S23 Ultra No warranty

[Sanjay51]

I live in Singapore. Only to save on local VAT, I purchased my S23 Ultra from Dubai in a recent business trip. 

This may be known to many but I didn't know and found no need to check, that the warranty on Samsung phones are regional. Means Singapore Samsung will wash their hands off warranty for a phone bought in Dubai. (Unlike an iPhone which regardless where you buy, apple honous the warranty going by the date of activation)

So this is one reminder to business travellers Samsung ecosystem brothers. Buy from home country, pay local taxes. Samsung helps local economy. 🤪

Second thing, some apps are tweeked for Dubai use and some features used in Singapore are not available in this phone. Example Samsung Pay. I used a locally bought S22 Ultra in Singapore, so I know. The local set is able to pay for the commute by adding a transport card, possible to pay on blank screen/locked phone. The Dubai set doesn't have this function inside Samsung pay. Its still possible to pay but only when Samsung pay is open. 

I circumvented this problem by adopting Google Wallet which is possible as long as the screen is alive. No need to bring out Google wallet when paying by NFC. 

My brand loyalty to Samsung lowered one notch after this experience. 

[JP19]

Hi, I think it's been a known fact that Android devices don't have international warranty, because unlike Apple, they don't have control over the OS. In every region, they push the updates differently. Whereas, for Apple, they own iPhone and iOS, so when an update is ready to be launched, it's released internationally, all at the same period.

Which is why Samsung cannot have international warranty. This is why local sets are more expensive than export sets. Before purchasing, always check with seller whether it is local or export set. If it's export set, expect no warranty and Samsung Pay will be region locked.

[Sanjay51]

First of all, this information is inaccurate that Android devices cannot have international warranty. A 30 second Google search revealed two Chinese phones offer international warranty. Following qtd from xiaomi and oppo official websites respectively.

XIAOMI QT**
Customers should provide a valid purchase proof and warranty card. After inspected by the Xiaomi authorized
service center and confirmed that the smartphone meets the warranty conditions, you can enjoy the in-warranty service for free.
**Xiaomi unqt

//Oppo Qt
Bring your device, receipt, and warranty card to a local service center. OPPO International Warranty Service will be available once testing declares your device is in warranty.
// Oppo Unqt

Now that expert option out of the way, it's against common sensibility as well. What has the OS not being owned by Samsung got to do with their shying away from responsibility of a machine made by them? The phone, the hardware is made by Samsung, whether its sold in Singapore or Dubai. If the hardware goes bust in 3 months for example, they SHOULD take responsibility and repair it. Any other argument is baloney.

[JP19]

Okay thanks for pointing Xiaomi and Oppo out that they have international warranties, but do read the terms and conditions further and not only the short phrase they advertised on their main page.

I got it wrong for the part on the OS. My bad. But with regards to the export set repair, they didn't state about refusing the repair. The cost of evaluation and transport will be borne by customer. So, u can't say that they refuse the repair immediately. All need to be assessed. Including Apple, Xiaomi and Oppo.

So now u know why export sets are significantly cheaper than local sets. If it's cheap, there is a trade-off. If not, why there have been a number of Members advising about getting a local set, instead of export set. So don't blame Samsung if u had wanted to save cost on getting an export set over a local set.

[jamesbob]

on other note, i believe they do offer repair at a fees if your phone isntopen by samsung non-authorised repair service centre(s). this is an alternate option.

at least it beats than not being able to service by samsung authorized repair partners

[JP19]

Ppl thought they can save money by buying export sets. End up they spend more on the repair cost, which no warranty will be provided, unless the person returns to the device origin country to claim for warranty.

Export set about 20% cheaper than local set somemore.. why ppl never buy leh.. 😉

And why other brands with international warranty are priced about the same globally..

[JP19]

Anyway, this community here is not for **bleep** hurting anyone. It's for sharing information among all the members. If information has shared wrongly, feel free to highlight and share the correct information and we all learn about it. 😁

[jamesbob]

alternatively can check out Changi apps for VAT waiver promo

[JP19]

U look at his comment below.. he till now still doesn't know what is local and export sets. 🤦‍♂️ Embarrassing himself by calling ppl inability to read English.

[Sanjay51]

People who call themselves "experts" on the forum don't have a clue to start with. Besides inability to read English.

Who told you it's an "export" set? Export set is a term used locally in Singapore for non-warraty sets. Those sets sold in race course road will not have warranty in any country.
Whereas what I bought from Dubai is a "UAE set", so to speak. So warranty is valid for the phone if its taken to Samsung in UAE.
Idea was to save cost on VAT as a tourist in Dubai, same as a Dubai resident would do while visiting Singapore, the GST would be refunded. NOT by buying an inferior set. Go read again In case you missed, the saving is only this tax. Otherwise the price of the phone is about the same in both countries.

And yes, there are no fine prints on Oppo sites. International warranty in all languages mean just that - international warranty.
If the trick was to write international warranty on the main page and then deny that by fine prints, Samsung would do that too.