A year after ordering, still no Pro1.

[Apextech 11]

I had one of my clients order a Pro1 for me after purchasing a Cosmo Communicator myself. The Cosmo was a huge let down in many aspects. I had hoped to get a Pro1 shortly after. A year later and I still have no Pro1 after having it ordered in November 2019. 
The reason I'm posting today is, I got an email promoting the new Pro1-X.

I would be quite pleased if they would send a Pro1-X instead, or send an email asking if we'd rather use the money we already gave to FXTec to put towards a Pro1-X instead.

How long do I have to wait for a QWERTY phone?

[VaZso 1,998]

15 minutes ago, Apextech said:

I would be quite pleased if they would send a Pro1-X instead, or send an email asking if we'd rather use the money we already gave to FXTec to put towards a Pro1-X instead.

I think it worth a question for F(x)tec support to ask the possibilities and potential shipping times.
I would even ask if they could offer the higher-spec version upgrade and the amount of money they would need for it (256 GB / 8 GB instead of 128 GB / 6 GB).

[Adrienspawn 126]

I was very much let down by the announcement of the 2nd generation phone before all issues were patched an addressed in this one, and before everyone even received them.

Seems they are jumping ship. Not a good look.

[VaZso 1,998]

8 minutes ago, Adrienspawn said:

I was very much let down by the announcement of the 2nd generation phone before all issues were patched an addressed in this one, and before everyone even received them.

Seems they are jumping ship. Not a good look.

That is the very same hardware which is expected to ship in March next year.
It has an improved hardware option but definitively it isn't a 2nd generation, so all issues exists here will exists there, thus, all pending issues should be ironed out also here.

As of the pending pre-orders, they should be fulfilled before these new orders will be shipped and as timeframe is big, it should very likely happen.
Also, as far as I read well, they will try to ship them as fast as possible, so it may potentially result in a "constant output" of manufacturing.

[Rob. S. 1,661]

Anyone want to bet whether it's the QWERTZ Pro¹ ordered in September 2019 or the QWERTZ Pro¹ X ordered right now that will arrive first?

[VaZso 1,998]

45 minutes ago, Rob. S. said:

Anyone want to bet whether it's the QWERTZ Pro¹ ordered in September 2019 or the QWERTZ Pro¹ X ordered right now that will arrive first?

Old Pro1 order should arrive earlier, look at the stated shipping date of Pro1(X).
It may happen they will ship Pro1(X) earlier than that date but that should mean all other Pro1 was fulfilled by that time, especially if we are speaking about the same layout.

[Adrienspawn 126]

On 10/27/2020 at 2:21 PM, VaZso said:

That is the very same hardware which is expected to ship in March next year.
It has an improved hardware option but definitively it isn't a 2nd generation, so all issues exists here will exists there, thus, all pending issues should be ironed out also here.

As of the pending pre-orders, they should be fulfilled before these new orders will be shipped and as timeframe is big, it should very likely happen.
Also, as far as I read well, they will try to ship them as fast as possible, so it may potentially result in a "constant output" of manufacturing.

I maintain that it is in poor taste to be upgrading the RAM in newer models by 33% while leaving the screen and microphone issues unfixed.

[VaZso 1,998]

2 hours ago, Adrienspawn said:

I maintain that it is in poor taste to be upgrading the RAM in newer models by 33% while leaving the screen and microphone issues unfixed.

What issues you think with microphone?
If the handsfree mode is the question, it should be done in software.

Also, what issue you found with the screen?
There were some users who had problem, but I think the majority have not experienced problems.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

9 hours ago, Adrienspawn said:

I maintain that it is in poor taste to be upgrading the RAM in newer models by 33% while leaving the screen and microphone issues unfixed.

Apart from what @VaZsoalready said. These two components are most likely super easy to change in the production line, not having to do anything else than mount a logically different chip. More drastic changes are less easy, and would most likely require changes of drivers too (and worst case some new certifications). My guess would be that they do not need to change a single line of code for the memory&storage upgrades. Perhaps a config file, if the chip does not report the size itself.

[VaZso 1,998]

38 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Apart from what @VaZsoalready said. These two components are most likely super easy to change in the production line, not having to do anything else than swap the chip mounted. More drastic changes are less easy, and would most likely require changes of drivers too (and worst case some new certifications). My guess would be that they no not need to change a single line of code for the memory&storage upgrades. Perhaps a config file, if the chip does not report the size itself.

Basically, there are components which also has the same packages but with improved / better version.
The most common chips which have different versions in the same package are memory-like devices.

For example, there are SOIC-8 (-wide) packages which has the same pinouts but they are either Flash, FRAM or maybe EEPROM.
Some of them has compatible way of working, others may have further / faster options or basically similar read/write options but differently solved locking of their areas.
(However, Flash / FRAM / EEPROM have their own usage area and different advantages / disadvantages / working.)
Also different kind of Flash (so 4 Mbit / 64 Mbit / 128 Mbit and so) are exist with different price values.
The bigger versions of FRAM ICs has much far higher prices - like 4 Mbit version which is high amount among FRAMs.
This is one example but I am sure this kind of package is not used in any mobile phones.

However, the flash which they use definitively had the higher version (256 GB) and the same apply for the RAM they use.
Some of them work the very same way but some details have to be determined.
Usually there is an area / official method how it can be read from the specific hardware when it is necessary - that means a manufacturer part and also a size part, especially when the manufacturer designed the chip in a way of having a higher version later.

The software (Linux kernel) most likely has everything which is necessary to identify or handle the specific chip.

...and yes, if they change anything of the design of its PCB, it needs to be certified again, the old certification does not apply for newer hardware, only for the very same one.

[Adrienspawn 126]

8 hours ago, EskeRahn said:

Apart from what @VaZsoalready said. These two components are most likely super easy to change in the production line, not having to do anything else than mount a logically different chip. More drastic changes are less easy, and would most likely require changes of drivers too (and worst case some new certifications). My guess would be that they do not need to change a single line of code for the memory&storage upgrades. Perhaps a config file, if the chip does not report the size itself.

Software issues can be applied to the existing userbase of phones much more easily than replacing the hardware, and the first duty is also to fix errors rather than upgrading things that work fine. There are no known widespread RAM or system memory problems.

[brunoais 334]

Fxtec can only fix hardware problems. They can't fix software problems. It is through them but it's actually IdeaLTE who can fix software problems and they are not reacting at any sort of speed considered.... "Speedy"

[Adrienspawn 126]

It is my understanding that FXtec can and did work on multiple software problems, taking responsibility for proper functioning both before and after release. 

We collectively have no relation with IdeaLTE. That is up to FXtec's discretion as to what is delegated, but the responsibility has been and remains theirs.

Edited October 30, 2020 by Adrienspawn

[brunoais 334]

I agree. However, CCP virus came, we got a pandemic of world proportions and we are stuck with that...

[Adrienspawn 126]

Small companies can react more swiftly and are much more nimble with regard to changing circumstances.

I know that if I had a small amount of funds, I could have quickly had someone design and manufacture cases.

They posted the prototypes of it a long time ago on Twitter, I believe they used transparent hard plastic.

So it is not a question of a wrench being thrown into their plans, simply that they picked the easier route.

[brunoais 334]

Even though F(x)tec is small, the companies f(x)tec has no choice but to rely on are not.
Usually that is true because they have no outside dependencies. In this case, there are many dependencies.

1. Having an OTA update approved by google for Android costs 10000$ or more per build.
2. Snapdragon has preference on the priority for the chips
3. Cases have to be mass-produced, although not in the millions, which requires a factory willing to accept. Otherwise, it's prohibitively expensive to produce.
   1. How do you know the prototype they have shown is actually a good product? It looks good but is it actually good at doing what it is supposed to be doing? Maybe not, so they go back to improve it or iterate on another one.

Given all I've been able to see so far. I seriously doubt they just took the easy way out. Making a phone with as much attention as they did, caring way more about what the phone provides and not following trends... That's is the hard way out, not the easy way.

If they take the hard way out for the phone, I really doubt they are taking the easy way out for the case. It just doesn't add up! I just believe that the designs they have been trying have failed to do their job right and so they are still iterating to find something that actually works and will make the customers happy.

[jlavi 112]

Today a year has passed since I ordered my Pro1 (Qwertz).

[Apextech 11]

I am apparently mistaken. My order was done through one of my customers who just informed me that the order did not happen until Feb 2020. An update to that is all unfulfilled orders will go out in December (hopefully of 2020).