Samsung disables customer phones remotely, holds data hostage until Mexican government stepped in

limerod@reddthat.commod to Android@lemdro.id – 189 points – Samsung disables customer phones remotely, holds data hostage until Mexican government stepped in
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I knew devices were getting blocked, but not to this extent. Or the fact that mexico's own government/regulatory bodies condemned the blocking itself.

Here's a written article (not English): https://pisapapeles.net/bloqueo-celulares-mexico/

Xioami is the only one (in the list) that sent a notification but didn't block any function or the device itself: https://www.gearrice.com/update/xiaomi-affirms-that-it-is-not-blocking-mobile-phones-purchased-on-the-gray-market-in-mexico-even-though-it-continues-to-be-a-problem/

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There are regulations regarding power and network configuration phone need to comply. Bought from outside Mexico, these devices are not being regulated. Still, do you think Samsung and the rest have our best interest in mind?

Any phone bought from a carrier will be blocked by them, not allowing you to used with any other carrier. They also install bloatware in them, making them slower. That's why the las phone I bought was an American phone, a Pixel.

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The thing is you can't really buy phones directly for the brands themselves, you can only buy them through the carriers. Apple is the exception, and I've recently seen a few brands having their own stores, but those are the exception.

Most if not all people have to buy theie phones from at&t or similar, which have their phones lockes to their networks, and having them unlocked is a PITA, without considering the bloatware you're stuck with unless you get into ROMs

I got sick of this business model years ago, the las phone o bought just last month is a Pixel I got from Amazon marketplace, shipped from the US.

As for configuration yes, those are pushed through sms upon activation. I've no idea why they came up with locking these importe phones just now, but thats certainly a violation to our rights as consumers..