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These repairable phones still aren't built to last (www.spacebar.news)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (3 children)

The software support hinges on SoC vendor support. You can only support it as long as the SoC vendor supports the SoC. Afterwards you can provide quasi support, for the upper OS layer only. Critical modem vulnerability past that point? SOL. I'm not aware of the current vendor support across brands but the last time I checked QC offered ~3 years and I think that's from introduction of the SoC, not when it shipped in devices. I don't know if anyone who sells their SoC offers longer support. It's sad stuff.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I think this is why Fairphone chose an SoC that is usually used in industrial/IoT hardware for the FP5. They'll apparently get software support from Qualcomm until 2028.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Due to choosing a chip intended for IoT use, the FP5 should even get updates for eight years, until 2031.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Even if official support isn't possible past a certain point (Google and Samsung are pushing 7+ years, fwiw), all phones need to have a bootloader unlock mechanism for unofficial support past that point. LineageOS or mobile Linux with some broken functionality is still better than nothing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

No question. All I'm saying is it's not feasible or truthful for the device OEM to claim they can support longer than the SoC vendor supports the proprietary SoC bits.

Or they have to clearly specify that the support is not all-inclusive and/or that it's best-effort.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

i imagine thats why they are pushing for vendors to mainline all that soc driver code.

sadly we are still SOL when it comes to modem firmware. thats probably why stingrays can work so well.