Fairphone 3+ vs Volla Phone vs ?????

AdLinux · 19 May 2021, 20:29

I'm looking at switching phones and really want to get a modern phone that I can run Ubuntu Touch on as a daily driver.

I've been testing the OS out for a while now and I really like it so I want to go all in on using it as my daily phone.

So, after doing some research I'm looking at two phones in particular, but would love to hear any advice you guys might be able to give me. I am looking for a phone that is new(ish), as in 2019 being the oldest phone I would want to go for. I want something that can run Ubuntu Touch well enough (at first) to use as a daily driver phone; so being able to call, text, access the internet, get updates and transfer files to and from my computer via a USB cable (I forget what that exact protocol is called).

I've whittled it down to the Fairphone 3+ and the Volla Phone. Both will cost a similar amount for me to get in the UK and both seem to have a lot of work going on to do with UBports which is great to see!

Which of these would you go for and why? Or, do you think I'm missing out an even better third option?

A few other things I am considering when buying the phones are also; that the bootloader is relatively easy to unlock if I need to. That it supports SD Cards. And it having a nice camera is always a plus, my current phone (a Samsung A3 2016) has a 13MP rear camera, so anything that equals or beats that would be great!

I look forward to hearing your suggestions! Thanks in advance!

stanwood · 19 May 2021, 21:00

@adlinux Don't know much about Fairphone 3 porting progress (seems that mtp* access is not yet functional)
https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/fp3/

Vollaphone works now really well on UT, latest OTA-17 just brought the automatic screen light adjustment as well as off-line charging.

However some users are experiencing difficulties with cellular calls or data on some North American carriers.

The Vollaphone is also one of the only devices that can be purchased with Ubuntu Touch installed.

*MTP = Media Transfer Protocol (Ability to transfer files via USB with a computer)

unrealb2 · 20 May 2021, 03:52

@stanwood I'm not much help but I just got an xperia x compact. The camera and screen suprised me, I prefer smaller phones but I know the regular xperia x has a great camera as well. And im pretty sure they have an sd slot. Cheers mate. My compact is great, the only thing I wish is the headphone jack to work. I'm looking into how to fix that, something in the software isn't right. Not sure if Xperia X has the same issue. But other than that everything else works great.

domubpkm · 20 May 2021, 05:40

The Volla UT(i bought one) should become a very reliable smartphone in an indefinable time. Although it can generally be used as a daily driver, it suffers from a number of problems (41 issues open at this day), some of which vary depending on the phone operator, NOT ONLY in North America. But I trust, among others, the team of motivated and available developers of Volla to eliminate them gradually.
Issues open : https://github.com/HelloVolla/ubuntu-touch-beta-tests/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue

odo · 20 May 2021, 07:19

I would not expect to much from the camera. The UT camera app is very, very basic. On today's phones mainly the app is responsible for the performance.

Luksus · 20 May 2021, 09:44

@adlinux Hi, I am the "porter" of the FP3/+ and I (sadly) have to say that the FP3+ (on Android 10 base) is definitely not ready for daily usage.
The FP3 with older camera modules maybe. But there are some quirks with mobile-data/cellular network for some users still.
So the older FP3 would be an option, if it has to be a "fair" phone.
If the "fair" is not your first priority, you currently will have a better experience with Volla or Experia.

Keneda · 20 May 2021, 11:38

There is also the Pixel 3a that seem fairly well supported as a 2019 smartphone.
https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/sargo/
But no SD card on it.

libremax · 20 May 2021, 11:53

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 may be also a good fit for you: https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/lavender/

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 20:36

@stanwood Hey Stan, thanks for the input.

I'll look into the cellular data in my area, I'm on O2, who are usually quite good here in Britain. I've just sent Volla Phone themselves an email asking about it.

Also, thanks for letting me know that it was MTP I was thinking about, I'll have to remember that! Now this might seem really silly, but what is off-line charging? I'm assuming it doesn't mean the phones ability to charge whilst disconnected from wifi lol

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 20:40

@unrealb2 I'll put that one on the maybe pile. I had looked at it but didn't think too much about it as it's almost as old as my current phone.

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 20:49

@domubpkm Thanks for letting me know about the Volla Phone's problems. I've looked through that github list and like you said, the thing to look out for seems to be the network coverage which is quite a big deal.

For that reason I've emailed Volla about this to get their input and they have actually responded to me saying:

"I found the following information on the UK website of O2.

LTE BANDS UK

1 - 2100 MHz
3 - 1800 MHz
7 - 2600 MHz
8 - 900 MHz
20 - 800 Mhz

The Volla Phone operates on

GSM / 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz,
UMTS / 3G: 900 / 2100 MHz,
FDD / LTE / 4G: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz"

O2 are the mobile network that my SIM is connected to.

So this looks like it should be all good (as far as I can tell, the numbers at least seem to match), at least from a hardware level. But do you think the issues could be more closely related to software?

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 20:52

@odo That's okay, on my current phone I've been using LineageOS, so I'm quite used to not having the OEM/stock camera app. I just thought that a higher MP camera would be nice if I could get one. I don't need all of the extra 'beautifying' stuff, just a good camera would do.

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 21:06

@luksus Hey Luksus, I really respect and appreciate your honesty about the current port of the FP3+.

What are the current issues to do with mobile data? Is it similar to what people have been saying about the Volla Phone where some people aren't able to get a connection? Or is it something else?

The "fair" in Fairphone is important to me, and for a while they were the only phone company that I would consider buying a phone from new, for any other phone I now buy second hand. I can't get behind the idea of buying a phone that has been built by a slave in some hell hole concentration camp. Unfortunately, a lot of phone companies seem to choose to build their phones that way.

The thing that actually made me consider buying a Volla (which I would need to buy new) was the fact that they are made in Germany and not China, this way I can be pretty sure that they were manufactured under good (I hope) working conditions. So other than Volla and Fairphone, any other phone I would consider buying I would have to buy second hand to make sure that those companies don't get my money...... so that concludes my Ted talk on the subject.

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 21:09

@keneda I had looked into the Pixel 3a, and it looks so good. It really is the lack of an SD card slot that's holding me back as 64GB of storage is just not enough for me.

I'll put it on the maybe pile though, just in case I don't get along with the Volla or Fairphone.

AdLinux · 20 May 2021, 21:19

@libremax I had looked at this phone before, and it does look really good. The thing that has put me off however, is the way that it seems you have to unlock the bootloader.

How easy is it to unlock the bootloader on the Redmi Note 7? And is it possible to do it without having to give my details over to Xiaomi and wait for them to grant me the unlocking code?

The phone itself looks great, I just don't like what I've heard about Xiaomi. But if I'm wrong please tell me!

stanwood · 20 May 2021, 21:22

Now this might seem really silly, but what is off-line charging? I'm assuming it doesn't mean the phones ability to charge whilst disconnected from wifi lol

Off-line charging means that the device can be charged when it is switched off.

stanwood · 20 May 2021, 21:25

@adlinux Redmi Note 7 works really well on UT as well:

You can read my state of play here:

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6026/redmi-note-7-state-of-play/6

However, indeed, you need to first unlock the bootloader using MI flashtool.

Best is to follow carefully the UBports installer instructions.

domubpkm · 20 May 2021, 21:30

@adlinux said in Fairphone 3+ vs Volla Phone vs ?????:

Thanks for letting me know about the Volla Phone's problems. I've looked through that github list and like you said, the thing to look out for seems to be the network coverage which is quite a big deal.
For that reason I've emailed Volla about this to get their input and they have actually responded to me saying:
"I found the following information on the UK website of O2.
LTE BANDS UK
1 - 2100 MHz
3 - 1800 MHz
7 - 2600 MHz
8 - 900 MHz
20 - 800 Mhz
The Volla Phone operates on
GSM / 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz,
UMTS / 3G: 900 / 2100 MHz,
FDD / LTE / 4G: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz"
O2 are the mobile network that my SIM is connected to.
So this looks like it should be all good (as far as I can tell, the numbers at least seem to match), at least from a hardware level. But do you think the issues could be more closely related to software?

I think you should ask if other users use the same data provider as you on the Volla and what kind of problems they have... After that you could decide

Luksus · 21 May 2021, 06:37

@adlinux Hi, for the FP3+ the main issues are:

mobile data does not work at all
cellular network (phone, sms) is somehow connected to WiFi
I am not really sure yet, what the main reason is:
- either it only depends on the activated wifi-toggle
- or it needs an active data connection
  Anyway, in most situations, If I am not at home and there is no WiFi, I miss calls and can't do calls.
video recording does not work yet, but that's low priority compared to call/sms issues

AdLinux · 22 May 2021, 08:58

@stanwood Thanks for clearing up my confusion to do with on-line and off-line charging. I hadn't even considered that a phone wouldn't be able to charge when turned off!

As for the Xiaomi; I am really tempted by these phones and have looked at them before. From a hardware perspective they look great, the big killer for me is how I would need to go about unlocking the bootloader.

Here's where I might be getting a bit tin foil hat-ish; I simply do not trust giving Xiaomi any of my data whatsoever. So, do you know if it is at all possible to unlock the bootloader without creating a Mi account? If I can't then I'll have to pass on the Xiaomi's even if their phones do look really good.