Having lived in Zimbabwe my whole life, I am squarely in the camp of relinquishing as much government control over the economy as possible. I am all for privatizing as much as we can because the inefficiencies and corruption displayed by the Zimbabwean government have traumatized me.
I’m telling you this to help you understand how conflicted I am about the EU’s intervention in the affairs of companies. I applauded the EU for forcing Apple to adopt USB-C on the iPhone, allow alternative app stores on iOS, and other measures.
The European Union aimed to enable users of Apple’s hardware to download apps from different app stores and allow developers to use their own payment systems, thus avoiding Apple’s high fees. What’s not to love about it?
However, Apple has been trying its best to comply with these rules as maliciously as possible. For example, while they now allow alternatives, restrictions like high commissions and technical challenges persist. This impacts developer flexibility and may not fully address concerns about market fairness.
Market Segmentation
If only that were the end of it. We are now seeing some market segmentation, with users in different regions getting different features and such.
Of course, as much as Apple is notorious for malicious compliance, Samsung has long engaged in this segmentation game. Most of us know that Samsung sells different phones under the same name in different markets.
The Galaxy S24 comes in two versions – one powered by the superior Qualcomm Snapdragon and one powered by Samsung’s own Exynos chip. The phones are sold under the same name and at the same price in different markets.
Of course, when we talk about different engines, it doesn’t matter how hard they try to match performance; there will be differences. Some regions will invariably get a raw deal. North America gets Snapdragon, and the rest of the world gets Exynos.
So, most of the world has been fleeced by Samsung for years, as Snapdragon has generally been better than Exynos, except perhaps for one year.
Segmented Features
The hardware shenanigans that Samsung engages in have slowly been copied but with a twist.
The latest iPhones, released just over a week ago, were not that interesting. The only major thing they had was a feature that wasn’t available at launch – Apple Intelligence.
I’m not here to debate whether Apple Intelligence is a big deal for most people. Regardless of where you stand on that debate, you would still want the latest and greatest features if you paid for an iPhone 16 or had a 15 Pro.
However, some iPhone users will not be getting the Apple Intelligence Beta when it launches in October. Apple says it will not be available in the EU or China due to regulatory and privacy concerns in these regions.
The EU has stringent data privacy regulations and requirements that may conflict with Apple’s data processing practices for the feature.
Similarly, China’s regulatory environment and data sovereignty laws create challenges for implementing such services. As a result, Apple is limiting the availability of Apple Intelligence in these regions to comply with local regulations and avoid potential legal issues.
Let’s be honest, what Apple is saying here makes sense. It probably takes longer to comply in regions with more stringent requirements. However, I wouldn’t put it past Apple to be using this to apply pressure on the EU.
If EU citizens complain about being left behind, that could put pressure on EU regulators to loosen some restrictions. I mean, it must sting for some Europeans to play second fiddle to users in countries like Zimbabwe, for example.
Zimbabwe is not in a position to make demands like the EU, so we will be getting Apple Intelligence along with the rest of the world, before China and the EU.
This is one consequence of having a powerful government that heavily intervenes in the affairs of companies. There are pros and cons.
Special Features
While we might be getting Apple Intelligence before Europe, we have been left behind in many other instances.
The best example that comes to mind is emergency SOS via satellite. It’s not Apple or Google’s fault that it’s not available here, but it remains that you pay even more after shipping and duties for your iPhone or Pixel device but don’t get all the features it offers.
On Apple’s side, there are the Apple Card, Apple Card Savings, Wallet IDs, and more that are exclusive to the US and/or a few other markets. Pixels have Call Screens that don’t ship out everywhere, among other features.
The situation is even worse when it comes to smartwatches.
I hate this state of affairs. Some of it cannot be helped; for example, Apple Pay Later needs to integrate with financial institutions, which is difficult to achieve globally.
However, some of it could be addressed, and these companies just aren’t motivated to work on allowing some of their features in third-world countries like ours, which only purchase a few thousand devices a year.
Samsung has no excuse, though. The practice of shipping flagships with different chips has to stop.
I don’t know. What do you think about this trend of users in different regions paying the same price but getting different feature sets?
We have all remarked that there aren’t too many hardware improvements to discuss in smartphones. It’s now all about software, but if we get different features at different times too, what does it mean? Someone’s getting a raw deal, and it’s usually us.
28 comments
What samsung is doing is the right thing to do because they don’t want to be dependent on foreign companies forever …selling Exynos allows them to keep innovating their domestic chip production until they catch up…when it comes to Apple ..all high tech companies comply with powerful governments inorder to keep the market which is why Facebook lost the Chinese market….the Twitter account of a guy who tried to assassinate trump was deleted in less than 24hrs which means FBI probably controls Twitter.
I agree that they should not abandon Exynos but if they are going to use it, then it’s a different phone that needs a different name and different pricing.
Or maybe just chuck Exynos into the A series until it can compete with Snapdragon. None of this inferior experience for some users. It only works to sour users on Samsung.
On Apple, yes, they have to comply. Hence why I talked about the EU helping its users sometimes with its stringent rules and hurting them sometimes with the same. Apple can of course take advantage of the situation and pressure the EU to relent.
I’ve had the same experience with Xiaomi (Redmi) smartphones. Since like 2020 or earlier, almost all their smartphones had universal features, but over time. They began to shred, some features as one upgraded to the latest versions or os. Users in India get better features than those in South Africa (Zimbabwe)
It’s annoying to no end. It’s not like Indians paid more for their devices. We pay the same, even more considering shipping and duties here, and yet they get more from their devices. I didn’t know about this feature disparity with Xiaomi.
Problem Mr writer is that u just hate Apple , nothing more nothing less don’t sugar coat your hate , Apple is Apple what they do and don’t its Apple that’s why its the most valuable company , Apple doesn’t deal with peer pressure and Apple is like Toyota Land cruiser same product every year but the items sell like hot cakes ,
Your whole article is just hate
Don’t hate what you can’t afford simple! write realistic facts Mr writer
I do agree though ,this is like a paid Samsung advert
Not you too O’Brian. So the Samsung advert says Samsung has no excuse for shipping the same phone with different processors, but Apple is somewhat justified in not having feature parity across the globe.
The article says there are legit reasons why Apple doesn’t offer feature parity but Samsung has no excuse for not offering hardware parity.
You read that and thought, well, this sounds like a Samsung advert?
Listen guys, all of the following can be true at the same time:
– Apple makes good products
– Apple is not perfect
– Apple sometimes abuses its dominance
– Talking about this is not hate
Hona uyuwo, kana usina zvekusasa nyarara coz isu hatitongwe nema salad.
Hanzi hatitongwe nemasalad 😂😂😂
Mr Kamfinsa you’re in your feelings a little too much. You didn’t read to understand. All you heard was ‘Apple is not perfect’ and you immediately thought, ‘he’s a hater.’
I didn’t say iPhones don’t sell ‘like hot cakes.’ I should know as I use an iPhone myself. It’s a good product, that’s not up for debate.
That has nothing to do with Apple abusing its dominance, which they are being fined for by the EU by the way. They are being investigated for even working against the spirit of regulations despite appearing to comply.
We need to get away from the attitude that ‘well, this is the most valuable company and so they get to do whatever they want.’ You said “Apple is Apple.” Yes, and they are nothing without the fans and the regulators. They work for us and so we should demand better of them.
So, Mr Kamfinsa. What exactly was your point? Were you saying Apple is perfect and above reproach and anyone who dares criticise them is just a hater.
To top it off. This was about feature disparity across the globe. I guess you’re using Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone whilst the rest of us don’t have the feature.
Leo don’t waste ur time on these ppl. Like no cap i leaved in USA for a yr and yah the truth is u guys get like 70 off the full product due to regional blocking . Like its no secret if ur in America having an iphone u can do alot of stuff were as here in zim i traded it for a pixel 8 coz why not the pixel did 80% of tge features we didn’t get but i could at least do them here . Zims have a problem of thinking iphone is top dawg but when ur in zim ur loosing more than u get on a good android
😂😂😂😂
Samsung has no excuse, though. The practice of shipping flagships with different chips has to stop.
I agree with this view. If they don’t want to rely on foreign supplier, they should just use Exynos Globally for a particular model.
How about an article on Samsung’s concerning its release of smartphones, I mean the Galaxy A series are coming out like bread from Pick n Pay.
I feel like if they could just release 5 models per year globally e.g Galaxy S25, A25, L25, Z25, G25 (then ofcourse rank them from premium to entry level) differentiated by Letters and stop this nonsense of having the same phone branded differently and even realise it in a specific area with better specs I.e Galaxy A34 Global 5000mah battery, Galaxy M34 Indian variant 6000mah battery nonsense
Not forgetting to release them at once
My goodness I hate that. You’re right we need to talk about that. Samsung is doing a lot of crazy stuff.
The naming is ridiculous. You actually need to be in the know to shop around for those midrangers. There is a new one every other day and they have the same name. I wonder how many non tech savvy people have been sold a 2 year old A55 as if it were the new one.
They went with the naming schemes used for computers, where a MacBook is a MacBook, you have to know which year that particular one was released.
I agree that an A04, or whatever it’s called should not share the “A” with an A55. They should have their own letter.
Umm… the A55 was released this year. I think you meant to say the A53 5G which was released in 2022.
I’m sorry but I have no sympathy for anyone who doesn’t do the most basic research when they’re buying a phone no matter the price. It’s so simple!
(1) price – What’s your budget
(2) functions – what you want the phone to do
(3) read the reviews from people who have bought/used the phone before, they help.
Google it! If people aren’t talking about the phone good/bad why would you buy it?
Unless you have money to buy a new phone every year, putting a little thought into it what a sensible person would do.
Probably not going to happen.
Samsung favours the segmentation route it’s in their blood and their genes. I forget how many years ago it was, but it was just shortly before they started the A, M, F naming convention and the CEO of the phone division of Samsung was explaining why they made so many different models. And he said it was to target specific groups of customers so if a customer wanted a bigger battery, better camera, bigger/smaller screen etc etc, Samsung would have a model for them instead of the one size fits all approach. But even he admitted it was getting a bit out of hand, because even he couldn’t name all the phone models that the company was making in a given year 😂
So they slashed the amount models but they still try to cover all the segments.
The truth of the matter is that Apple made a rare mistake. They obviously planned to go through the motions as usual and do an incremental update, whilst changing very little and then call it a day. The usual nonsense where they reskin features that have existed for years on android and spin it to pretend they invented it.
But the Ai wave caught them unaware and they had to scramble. Selling the new iPhone without AI features was plainly not an option. Delaying the launch wasn’t an option either because doing so would be catastrophic for the share price of Apple. So we ended up in the situation where the iPhone is shipping with the promise of a later update of features that haven’t been invented yet.
What people have to understand is that as far as Apple, Samsung, Pixel are concerned, the “cake” is the USA, EU markets, the rest of the world is merely icing. And in order to get a bigger slice of the cake they will put most if not all their effort towards better serving the needs of customers in those markets. If those needs somehow also overlap with customers in other markets? Great! if not well that’s just too bad.
In my opinion Realme, Xiaomi, infinix, Tecno, Vivo and yes even itel(🤮). Is where you want to go look for phones that tend to be less region/market specific.
So it ends up a question of which you prefer…
Companies should follow the laws of whichever country they are operating in not country following the law of the company. Because the simple truth is that the laws of the country are more likely than not to be geared towards protecting the citizens but the rules of a company are always geared towards ensuring the profits of the shareholders who are in most cases not even citizens of the the country the company is operating in.
Lighting vs USB C the removal of the charger, headphone jack, and the Exynos chip. All these highlight the aim of business which is maximise profit sometimes at the detriment of the consumer.
ITEL MANYAMA !!!!!
Always Off Topic unoida Itel yako wena 😂😂
Iyo shandisa wega
You’re absolutely right on Apple being caught with its pants down on AI. The mighty Apple was forced to do the most unAppple thing of launching a device with the main upgrades yet to bake to completion. A promise of future upgrades on an iPhone? Jobs must be turning in his grave.
And yeah, also true that we are an afterthought, just the icing as you put it. Is Apple going to come to Zimbabwe and try to integrate with MetBank and POSB to make Apple Pay Later work here? That’s preposterous. So, all we can hope for is that most of the features have a use case here in the third world.
So, in short, we do get a raw deal because we pay the same, even more, than the developed countries but get less for it.
On your list of models that have more feature parity globally, someone commented talking about Xiaomi giving India preferential treatment and thus fragmenting their featuresets. It makes sense, businesswise, India has about 1.5 billion people, of course any midrange specialist would cater to them. Same as the flagships cater to the US, Europe etc.
Umm the Xiaomi comment is not valid. Why? Because that phone is a grey import from India! It was produced for the Indian market and somehow found it’s way to Zimbabwe. So of course it would have features focused on the Indian market.
How dare you soil a great name. With childish imagery no less. May the wrath of the techno gods befall you.
The world would be a better place if itel didn’t exist 😂
I am just joking. If itel, Tecno and infinix didn’t exist it would probably be very difficult to get a reasonably cheap phone and reliable phone.
Because back in the day LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony and others made great high end phones and the midrange phones were… not great they were just meh but the low range was a complete disaster the prices didn’t match up with what you got. Reliability was worse than what we have right now. Basically these companies didn’t care about the customers in this price range.
Transsion the owner of itel, Tecno, infinix brands changed that they showed all these brands that if you provide a quality product you can make a pretty good living from the people in the markets that they had previously looked down at.
So with more competition we got better and better mid nd low range phones.
So i̶t̶e̶l̶ ̶, Tecno, infinix number one! 😉
The issue with Samsung with snapdragon I s to do with trade restrictions that started when Trump was in office. So they now use the American chip to stop unnecessary controversy and have a great deal with all American companies being able to get the latest staff for everything and we see these deals manifest in their products. These include strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Meta (for.I.G), Qualcomm, Google (AI) etc…
Therefore, in return the same companies offer the same. You forgot to mention the most loved Pixel devices uses hardware and architecture from Samsung but just call it the Tensor G.
NB* All Samsung smartphones use different chips from Exynos- mediatek and Qualcomm depending on the tier.
Some of the restrictions are ridiculous. Why would anyone put region restrictions on an app that’s used on health gadget that’s sold globally. Had an issue with a Blood Glucose Gadget this week, it’s software ‘is not available for your region’. Had to go to the not so safe places to download the app. Luckily the app itself doesn’t check location, it will accept any location in the settings (like SA)