this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2025

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148

Switching from iPhone 15 Pro to Fairphone 5: An experience (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 1 week ago by Blaze@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/buyeuropean@feddit.uk

27 comments fedilink hide all child comments

https://old.reddit.com/r/BuyFromEU/comments/1j7x1ce/switching_from_iphone_15_pro_to_fairphone_5_my/

I recently made the switch from an iPhone 15 Pro to a Fairphone 5. After facing battery replacement issues with various Apple devices (unexplained delays and missing parts on a M1 14" MacBook Pro) and considering the current events in the US, I decided to self-host my encrypted services and move away from iCloud and iPhone.

I almost canceled my Fairphone 5 order after reading reviews online that suggested it would be slow and have a poor camera. However, I was determined to make the switch because I was tired of my iPhone software bugs. To my surprise, the Fairphone 5 has been incredibly responsive, and I haven't noticed any lag.

Regarding the camera, I believe the issue lies with the official app. I did side-by-side comparisons with the iPhone, and the Fairphone with Gcam actually outperformed the iPhone a few times, which tends to overcorrect with its software, leading to glitches, especially in videos. Once the photos are edited in RAW DNG format, the difference is barely noticeable (if even) in Lightroom.

Where the iPhone excels is in optical stabilization, and I personally prefer smaller phones like the iPhone 15, 16 or Samsung S24 / S25. While I'm very happy with my Fairphone 5, a smaller Fairphone 6 would be perfect.

For now, I've kept the stock Android OS and use a firewall along with NextDNS, as I use my phone for work and haven't had the time to switch to /e/OS. However, that's a future project. In the meantime, I'm using Fossify apps to enhance my privacy and security.

Overall, I'm thrilled with my decision to switch to Fairphone and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sustainable and ethical alternative.

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[–] JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 7 points 6 days ago

Will you do a follow up 3 month or 6 month review or something?

New phone reviews are very often very positive and haven't run into most of the bugs as well as having the whole "new gadget glow" or so. I want my next phone to be a fairphone, but all of the longer term detailed reviews are very unsatisfied and bug-infested 😥

For example, when I got Xperia 5ii, I would have given it 8 out of 10. Now after a few years I would probably give it a 6 out of 10 because I have run into a ton of bugs and quirks with the phone.

[–] kronarbob@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

first time I used my fp5, i was shocked by the amount of google apps installed. I immediately turned it off and change for a degoogled ROM .

Until you can use /e/OS, If you do not use a VPN, I can recommand you to use blokada to limit the trackers and ads. Blokada 5 is free, blokada 4 is free and allows you to choose a custom DNS.

[–] peppermintprince@sopuli.xyz 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Similar experience for me, also switched from iPhone 15 to FP5 recently and am very happy with it. I even got the e/os/ version. The switch was quite the effort but you'd have that with any other android as well coming from Apple. So far it has not felt like a downgrade at all, although I would not consider myself a "power user" when it comes to phones.

[–] Kyouki@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I did the same switch but to Nothing Phone 2A, really happy with it.

[–] JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 12 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Very different. Nothing phone is a Chinese phone with a UK brand. The only thing European about it is that the profits go to a UK company and it employs European sales, management, and marketing people. It is not engineered in the EU, nor is the software written in the EU (currently) to the best of our knowledge. Fairphone is both designed and coded in the EU. One of the only phones I think.

https://feddit.nl/comment/15917462

[–] Swarfega@lemm.ee 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Nothing has an investors page and every single one is American. Including Reddit's favourite, Steve Huffman.

That said, at least it's not a completely American product like the majority of popular phones out there. Choose your battles etc

[–] Kyouki@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

This escaped me at first, you're right. Interesting...

[–] Swarfega@lemm.ee 3 points 6 days ago

I wouldn't let it worry you. You're in a better place than me with my Google Pixel 😄

[–] Kyouki@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Yeah. I was tempted to go with Fairphone first, given it's also Dutch- but did also saw the complaints of OP by it being slow and others. Nothing came really decent out of the reviews. I didn't consider when making the switch 3 months ago if it were European enough- but so far I been having a good experience as a first android device.

Just happy I can also limit or lock it down even further outside of the hardware, I am stuck with that. Other option would've been Pixel towards GrapheneOS, but that felt silly and too much American.

Thanks for the information/confirmation though.

[–] ThomasCrappersGhost@feddit.uk 1 points 6 days ago

Thanks. I’ve been in a cooler design versus more established product, there are other things that make the FP the better choice, too.

[–] mariusafa 1 points 5 days ago

Now install it Calyx Os and join the gang. Any other degoogled Android is fine too.

[–] mugglewue@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago

I switched from iPhone to Volla Phone. I have no regrets 🙂

[–] genuineparts@infosec.pub 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I love my FP5. And the removeable Battery is a nice party trick to pull in room full of techies :D

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 19 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Time is a circle. This is what phones did before companies started to copy Apple/Malus.

[–] genuineparts@infosec.pub 5 points 6 days ago

I'm so old that i remember when your Phone could accept AAA Batteries in lieu of the rechargeable battery pack if you were in a bind (Alcatel one touch easy).

[–] NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk 3 points 6 days ago

I feel so old that someone old enough to read may actually not have known that :(

[–] Skunk@jlai.lu 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Thanks for the review. I got to Apple just because they made mini iPhone, but now that they stopped I'm considering something else, more like Framework for laptop (American I know, but the repair-ability idea is great).

Maybe fairphone 6 or 7 will be my next phone as I don't care at all about cameras, only modularity and repairs.

EDIT: Oo, they even have reparable earbuds now. Ok my next phone will definitely be a fairphone

[–] yumyumsmuncher@feddit.uk 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Always wanted a Fairphone but I can't afford a £500 phone, ended up getting an used Pixel 7 with same if not better specs for £150

[–] FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Are Pixels that cheap?

[–] Swarfega@lemm.ee 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

My dad picked up a new Pixel 8 for £230 last November. That's a really good deal.

[–] Kornblumenratte@feddit.org 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The key word here is used.

[–] FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 week ago

My foggy brain missed that. Cheers.

[–] Hello_there@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago

For anyone in a non-supported country: I've been watching this for a bit and faiphone seems to have little interest in expanding to additional countries. They will offer their products thru a local reseller, but there's no support for spare parts thru resellers.

[–] zeronyk@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Is rooted android possible?

[–] GreatBlue@infosec.pub 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I have a FP4 and rooting was possible. I'm pretty sure they haven't removed the ability for the FP5

[–] Dezzorian@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

Correct!

[–] DrainedOctagon@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 1 week ago

I've kinda wanted a Fairphone, but the last time I checked, it was way too expensive for me. And I don't think that it's easy to get them in India either :/