Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has taken more drastic acts against the importation of its devices in unsupported areas after a long time of ignoring the issue.
Its phones are now available in many places globally, except in several locations like the US – the world’s third largest smartphone market.
Those wanting a Xiaomi device in an unapproved country often choose to buy it from an approved nation then bring it home. Moreover, authorized resellers have also continued to smuggle Xiaomi smartphones into unapproved territories for sale.
In the company’s Terms and Conditions, it clearly said that the sale of its devices is prohibited in certain areas.
Users in Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, and the Crimea region are complaining that they are locked out of their phones remotely by Xiaomi, coupled with a message on the lockscreen explaining “Xiaomi policy does not permit sale or provision of the product to the territory in which you have attempted to activate it. Please contact the retailers directly for additional information”.
When this message pops up, it means that your imported Xiaomi phone is essentially soft-bricked.
It remains unclear why Xiaomi proactively acts on this. However, if you reside in one of the affected areas, you are advised to buy a different cell, or at the very least, install a custom ROM which appears to be unaffected by the policy enforcement.
There are not official criteria announced by Xiaomi to determine what territories should be restricted, but it still lacks an official presence in many more countries.
