South Africans importing smartphones instead of buying locally could be scoring a good deal, but their devices might not function as in officially supported countries.
Although there are many smartphones available in South Africa from numerous brands and at various price points, certain models popular elsewhere are not available locally.
Among these devices are the Google Pixel and OnePlus ranges, as well as certain flagship models from locally represented brands like Xiaomi.
Many of these smartphones are available to buy and ship directly from international websites, often at good prices.
With more South Africans becoming comfortable with online shopping and using global e-commerce platforms, there could be a rise in smartphone imports.
Amazon.com makes buying these smartphones straightforward as it includes all shipping and taxes at checkout.
However, there are several drawbacks to be aware of when buying them as opposed to shopping from a reputed local retailer.
The first major issue is that warranty claims could be expensive if a manufacturer does not have local support channels.
If an imported smartphone has a hardware or software defect not caused by the user’s mishandling, it may have to be repaired or replaced in its country of origin.
Amazon.com allows returns within 30 days of receiving the order, but if issues arise after that time, the buyer may have to spend a huge amount on shipping the phone back to its origin country for a warranty claim.
Buying accessories or replacement parts for devices not widely sold in South Africa will also be more difficult or expensive.
In short, don’t import a smartphone not officially available in South Africa if aftersales support is one of your biggest priorities.
The second big catch to look out for is whether the phone is unlocked to be compatible with South African cellular networks.
There may be many instances where a device is restricted to country-specific networks.
On Amazon.com, some devices are limited to a particular carrier — like AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon.
That is because the networks subsidise a part of the device’s cost to make its initial price more affordable.
That is similar to what Vodacom, MTN, and Cell C do for budget smartphones in South Africa.
By restricting the phone to work only on their networks, they can make up the subsidy through the profit they generate from the customer over time.
Fortunately, sellers on Amazon will clearly indicate if a device is unlocked and capable of working on networks outside the US.
If it turns out not to be the case, you can return the device to Amazon explaining the issue, which could have consequences for the seller.
Google-specific headaches
However, even if you have checked the box on network compatibility, other features may not be supported or blocked in unofficially supported countries.
This is particularly problematic on Google Pixel smartphones — I recently discovered while importing a Pixel 7 Pro.
Like users in many countries where Pixels are not sold officially, South Africans cannot use 5G, voice-over-LTE (VoLTE), and voice-over-Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) without third-party apps or significant technical tweaking.
Although some apps available on the Play Store let users access VoLTE and VoWi-Fi in South Africa, 5G requires rooting or jailbreaking the Pixel, which may restrict access to certain apps and services.
Banking apps, for example, could check if a device is rooted and refuse to launch.
Google provides a detailed list of countries where Pixel smartphones support 5G connectivity, including a handful of countries where it does not sell the devices.
Although it only sells its phones in 32 countries, it offers 5G support in up to 38 countries, depending on the model.
The list of countries with 5G support has grown gradually over the past few years and potentially points to markets where Google plans to launch its upcoming devices.
However, South Africa is not included for any Pixel model, so 5G is simply not available.
9to5Google believes that the lack of 5G support could be due to network “certification and testing”, which would confirm that the Pixel devices’ 5G hardware performs as designed using different carriers.
That may be too costly or cumbersome for Google to consider in countries where its phones are not widely adopted — like South Africa.
Google an exception
Google’s lack of 5G support is unusual because most other Android phones with the capability work in South Africa, regardless of official local availability.
OnePlus and other brands’ devices that are not sold in South Africa can still connect to local 5G networks.
In addition to connectivity restrictions, Google does not support some of its standout Pixel software features in unsupported countries, such as built-in Call Screening and the Google One VPN service.
The lack of support for these features makes more sense as they rely on local resources, which can be costly to roll out.
Several online sources blamed Google rather than mobile networks for blocking 5G services in unsupported countries.
One Android Authority reader, Thiago Oliveira, explained that the system configuration on Pixels showed just one string that blocked Google’s devices from connecting to the 5G network standard protocols defined by the GSMA.
“Why Google won’t simply unlock this is a matter beyond any reason,” Oliviera complained.
He said that hundreds of people had complained about the issue through Google’s Android reporting system.
However, Google has so far failed to provide a clear explanation for the lack of 5G support in countries where it does not sell its phones.