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submitted 1 week ago by Cyber@feddit.uk to c/buyeuropean@feddit.uk

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It seems that Fairphone will finally end the Fairphone 3 (and 3+) support in August after 7 years.

I am still using my FP3+ daily - the only thing that has gone wrong with it was that I wore out the USB connector with cheap charging cables... so a new bottom connector (and a spare battery, just in case) and I'm all good again...

... which means, I might not be buying another phone for another couple of years yet, let's see if it'll make 10 years with LineageOS, etc!

I'm sure there's other phones still chugging along...

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[-] wltr@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 6 days ago

How can you wear a connector with cheap cables? Never thought there’s any difference. I thought the cheap cable can damage your phone via other means, like something to do with the current / voltage / amperage.

[-] JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 23 points 6 days ago

USB has very tight tolerance standards for USB-C. It means that there is just the right amount of clamp that it stays in while maximizing the lifespans before the clamping mechanism wears out.

If you use cheap cables, they are often made out of spec which can wear out the clamping and make the port either not charge or even fall out. HMD (Nokia) phones had terrible connectors for at least their first 3 generations that wore out, even with certified cables, after 6 months and my cables would literally not charge and just practically fall out.

The safest bet is to choose a USB-IF member as they are certified with the standard.

[-] bonenode@piefed.social 7 points 6 days ago

Yeah, I think the USB c port just wears out in general over time. Maybe its worse if you use different cables, like alternating the use, dunno.

Our laptops at work have that issue too, since we plug and and unplug them multiple times between docking stations and meeting rooms, the USB c ports wear out pretty quickly. Then for some reason you can not connect to mic and video in the meeting room, but the big screen connects fine. Totally bizarre, you connect it via USB a and it all works.

[-] fushuan 1 points 5 days ago

In my case it was just dust and clothing fluff that accumulated after having the phone in my pocket. I had to clean with a pointy thing and it clamps again fine. It might have been clap wear but fluff accumulation might be an issue too.

[-] Cyber@feddit.uk 5 points 6 days ago

Yeah, just as @JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl mentioned, the cables seemed good origianally because they were such a tight fit, but over time they just wore away the connector.

But, it could have been a "certified" cable and I might have dropped the phone straight on the connector - the point is really, that I can just replace a small component not an entire phone, which is what we (consumers) really need / want. 🎉

[-] wltr@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 6 days ago

Thank you guys for your replies!

this post was submitted on 19 Apr 2026

175 points (100.0% liked)

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