be dealing with a whole lot of normal monetary instability in the mean time, making it even more durable to say for positive. Nonetheless, the corporate appears to be doing nicely, and it has a devoted, although small, fanbase. We’d say it’s greater than possible there’ll many extra Fairphone gadgets.
As for when such a telephone may arrive? Fairphone’s constant launch schedule really makes this one fairly straightforward to pin down.
Fairphone 5 — September 14, 2023
Fairphone 4 — September 30, 2021
Fairphone 3 — September 3, 2019
As you’ll be able to see, there was a brand new Fairphone each two years in September because the Fairphone 3. Earlier than that, launch cycles had been a bit extra random. Until Fairphone makes a serious change to its technique, I’d say you might be prone to see the Fairphone 6 debut in any some level in September of 2025.
Must you look forward to the Fairphone 6?
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
The Fairphone 5 hasn’t even been round six months, so I undoubtedly wouldn’t look forward to the following one, however I’m additionally undecided I’d leap out and purchase the present one both. On paper, it’s an excellent telephone however with its reported overheating and battery drain points, I wouldn’t rush out and get one till the corporate has time to optimize the software program additional, which ought to hopefully assist. If you happen to completely need a telephone constructed round ethically sourced supplies, there’s actually no different available different exterior of the Fairphone 4 ($690 at Amazon). Whereas it’s beginning to age already, it might no less than tide you over till the Fairphone 5 both addresses its points or the Fairphone 6 arrives.
Fairphone 5
Modular • Repairable • 8 years of updates
You may take the Fairphone 5 aside with a screwdriver and restore it your self
The Fairphone 5 is a telephone with reparaibility in thoughts. Practically each side of the telephone could be eliminated and changed (and even upgraded) with only one screwdriver. To encourage long-term use, Fairphone will provide 5 Android upgrades, no less than eight years of updates, and presumably even prolong that to 10 years of updates!
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