Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 goes beyond carrier locking, implements region locks
Customers are up in arms as news comes that the SIM-unlocked version of Samsung's latest Note "phablet" features DVD-style region locking, meaning that frequent intercontinental travelers must pay carrier roaming rates to use their devices on a cellular network overseas.
On the heels of accusations that Samsung aped Apple's iPhone 5s with the release of its new gold-colored Galaxy S4 variant, the Korean electronics giant is facing yet another public relations disaster. GigaOm reported on Thursday that SIM-unlocked European and North American versions of the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung's newest entrant in the "phablet" race, are limited to using SIM cards only from the regions where they were purchased.
According to British technology retailer Clove, the European version of the device ships with a sticker advising the buyer that the "product is only compatible with a SIM-card issued from a mobile operator within Europe." This could be bad news for frequent travelers, as it means they will be unable to purchase and use lower-cost local SIM cards when they move outside the device's home region, instead being forced to succumb to often-onerous roaming conditions from their home carriers.
Region locks are normally employed for content ? such as movies or video games ? that faces licensing policies which vary based on geographical boundaries. The popular canonical example of region locking is the restriction placed on DVDs: Discs and players must feature matching region codes in order to work, which famously caused headaches for frequent MacBook-toting international travelers as the laptop's DVD drive region setting could only be changed five times.
The news comes as Apple begins to expand its own support for globetrotting owners of the company's iOS devices. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Cupertino plans to lift geographic restrictions on its popular AppleCare+ warranty coverage, allowing travelers to have their device serviced outside of their home country.
On the heels of accusations that Samsung aped Apple's iPhone 5s with the release of its new gold-colored Galaxy S4 variant, the Korean electronics giant is facing yet another public relations disaster. GigaOm reported on Thursday that SIM-unlocked European and North American versions of the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung's newest entrant in the "phablet" race, are limited to using SIM cards only from the regions where they were purchased.
According to British technology retailer Clove, the European version of the device ships with a sticker advising the buyer that the "product is only compatible with a SIM-card issued from a mobile operator within Europe." This could be bad news for frequent travelers, as it means they will be unable to purchase and use lower-cost local SIM cards when they move outside the device's home region, instead being forced to succumb to often-onerous roaming conditions from their home carriers.
Region locks are normally employed for content ? such as movies or video games ? that faces licensing policies which vary based on geographical boundaries. The popular canonical example of region locking is the restriction placed on DVDs: Discs and players must feature matching region codes in order to work, which famously caused headaches for frequent MacBook-toting international travelers as the laptop's DVD drive region setting could only be changed five times.
The news comes as Apple begins to expand its own support for globetrotting owners of the company's iOS devices. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Cupertino plans to lift geographic restrictions on its popular AppleCare+ warranty coverage, allowing travelers to have their device serviced outside of their home country.
Comments
Is anyone really buying Samsung phones for business anyway? It's more for the unemployed, correct?
I do believe that you are correct. Android is for the financially disadvantaged, and for those who don't have money to fully use their devices (data etc.). Basically it's for kids, the unemployed, people on welfare and street beggars.
The OP mentions frequent intercontinental travelers, and whenever I take a flight, the majority of what I see are people using iOS devices.
Apple's iOS lineup accounts for 84% of in-flight Wi-Fi traffic from mobile devices
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/03/07/apples-ios-lineup-accounts-for-84-of-in-flight-wi-fi-traffic-from-mobile-devices
LMAO@ Samsung devices being for the unemployed.
Why in the world do they want to piss off customers like this?
I would love to know the rational behind this. It seems like an incredible anti-consumer move without any real justification.
I don't see the need to trash-talk Android users though. We're all comfortable with our choice of phone, who cares what other people use?
I have to wonder if this is Samsung giving in to carriers demands for this or what is going on? I don't see why they would choose to do this.
If it is the carriers, this seems to be one big advantage Apple has, they have the clout to avoid this type of carrier BS.
This could be bad news for frequent travelers, as it means they will be unable to purchase and use lower-cost local SIM cards when they move outside the device's home region, instead being forced to succumb to often-onerous roaming conditions from their home carriers.
What I don't get, is who are these frequent international travelers who need to swap out a local SIM? Frequent International travelers are usually business people. Personally, I need my business associates to be able to reach me anytime, anywhere, which means that I must maintain the original SIM even when abroad. I also carry an unlocked iPhone for use with a local carrier. If someone calls me on my US number, most of the time I don't answer it, but I know they called, so I just call them back on Skype. Obviously, I also need a local SIM to make and receive calls in the foreign country to do errands, business etc. I don't see how a business person can get around carrying two phones or perhaps a dual SIM phone of which there used to be some available from Nokia.
You can pay for a US phone number from Skype and forward your US cell phone calls to that number which in theory could allow you to receive calls on your local SIM carrier when abroad, however it doesn't work reliably and you miss a lot of calls.
Maybe this is a way Samsung is trying to boost sales of its so called "phablet" phone. Force frequent international travelers to buy the same phone in different regions.
I do believe that you are correct. Android is for the financially disadvantaged, and for those who don't have money to fully use their devices (data etc.). Basically it's for kids, the unemployed, people on welfare and street beggars.
The OP mentions frequent intercontinental travelers, and whenever I take a flight, the majority of what I see are people using iOS devices.
Apple's iOS lineup accounts for 84% of in-flight Wi-Fi traffic from mobile devices
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/03/07/apples-ios-lineup-accounts-for-84-of-in-flight-wi-fi-traffic-from-mobile-devices
you can have all the money in the world but if you want a phone of that form factor you certainly can't get one from Apple
you can have all the money in the world but if you want a phone of that form factor you certainly can't get one from Apple
Quality trumps quantity.
you can have all the money in the world but if you want a phone of that form factor you certainly can't get one from Apple
At the present time, that is correct.
I have this theory though, and it goes like this. A lot of the people who I see using ridiculous, large Android phones look like people that most likely do not own a larger tablet device, so they're looking to save money and get a phablet that covers both bases.
The only problem is that it doesn't do a good job at either, IMO. It's a bit too large for a phone to be carried conveniently around, IMO. And the tablet part of it is a bit too small for it to be enjoyable, IMO. If I'm first going to carry around a large item like a phablet, I might as well have an iPad in my bag and an iPhone in my pocket. That'll be far superior to any phablet type device, in my opinion.
Seems like it's not just the Note 3 according to this article:
http://pocketnow.com/2013/09/26/samsung-european-region-locking
innovative
Bit like HDMI over Scart.
Seems like it's not just the Note 3 according to this article:
http://pocketnow.com/2013/09/26/samsung-european-region-locking
You know what, I couldn't be happier after hearing this news... Ignorant people who bought into Scamsung's lies are now being slapped hard in the face if they try to travel with their device!
This will just continue to jack-up the number of Scamsung trade-in's for the 5S
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/09/24/gazelle-saw-210-more-samsung-trade-ins-during-iphone-5s-launch/
This is very misleading. You should correctly state WHY the SIM cards will not work. Samsung employed two different hardware sets. One of the designs limits network compatibility.
Please do everyone a favor and do your research. I understand trying to break something early but this does nothing more than present readers with a fact that is missing context.
This is not much different from my unlocked iPhone. It will only work with SIM cards from carriers that support the frequency bands available in the iPhone.
What I don't get, is who are these frequent international travelers who need to swap out a local SIM? Frequent International travelers are usually business people. Personally, I need my business associates to be able to reach me anytime, anywhere, which means that I must maintain the original SIM even when abroad. I also carry an unlocked iPhone for use with a local carrier. If someone calls me on my US number, most of the time I don't answer it, but I know they called, so I just call them back on Skype. Obviously, I also need a local SIM to make and receive calls in the foreign country to do errands, business etc. I don't see how a business person can get around carrying two phones or perhaps a dual SIM phone of which there used to be some available from Nokia.
You can pay for a US phone number from Skype and forward your US cell phone calls to that number which in theory could allow you to receive calls on your local SIM carrier when abroad, however it doesn't work reliably and you miss a lot of calls.
Lots of people don't want to travel with two phones. They give the local number to the people they are travelling to meet with. Pretty simple, really.