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Rant: Why the F**** does F(x)tec not fix simple bugs?!


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I am talking about really easy fixes, like the in-call audio volume, that are actually fixed in LineageOS already. You guys/gals from F(x)tec get bugfixes presented on a golden plate. And yet, nothing happens! The Pro1 could be made so much better with so little effort and just a tiny OTA!

 

Sorry, I just called family and friends, and the crazy high in-call volume made my ears bleed ... "Hey, could you please call me back? I bought this cool phone for just 800€ ... and ... I can only use it for calls when people call me. Otherwise, the audio is too high. And yes, this is embarrassing!"  😞

(And no, installing LineageOS is not an option right now)

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I wish I had an answer. I'm a bit frustrated too, and would even be willing to PAY to get a few of the most annoying software bugs fixed.

But it IS a small company with few people. And even if they wished to do so I doubt the various licensing would allow them to put things out open source without breaking various certifications and/or licensing. But would be awesome if they let people help them - starting with some of the things the Lineage guys already have tracked down and fixed....

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6 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

But would be awesome if they let people help them - starting with some of the things the Lineage guys already have tracked down and fixed....

I agree - it would be good if they would integrate LineageOS fixes into stock firmware or hire somebody who is competent in Android development like @tdm to do this valuable work...

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39 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

But it IS a small company with few people....

This is even more of a reason to fix these huge annoyances that need so little work to be done.

Software is, in my opinion, the number one reason not to buy a Pro1. This is in stark contrast to the hardware. F(x)tek made some really good choices there, with plenty of RAM and internal memory...

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Is this in-call volume thing really a general issue in all shipped devices? I ask because I saw only a few complaints so far. And because it would totally prohibit me from using the phone as a daily driver, perhaps make me carry a second device just for phone calls, requiring a monthly payment for a second SIM card if I want to keep my phone number...

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1 hour ago, Rob. S. said:

Is this in-call volume thing really a general issue in all shipped devices?

It is annoying at first but I got used to it. I just hold the phone speaker further away from my ear I guess.

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3 hours ago, daniel.schaaaf said:

And yet, nothing happens

My guess is that software updates are basically on hold until they can actually resume shipping in volumes and there is no sign of this happening yet.

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TBH I can't blame them for not pushing software updates ATM cause the quality of what they have is already really good. No show stoppers IMHO. What I find most annoying is the spellchecker not working in Chrome. Was this fixed in LOS?

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26 minutes ago, Slion said:

It is annoying at first but I got used to it. I just hold the phone speaker further away from my ear I guess.

Haha, I do that too. Unfortunately this triggers another bug: The proximity sensor is not sensitive enough (probably just a too low threshold value in some config file). During a call, the screen switches on "randomly", and my ear or cheek change the brightness to max or launch apps ...

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They have another issue: They're totally dependent on IdeaLTE to actually build the OS for them. They certainly can tell them what to integrate (as happened with netman's keyboard driver), but they might not even have the entire source code of the stock OS image themselves.
I don't know their contracts or conditions, but if I were them, I'd put some effort in moving the build environment and required keys to sign the stuff to myself if possible. I doubt this is without hurdles in practice, however.

Also, still pending Google certification for the updated security patch level. They probably could still build for the one they previously used, though. Unless there's restriction on that... sounds dumb but you never know.

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6 hours ago, daniel.schaaaf said:

Haha, I do that too. Unfortunately this triggers another bug: The proximity sensor is not sensitive enough (probably just a too low threshold value in some config file). During a call, the screen switches on "randomly", and my ear or cheek change the brightness to max or launch apps ...

I guess my ears are big enough so that this is not a problem for me 👂I don't lift the phone off my skin I just place the speaker further away from my ear canal.

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Just now, Slion said:

I guess my ears are big enough so that this is not a problem for me 👂I don't lift the phone off my skin I just place the speaker further away from my ear canal.

Don't get me wrong though, that bug ought to be fixed ASAP. I don't like it when phone's speakers are so loud everyone around you can hear your whole conversation. However while at first frustrating I could somehow workaround it fairly easily.

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10 hours ago, elvissteinjr said:

They have another issue: They're totally dependent on IdeaLTE to actually build the OS for them.

Very important piece of information, thanks!

 

I would also like to thank everyone else here for being sympathetic, despite my harsh words. Although the Pro1 (software) can be frustrating to use at times, I do not regret having bought one, and I am glad that F(x)tec made such a fine piece of hardware. I guess this is part of the problem for me: Had the hardware been crappy, I could have written off the Pro1 and simply forget about it 😄

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23 hours ago, Rob. S. said:

Is this in-call volume thing really a general issue in all shipped devices? I ask because I saw only a few complaints so far. And because it would totally prohibit me from using the phone as a daily driver, perhaps make me carry a second device just for phone calls, requiring a monthly payment for a second SIM card if I want to keep my phone number...

Every. Single. One.
We have just accepted it as one of the things we have to live with.
High pitch buzzing sound. It's godawful.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/10/2020 at 11:00 AM, VaZso said:

I agree - it would be good if they would integrate LineageOS fixes into stock firmware or hire somebody who is competent in Android development like @tdm to do this valuable work...

I have access to the stock code and I could do some builds with bug fixes. But I don't see the point. The biggest (only IMO) reason to run stock is for the locked boot loader and play store certification (aka safety net). IdeaLTE does not share the keys to sign builds, so my builds cannot run locked. And, if you really want safety net to pass in Lineage, there are ways to make that happen.

 

 

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What's really getting to me is when I record a video, the audio is horrible and that's clearly due to software. Very concerned with the snail pace on fixes. And setting a wallpaper still winds up compressing the image horizontally. 

6e7lahmw6x.jpg

Edited by Adrienspawn
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2 hours ago, Craig said:

i know im on topic but wtf, did anyone figure out why fxtec doesnt fix simple bugs?

The last we heard was the last update was still stuck in certification (guess as part of the Corona-mess everywhere?). And any new updates will need certification too. So until that is solved I'm not expecting any new fixes. 😢

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On 6/2/2020 at 6:17 AM, Craig said:

i know im on topic but wtf, did anyone figure out why fxtec doesnt fix simple bugs?

I'm guessing we won't see any software update until they have resumed shipping significant volume of devices. To be fair spending time and money improving software for just around thousand devices simply does not make sense.

Shipping has now been stopped for about 4 months. That very small batch of qwertz from a month ago hardly qualifies as 'shipping' regardless of what FxTec would have us believe.

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1 hour ago, Slion said:

Shipping has now been stopped for about 4 months. That very small batch of qwertz from a month ago hardly qualifies as 'shipping' regardless of what FxTec would have us believe.

Dont worry about that.  They're shipping more in the next few weeks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/10/2020 at 11:42 PM, daniel.schaaaf said:

Haha, I do that too. Unfortunately this triggers another bug: The proximity sensor is not sensitive enough (probably just a too low threshold value in some config file). During a call, the screen switches on "randomly", and my ear or cheek change the brightness to max or launch apps ...

Hm, it may not be the sensitivity of the proximity sensor after all. I noticed that I usually see my screen set to max. brightness by my ears touching the screen after a longer conversation.

Apparently, the proximity sensor gets ignored ten minutes into a phone call. I can cover the sensor all I want, the screen would not switch off.

I usually use Signal to make calls, but I think the phone app has the same problem...

Edited by daniel.schaaaf
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