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Samsung and Other Manufacturers Disable Phones Bought on Gray Markets: A Consumer Nightmare
(nomadscrolls.net)
this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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how samsung know if i bought their phone in gray market?
Just guessing. The phone is ear-marked for a target market, e.g. Africa. If it connects to an American network without roaming and without ever having been to Africa, it's clear that the phone was not sold through 'official' distribution channels.
Yes exactly, the exact same phone can have different variations on the same versions of firmware, depending on the region.
The solution here is to not run stock firmware. Get a custom ROM and enjoy all the extra features.
how would they handle roaming then? not everyone stays in one region
Some manufacturers require a 5 min phone call in the market where you bought the phone... Easy to meet for someone in the target market, but makes it hard to import a brand new phone from elsewhere. You could still buy used, but this is less attractive.