On the pre-production status

[Erik 1,487]

 

Please follow the article above for my updates.

 

[Krzysieq 55]

Being too cautious to pre-order this phone I'm eagerly waiting for it to start shipping and get some tech websites to review it before I make my decision. However, while the above update is much appreciated, I think what would really put people at ease would be regular updates here on the forum every 2-3 days saying where You guys are in terms of being ready to ship. Something as short and open as say:

"We've got XXXX units waiting to ship in our warehouse, we're missing this or that certification or piece of paper from that institution or this ministry or whatever. ETA for this paperwork is this or that day". I know putting numbers out like that is commercially sensitive information, but I'm sure those who pre-ordered would really appreciate knowing where they are in the queue. Two sentences every two-three days, no more, I'm sure it would make it a lot easier for people to wait. I'm not extremely pressed for a new device, my 3 year old phone still works reasonably well and there's no serious alternative to the Pro1 anywhere. So I'm happy to wait especially that it hasn't cost me a penny up to this point, but I understand the frustration of people who forked out 650 EURs behind a promise to get their device in 2-3 weeks time, but after 2 months still got nothing.

[kin9 12]

I suggest that you can announce the shipping date as 2020. Then, you can give us a great surprise that the shipping date will be as early as Oct 2019. It is better than mid Sep -> early Oct -> mid Oct-> maybe late Oct. It is annoying and affect our expectation on the product and your responsibility. Anyway, thanks for your reply and we have waited for your reply so hard.

[EskeRahn 5,453]

We appreciate everyone’s trust and patience, and we promise the wait will be worth it! We can’t wait for you to unbox the Pro1 in the coming weeks.

 

Thanks for clearing things up. :)

 

And as other have pointed out post like the one you just made is greatly appreciated, and if some unforeseen events should change this plan (let's hope not), then please let us know with a small post.

 

It is like when people are getting late to a dinner, it is much better to send a message when you know you are not going to make it on time, than when you were supposed to arrive. As I usually say to my friends. "The time you should have left the building, but didn't, you know you are going to be late". And you can even send a new message when you actually leave, as you then have a fairly good new ETA. I always do that when I'm delayed.

[michael.bosscha 142]

Hooray official word! In my defence, my "mid-November" response came from a guestimation while reviewing what you guys said about maybe not being able to deliver on time past the first batch, and taking into consideration shipping time. I thought I made that clear, but it is now evident that people took the "I think this sounds reasonable" and took it as WE WON'T GET OUR HANDSETS BEFORE NOVEMBER. For that I am really sorry.

 

That being said: really looking forward to unboxing this beauty! Girlfriend will have to entertain herself that day ;-)

[3zet 100]

The first batch of the Pro1 will be on it’s way to our earliest orders in mid-October. We expect the majority, if not all pre-orders, to ship by the end of October.

 

You're kidding me, right? The problem is I spend my money because you guys, as company PROMISED to ship device in 2-3 weeks after paying for preorder, when devices was not even produced. Even better! There was no even certification! I'm curious what would happen in a situation when device wasn't receive certification and company will need to redesign it.

[Jhonny B 5]

Thanks ErikFx for finally giving some updates.

But this update doesn't look that promising.

As you said most pre orders will be sent by end of october, and if i am the one not in those most then i will be getting it in november or if i do.

so its coming to the same point, maybe november.

[EskeRahn 5,453]

Thanks ErikFx for finally giving some updates.

 

But this update doesn’t look that promising.

 

As you said most pre orders will be sent by end of october, and if i am the one not in those most then i will be getting it in november or if i do.

 

so its coming to the same point, maybe november.

 

It says

The first batch of the Pro1 will be on it’s way to our earliest orders in mid-October. We expect the majority, if not all pre-orders, to ship by the end of October.

note the "if not all". I read that as they hope all pre-orders will ship in October. But sure you can choose to read that as there is a risk that some might not ship before November. Your choice to see the glass half full or half empty.

 

[Jhonny B 5]

Ok i make a pledge here. Regardless of when my order is shipped, if its start shipping in mid october then i will make an apology to FX team and everyone here in the forum about november.

But if it gets another delay i will giveup and cancel my order and never return here ever!

[gtmaster303 0]

So we are delayed again to mid or late October? Honestly I don't know what to think of that.

Will they tell us if we're in the first or second batch?

Really hate the obscurity going on, not kidding I feel like a fool right now. Even if it is just another week...

[Raksura 270]

I placed my order in April, expecting to have the phone in 4 months.

In July, you announced a delay of 2 months.

In September, you announced a delay of 1 month.

We are now in October, and you are pretty much announcing a delay of half a month.

Are you guys trying to disprove the Dichotomy Paradox? :o)

[Hook 3,011]

I'm puzzled a bit at the level of outrage over delays. Yes, it's frustrating. And the outrage is fed somewhat by the lack of communication. But we weren't buying a phone sitting in a warehouse. We paid for a reservation for a new technology product prior to manufacture. The difference between this and crowdfunding is, in part, timescale, but mostly that, when I paid my money, while I knew delivery date was a gamble, I was convinced I had sufficient evidence that the actual production of the device was not a gamble. For even the best planned , best funded project, there will be inevitable unforeseen delays along the way. It is frustrating to wait, but it is not their fault that my Nexus 6p died before they could reach the finish line. (I'm stuck with Moto G6, a meh-phone I picked up from Google Fi for $99 to get me through).

 

The Pro 1 will come. Of that, I am sure. I hate the wait, but I am pretty sure the F(X) people aren't fucking with me and I am going to be deliriously happy with what I end up with.

 

I just wish they would communicate like the OP, to the group, more often.

 

JMO YMMV

[Gon009 70]

So we are delayed again to mid or late October? Honestly I don’t know what to think of that.

 

Will they tell us if we’re in the first or second batch?

 

Really hate the obscurity going on, not kidding I feel like a fool right now. Even if it is just another week…

...or two weeks if mid-October for them is 3rd week of October.

 

Also, is first batch production batch or shipping batch? From what was told on maemo forum over a month ago the first batch of production was already almost ready then and was very limited in quantity. It would be disappointing if the first batch said in the post is actually a production batch, probably reserved only to people with the coupon code or who got their payment emails first. Could you clarify, Erik-FX?

 

And then what, mid-November? Early-December? Late-December? 2020?

[anonim001 105]

I’m puzzled a bit at the level of outrage over delays. Yes, it’s frustrating. And the outrage is fed somewhat by the lack of communication. But we weren’t buying a phone sitting in a warehouse. We paid for a reservation for a new technology product prior to manufacture. The difference between this and crowdfunding is, in part, timescale, but mostly that, when I paid my money, while I knew delivery date was a gamble, I was convinced I had sufficient evidence that the actual production of the device was not a gamble. For even the best planned , best funded project, there will be inevitable unforeseen delays along the way. It is frustrating to wait, but it is not their fault that my Nexus 6p died before they could reach the finish line. (I’m stuck with Moto G6, a meh-phone I picked up from Google Fi for $99 to get me through).

 

The Pro 1 will come. Of that, I am sure. I hate the wait, but I am pretty sure the F(X) people aren’t fucking with me and I am going to be deliriously happy with what I end up with.

 

I just wish they would communicate like the OP, to the group, more often.

 

JMO YMMV

 

I disagree here. What we paid for is not for some reservation. We were told, that the payment will be required 2-3 weeks before SHIPPING. This means, that the device is ready and will be shipped in a few days after the payment, maybe some more when they're out of stock and I have to wait a few days more for the new batch to arrive.

From what we know now, the device was not even certified when we paid. We were simply used instead of a bank as a creditor - they took the money from us for an unfinished product to be able to finish the project. I personally feel lied here. I didn't agree for this. I wanted to pay for a ready product, not for something in development. They even kept the information about delays as a secret for the time of IFA just for their profit - of the device wasn't certified yet it's obvious that they knew earlier about it. That's just nothing but dishonesty.

[PC_ 61]

I'm cool with people cancelling their orders. The more orders that are cancelled, the sooner I should get my Pro1.

[is 65]

they took the money from us for an unfinished product to be able to finish the project. I personally feel lied here.

 

How do you figure? isn't this exactly what pre-order means? Hell, I was prepared to give my moneys back in Feb or March or whenever I saw this.

 

Like a lot of people said, the communication could be better, but I'm willing to sympathize, launching such an ambitious project is never easy. If it were easy everyone would be doing it. I know I would :)

 

Regulatory limitations make perfect sense to me to delay shipping. Might have been unexpected delay there or just someone lost track, who cares, it's done now, "Manuel" is happy, we will be too one day soon. If you're like me, you've waited for YEARS for this, what's another few weeks or even months. I am sure they are trying, you do not get this far by just sitting around. Let's not be over-dramatic, be optimistic and supportive.

[Wasmachineman_NL 99]

I’m cool with people cancelling their orders. The more orders that are cancelled, the sooner I should get my Pro1.

LoL

[Jhonny B 5]

I’m cool with people cancelling their orders. The more orders that are cancelled, the sooner I should get my Pro1.

 

Maybe look at from another angle then. mainstream is not intrested in this phone and only fans like us.

and if many of them cancel then the pro1 itself will be cancelled

[Jhonny B 5]

The Pro 1 will come. Of that, I am sure. I hate the wait, but I am pretty sure the F(X) people aren’t fucking with me and I am going to be deliriously happy with what I end up with.

 

JMO YMMV

 

And how are you sure the Pro1 will come? what if after a while they will drop this final update that its cancelled.

I am sure FX team want to release it so that they sell it and make money. but what is stopping them? the updates they keep posting is very similar excuses.

so i am concerned that there is a big milestone or issue that they are not able to overcome and they can eventually cancel the project.

i am not saying its the all truth because i dont know. but it seems like its heading towards cancelling the project

[FlyingAntero 869]

I placed my order in April, expecting to have the phone in 4 months.

 

In July, you announced a delay of 2 months.

 

In September, you announced a delay of 1 month.

 

We are now in October, and you are pretty much announcing a delay of half a month.

 

Are you guys trying to disprove the Dichotomy Paradox? :o)

 

Hey, that means that the delay would never reach 4 months so we would get the phone soon ;).

 

Seriously speaking, I am not happy with the situation but I am still willing to wait. I have been waiting since the Moto Mod campaign so 1 or 2 months doesn't make any difference anymore. I just can't wait to get the device in my hands. Hopefully I will get the phone before the end of this year.

[Krzysieq 55]

I'm not sure everyone here is on the same page with what "pre-ordering" stuff really means. Have You ever pre-ordered anything on - say - amazon? I've done so numerous times, mostly with PS4 games, Mortal Kombat in particular. The way that would work was that the studio making the game would announce a provisional release date, which would trigger the possibility to pre-order the game to appear on the webpage. Once clicked, I was guaranteed by amazon to get the game as soon as it releases, for a price no bigger than that displayed on the page (I actually had that price decrease once or twice over the years). But it has also happened to me that the game was delayed, which had no effect on the validity of my pre-order - I still got the game as soon as it was out and was probably among the first few people to get it. Whether it was worth the extra wait is another question, for me the answer to that is invariably "yes".

 

What's important and very different here is the reputation of the firm offering the pre-order option. I never once doubted amazon to deliver on their pre-order, or give me my money back in case the studio decided to cancel my beloved next iteration MK for whatever reasons. Here there's no intermediary so everyone who's already paid is at the mercy of FXTec, who clearly have issues with open communication. Personally I would take little comfort in the statements that there are laws in the UK to protect the money of those, who pre-ordered. Bigger companies have failed before and the clients are typically the last ones in the queue to get their debt settled by the collapsing company. Which is precisely why I wrote before - in their own best interest FXTec should improve their communication style and be open and honest with the community here. The worst truth is still way better than the most beautiful lie.

 

[EskeRahn 5,453]

I’m not sure everyone here is on the same page with what “pre-ordering” stuff really means. Have You ever pre-ordered anything on – say – amazon? I’ve done so numerous times, mostly with PS4 games, Mortal Kombat in particular. The way that would work was that the studio making the game would announce a provisional release date, which would trigger the possibility to pre-order the game to appear on the webpage. Once clicked, I was guaranteed by amazon to get the game as soon as it releases, for a price no bigger than that displayed on the page (I actually had that price decrease once or twice over the years). But it has also happened to me that the game was delayed, which had no effect on the validity of my pre-order – I still got the game as soon as it was out and was probably among the first few people to get it. Whether it was worth the extra wait is another question, for me the answer to that is invariably “yes”.

 

What’s important and very different here is the reputation of the firm offering the pre-order option. I never once doubted amazon to deliver on their pre-order, or give me my money back in case the studio decided to cancel my beloved next iteration MK for whatever reasons. Here there’s no intermediary so everyone who’s already paid is at the mercy of FXTec, who clearly have issues with open communication. Personally I would take little comfort in the statements that there are laws in the UK to protect the money of those, who pre-ordered. Bigger companies have failed before and the clients are typically the last ones in the queue to get their debt settled by the collapsing company. Which is precisely why I wrote before – in their own best interest FXTec should improve their communication style and be open and honest with the community here. The worst truth is still way better than the most beautiful lie.

 

I'm not sure how much is EU legislation and how much is country dependant, but in DK you are fairly secured to get your money back for a EU trade gone wrong paid with a credit card. I think it is some mutual insurance scheme between the banks that cover the losses - but do not know the finer details.

IF you use some paying agency like PayPal, you are NOT secured by the banks though, but PayPal got their own buyer protection arrangements.

[Noir 112]

@Krzysieq

I'm not a big gamer, but just have a look at the Metroid Franchise, be it Metroid Prime Hunters for the DS or Metroid Prime 4, delays, starts from scratch, expected release dates were pushed alot. And those are not 20-man companies.

[anonim001 105]

I've seen maaaany big companies in my country to fall and their workers and customers got nothing, because after selling all the goods the company had the money didn't cover even half of the debts.

My friend once bought a laptop in a real shop over the internet, paid for it with a bank transfer and after few weeks of waiting the seller has said, that he has lost the money somewhere on the street on his way from his bank to his house. The court said that the money loss was clearly unintended and the seller is not guilty. Meanwhile the shop bancrupted. He ended up with no money and no laptop - that's how it works in many cases, and he wasn't the only victim. So even if there is some law protection, the private customers get their money as the last bankrupcy victims - in first row there are banks, vendors, producers, service providers etc., and if there is some money left at the end - customers maybe will get their money.

 

That's why I'm so sceptical and afraid of all this...

[PC_ 61]

A wise man once said to me that you shouldn't loan money to anyone unless you can afford not to get it back.

 

I guess the same rule applies to taking the gamble of pre-ordering something from a new company that has no track record of delivering a product. There is a certain amount of risk involved. You would be naive not to think this. If you can't afford to lose the money then don't take the risk.

 

Having said that, everyone should just stop complaining and being so negative. So the product has been delayed. Give the guys a chance. There is no eveidence to suggest that they're not working hard to deliver on there promises. Just chill out. If you genuinely can't wait, then cancel your pre-order and wait for the phone to become readily available in online shops.

 

Just be greatful that you didn't pre-order the Open Pandora back in the day. That was a really painful experience.