# Buying a mobile phone in China



## 267473

Hi,

This is not a beef against The Chinese language or the phone manufacturer. I simply want to avoid a similar experience if possible.

I bought a XiaoMi-2 phone. It's a nice Android phone, designed and built in China, and it suited me very well, but the installed version of Android OS (the mfr's "skin" on Jelly Bean, if I have my jargon right) works mostly in Chinese language. I changed the phone's language setting to English, and that was fine to a point. However, I was often confronted with system dialogs in Chinese, and was never able to get past them without consulting a Chinese speaker. (Okay, my wife.)

From a geek website, I learned that I could flash a stock Android version onto my phone's ROM, with only a small possibility of "bricking" the phone. Since I'm not actually a geek, I think the odds of bricking are pretty high in my case. 

So my wife is now enjoying the shiny new XiaoMi phone.

My question is ... am I likely to find that other mobile phones made for the Chinese market will present the same kind of difficulties to a Han Zi (Chinese) illiterate like me? XiaoMi sells phones in the US, but they are obviously not running the same OS as the Chinese domestic version. Has anyone bought an Android phone off the shelf in China? What was your experience?

In one way, I suspect the OS is likely to have a Chinese skin because Chinese speaking technicians would have to service them. 

I have tried to get at the answer through XiaoMi's and then Samsung's customer service website, but the question is still open. 

Any input greatly appreciated!

Ian in Shenyang


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## cschrd2

As the iOS is also responsible for guiding the electronics in the phone an iOS is "tailor made" for the region. I assume a Chinese OEM will fully follow Chinese government rules on filtering and following. For outside this may be different. As Xiaomi focusses on china I assume their software is written here and afterwards translated in different language. This is always a poor method to follow as parts that they find unimportant might be lost in translation or even non translated. If its an EU or US OEM version then that version has been approved, hence the testing done on language and programs is much more severe and changes on a good product are better.
I noticed that even Android is still tailor made by OEM, so there is only a general layer that's common.


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## 267473

So, what I take away from your message is that any phone offered for sale here is likely to present similar difficulties to me.

I (well, my wife) found that some phones built for export find there way onto local shelves at slightly lower prices. Then we found that these phones have the "domestic" version of the OS flashed into ROM, making them exactly the same as other Chinese offerings. 

I'm reading up on "rooting" Android phones and then flashing a new image into ROM. It looks like that's the only way I'll get what I want. The more I read, the less intimidated I am by the chance of "bricking" a phone. I'm still sending out feelers to locate a friendly local geek who can do the job for me, but I think I'm going to have to take the leap on my own.

Ta!
Ian


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## cschrd2

Actually you can use other region's software (I did it with an Ainol tablet), but be aware some functionalities may be gone unless the package is written for that particular OEM/model.
Anyway good luck.


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## 267473

Yeah, I absolutely agree. The good news is that Android developers are offering loads of customized ROMs for many different phones. So, in addition to solving my linguistic problem, I might get better battery life and other system improvements. The greatest number of options is for phones sold by US carriers. Products sold in other regions (Oceania, GB) are also well covered.
In fact, if you accept what the geek websites say, you'd be silly NOT to root your Android phone and install a custom ROM. They cite getting rid of useless apps included by mobile phone carriers, for one. Android is an open source OS, and a lot of clever coders are trying to outdo each other in making their customizable ROM the best and brightest. I'm not tech literate enough to understand all the features, but if you use a popular model (HTC One, Samsung Galaxy 4, etc) you'll find an abundance of choices. 
I've bookmarked all the HowTo's and download sites I need to do the job. Now it comes down to my choosing a phone and screwing up the courage to hack it.


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## cschrd2

Just take trusted web sites so you don't end up with an infected device. The reinstallation of an os is easy. Flashing is a bit more complicated but still easy to do. Make sure you make a backup of your phone with the original transfer software so the PC recognizes date and model stamp. Then in case something goes wrong it's easy to restore.


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## jams

Best run into Hong Kong and get a phone there, i been in China 3 years, i only bought one phone here a really cheap one to do, it was cheap, it lasted about 4 months then things started breaking on it. Really just save time & money, Hong Kong.


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## dealsone

Now actually, mobile phone of China brand are sold well around the world. XiaoMi is just one of the popular mobile phone Brand in China. Others are included Coolpad, Huawei, ZTE, Lenove and etc, is also good enough use!


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## jams

dealsone said:


> Now actually, mobile phone of China brand are sold well around the world. XiaoMi is just one of the popular mobile phone Brand in China. Others are included Coolpad, Huawei, ZTE, Lenove and etc, is also good enough use!


Point still is that if you buy it in China your getting a Chinese os system which does not fully change to English, like i said before, buy in HK and save yourself a lot of work. Have you got any idea how much the Chinese copy and sell products? Let me give you an idea, they copy and sell INFANT milk. So even if you do get an original product, still got that Bios to flash.


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## dealsone

jawad555 said:


> I agree with you, You are absolutely right buddy


Thanks, jawad555!


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## dealsone

jams said:


> Point still is that if you buy it in China your getting a Chinese os system which does not fully change to English, like i said before, buy in HK and save yourself a lot of work. Have you got any idea how much the Chinese copy and sell products? Let me give you an idea, they copy and sell INFANT milk. So even if you do get an original product, still got that Bios to flash.


Ok thanks jams, i got the point. 

Let me tell you something, sometimes you bought some product in China, i make an cell phone for example, some os system or the other android system is not support to change the English user desktop is not common. If the phone of the system you use is not support to do that, people also can go to the chinese forum to find the method to reroot/getroot/ROM/psp the system so that to active the most performance of the phone. After that, the smart phone are powerful than before. The problem of the Language is also solved!

If you live in China, you can ask for your chinese friends help. They will help you friendly to solve the problem. If you go to some phone store ask for help, maybe need some money.

If you are not in China now, you can search your phone problems in the local search engine area where you live. Find it in the forum. Maybe some guys have the same situation with you. But all in all, will have at least one people can solve it and share the experience with you.



jams said:


> Have you got any idea how much the Chinese copy and sell products? Let me give you an idea, they copy and sell INFANT milk. So even if you do get an original product, still got that Bios to flash.


Hi, jams, i can also answer the question you asked. 
'how much the Chinese copy and sell products?'
This is a large concept, so allow me to butcher it into many paragraphs.
1. It's hard to answer. Because you haven't give me the exact thing. For example, need to know the weight, volume, brand, material and etc, so that to work out at the correct price in per product. And then, the total price.
2. If you want to find some products, you can ask me, pm me or add me to contact is also can.
3. I suggest that you'd better to choose the little product, in light weight product and the people always use product. If you already have a good idea, i will congratulate to you and hope your business become more and more big.
4. ...
And good luck, cheers!


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## dealsone

andrrival said:


> mobile phone of China brand are sold well around the world as they are good in performance and realiable specially due to there design and attractive graphics.They are cheaper but with better quality.


So Good to hear about it! Cheers!


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## 267473

jams said:


> Point still is that if you buy it in China your getting a Chinese os system which does not fully change to English, like i said before, buy in HK and save yourself a lot of work. Have you got any idea how much the Chinese copy and sell products? Let me give you an idea, they copy and sell INFANT milk. So even if you do get an original product, still got that Bios to flash.



You make it sound like it's difficult to find genuine product in China. Ask Apple or Samsung how much product they move in China. It's a big part of their global production. I'm sure there are knock-offs around, but this isn't the 1980's. I don't know if you've actually been to China, but I think you need to update your thinking. 


Yeah, I get the part about phones bought in China having a Chinese OS. That was kind of my starting point with the thread. If Hong Kong (where nobody *ever* bought bogus merchandise) was just down the road, I'd have gone there already. A rail or air ticket to HK from Shenyang + hotel is going to make that a pretty expensive phone. I'd buy from a Hong Kong online seller, but who's to say I wouldn't be buying grey market Chinese product (with a Chinese OS)?

Not a viable solution in my case. I wish it was.

I'm pretty much resigned to the "root and flash" course of action. I just haven't decided on the phone yet.


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## jams

LOL Update my thinking, hahahhaha I been in China for over 3 years now buying and selling OEM AND ODM products and exporting, trust me there is nothing wrong with my thinking, and its not the 1980's, hahahha yea i know, its the 1950's in China. lol
And yes HK do have bogus products, but the chances of buying bogus from a shop in HK is slim to none. You know last year in Shenzhen alone they found 8 Samsung and Apple stores that where not legit, all copy product and shop.

I'm sorry i not check how far away you where from HK, if you new someone that goes into HK from time to time they could buy and then post to you using EMS.
Although you seem set now on changing the OS and flash. I have looked into doing this on a Samsumg Android, and its not that easy, i have tried to use tools like "superoneclick" to Root the phone with no joy. There is unlock tools you can buy.
So cause i have already tried this i thought the best advice would be to buy in HK, however someone here said its easy, good luck.


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## dealsone

Good, thanks for your post! Update my thinking.
I also have tried to use tools like "superoneclick" to Root the phone, and it's free for me. Actually, i can also send the product you want by DHL, EMS etc in Guangzhou or Shenzhen. I will go to HK soon. Haha, really nice to talk with you!


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