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Perhaps the lazy one didn’t notice that the iPhone costs less abroad than its “Russian” counterpart. The state is gradually moving the needle on the customs service, they say, this is such an expensive delivery and certification procedure - hence the markup, citizens.

Meanwhile, this same “surcharge” sometimes reaches 20,000-25,000 rubles from one device. It is logical that in this situation, many are trying to buy the coveted apple phone over the hill. Moreover, now such a deal can be completed without leaving home.

But inside every buyer there lives a small but annoying worm of doubt: “What if?” It is he who is waging a centuries-long struggle with the “golden toad”. The outcome of the battle depends on you: save your hard-earned money, but take a risk, or prefer official delivery and sleep peacefully.

We decided to reconcile the keeper of homemade gold and the prudent worm. How to check an iPhone when purchasing? What risks does purchasing “gray” products entail? And how to avoid pitfalls when making a transaction? How are iPhone models different? Why do you need LTE support? You will find answers to these and other questions below.

Such a different iPhone: gray, white, locked, sim free and even Chinese

White iPhone– a smartphone purchased by an official distributor of Apple, which has passed internal certification in the Russian Federation, customs control and received the “stamp” of a telecom operator. And only then transferred to the reseller for retail sale. In a word - RosTest.

Under the gray iPhone means a device imported into the territory of the Russian Federation without passing customs control (and subsequent payment of duties). Most often, these are smartphones purchased in foreign Apple Stores (USA, Europe and Asia).

EuroTest – smartphones intended for sale in Europe and Asia

Locked iPhone tied to a domestic telecom operator for a certain period. The buyer is obliged to use his services, but the cost of the phone will be lower. An excellent opportunity for residents of California, the Czech Republic, France and a dozen other first-tier countries. And a big problem for the Russians.

Locked/contract iPhone - a smartphone with support for SIM cards of a certain cellular operator

A contract IPhone will require additional financial investments in the form of unlock. In the best case, activation of the phone will take place through eBay, in the worst case, it will be impossible in principle. Moreover, the unlocking procedure will have to be repeated when new firmware is released. That is why it is important to carefully check the iPhone after purchase, especially if there are suspicions that you have got into your hands a representative of the “gray” class.

What can you find on the mobile technology market? If you are offered to buy an iPhone for 5,000 rubles, then know that this is Chinese iPhone. The only thing that makes it similar to Apple is its appearance. But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear where the dog is buried:

Chinese iPhone variant

1. The box in which the phone is delivered to you must be sealed. Otherwise, you should be wary - Chinese accessories will be the lesser of all evils.
2. Visually, non-original accessories are revealed by protruding seams, the absence of membrane mesh, as well as gadgets unusual for Apple (for example, a thicker cable or backlight).
3. The original charger weighs only 60 grams.
4. "Fake" cables are more difficult to bend than the original product.
5. Chinese iPhones may have an additional microphone on the front panel or an antenna on top.
6. The Chinese touchscreen works from the touch of any object. iPhone touchscreens only respond to your finger.
7. The SIM card in Apple phones is assembled and inserted without opening the case. For crafts, the back cover is removed and inserted like most smartphones.
8. The iPhone does not support two SIM cards and TV.

Forewarned is forearmed

Purchase a SIM card in advance - you will need it for the iPhone 4S micro sim, for IPhone 5, 5C and 5S – nano sim. These are smaller copies of standard SIM cards.

Since iPhone 5, Apple has been using nano-sim. For iPhone 4/4S you will need a micro-sim.

There are three ways to purchase a device:

• Telecom operators (Beeline, Megafon, MTS) exchange your old SIM card for a smart analogue for free. Please note that exchanges can only be made at company offices.
• Some private communication shops (for example, Euroset) offer a SIM card cutting service. This pleasure is most often paid: from 100 to 300 rubles.
• An independent act of violence against a SIM card. On the Internet you can find many instructions with detailed measurements, mathematical calculations and calculations at what angle the scissors should be held.

Checking iPhone upon purchase

In the shop

Before placing an order, contact the seller and clarify the following information:

• What country did the iPhone come from?

Currently, phones from Hong Kong (ZP), Singapore (ZA) and Taiwan (TA)– these phones undergo international EuroTest certification. Their main difference from RosTest devices is the charger with a European plug. If desired, the problem can be solved using an adapter.

Options for adapters for European iPhone chargers.

• Is it locked by the local telecom operator?

We have already written about locked models above. Not only do you automatically lose the official warranty from Apple and get baggage in the form of endless unlocking, but no one can guarantee that at one point the phone will not turn into a “brick”. For the riskiest, we can recommend a service well-known on ebay, which undertakes to unlock American iPhones.

• IPhone model

This information will be useful if you are going to use the Internet in the city, or rather its 4G modification, with support for LTE bands.

On a note:

All Apple products have a worldwide warranty, except for iPhone smartphones. The company took such measures to limit the influx of gray products into the countries of the second, third... tenth stages. This means that if you purchase an iPhone released for Europe and Asia, then automatically lose the possibility of service in my city. An exception may be providing a receipt from a foreign Apple Store. Sellers try to compensate for the lack of an official guarantee by offering their service centers and a one-year warranty from the store.

Selecting an order delivery method

It is also worth warning the store representatives in advance that you intend to check your purchase carefully. After all, it’s the pre-New Year holidays – it is possible that courier services are trying to deliver New Year’s orders faster. Don’t rush and always remember that after signing the act of transfer of goods and transferring money, responsibility from the store is removed and claims regarding appearance, model and support for certain functions will not be accepted.

If you are picking up the goods, please ask for access to a computer/tablet and a test SIM card. Some stores independently check the goods on site.

Direct inspection of the goods

Let's start by examining the iPhone box itself, looking for:

iPhone Box: Model Number, Serial Number, IMEI

1. Model number
2. Serial number
3. IMEI

Open the box, inside should be:

iPhone Package Contents

• Smartphone
• USB cable
• Charging adapter
• EarPods headphones
• Promotional inserts and a small welcome instruction
• SIM card clip
• “Apple” stickers

The box should be packed in film, the internal parts should also be lined with transparent protection. The headphones are supplied in a separate plastic container. The iPhone 5S box is cardboard, the 5C is plastic with a transparent lid. Both smartphones must have protective films, and on the iPhone 5C it is made in the style of a switched-on iPhone.

We carefully inspect the smartphone for chips, scratches and other damage. Turn it on. Opening "Settings" , go to the menu “General” > “About device” . We compare the model data, serial number and IMEI with what is printed on the box. If the data does not match, then most likely the iPhone has already been to a warranty workshop. If the serial number starts with 5K- This is a factory-restored device.

Settings: “General” > “About device”

Activate the phone in iTunes: p connect your smartphone to the Internet and go through a quick registration (make sure you have an Apple ID).

1. Checking iPhone by serial number

By the serial number you can find out the production date, model number and name, color and memory capacity. Compare this data with what you purchased. To do this, you should use the Chipmunk service

Checking iPhone information by serial number

Then enter the serial number on the Apple website. This procedure will allow you to view the completion date of the device’s service.

2. Check iPhone by model

By the model number we find out from which country the iPhone was brought. Devices officially imported to Russia have the following numbers: MC134RS/A, MB496RS/A, MC131RS/A, MB489RS/A, MB500RS/A, MC133RS/A, MC132RS/A, MC134RS/A

Checking iPhones brought from other countries is important to determine possible binding to an operator, as well as to fully support LTE bands in the Russian Federation (more on this below).

We check the country of origin using special databases on iPhonefrom.com and UnLockPro.ru

Checking iPhone by model number

The first service will also show if the iPhone has been replaced - that is, this device has already been returned to the store once. In this case, you should take a closer look at the condition of the case, check the operation of the sensor and, of course, check the information with the seller.

The second portal will not only provide information about possible binding to a foreign telecom operator, but also provides iPhone unlocking services (for a fee).

3. Check iPhone by IMEI

IMEI provides the most information about the purchased smartphone. But the most important thing is to check the phone’s unlock, which means its ability to work at our latitudes.

IMEI can be found in three ways: on the box, in the iPhone settings and by typing the code on the keyboard *#06#

You can check IMEI on the iUnlocker website

Checking iPhone by IMEI

About support for LTE (4G) bands in Russia

Since December 2013, official confirmation has been issued from mobile operators Beeline, MTS and Megafon about support for the LTE band in Russia. According to the most optimistic forecasts, Internet speed will be up to 100 MB/second. Beeline offices already have maps showing the network coverage area and planned expansion for next year. Purely visually, it was difficult to find a place where there would be no Internet reception.

It is now reliably known that the following LTE frequencies have been allocated for Russia:

• 7, 20 – Beeline and Rostelecom
• 7, 20, 38 – MTS and Megafon

It is worth considering that in Russia only Beeline is the official cellular operator working with LTE. A complete list of countries using LTE networks can be found here

At the moment, Russian LTE has been successfully implemented on the following iPhone models:

It turns out that only the model works in all ranges A1530(for iPhone 5s) and A1529(for iPhone 5c).

It is possible that Apple will soon expand the list of supported models. In any case, your humble servant has already had the opportunity to test modern technologies - 4G is available and is available almost throughout Moscow now!

At the same time, they tell you that the repair lasts forty-five days, they give you some paper confirming the repair and that’s it. The product you return to the retail store is sent to the manufacturer's authorized service center. In essence, the store does your own work for you, since you must submit the goods to the ASC for repairs. But in order to retain customers and improve service, many stores do this themselves, which is of course a plus for them.

When purchasing a product through an online store, you are buying a pig in a poke for several reasons:

it is impossible to check the goods before purchasing; this applies to stores that require advance payment for their goods, of which there are more than half in our country. They may give you a fake. Unfortunately, this is very common when online stores sell “leftist” products, but today this is not about a product not certified for sale in the Russian Federation, but simply “Eurotest”.

In short, Eurotest is a smartphone or other device that does not have a manufacturer’s warranty, therefore you cannot return the device to an authorized service center, and repairs will be carried out by the store where you purchased it.

Such a device was imported into the Russian Federation illegally, bypassing official suppliers. Very often, as happens with iPhones, from eBay through third parties.

Usually, Rostest and Eurotest are no different in quality, but many sellers selling their goods in online stores that do not have official certification like to tell the following myths:

• Eurotest was produced for another country, therefore the quality of the product is higher, since low quality components are used for Russia
• such a smartphone can be repaired at any service center
• Eurotest smartphones have a European quality standard (just read it carefully)

Regarding the first point, I think everything is clear. This is insanity, no one makes different components for different countries, at least in electronics.

Regarding the second point, when sellers say that you can get repairs at any service center, they are silent on the main thing: in any service center of an online store, if, of course, there are several of them.

The third point - no comment. I hope there are no such “imbeciles” among our readers.

How to distinguish Eurotest?

The most important difference is the absence of a PCT icon on the packaging or on the smartphone itself. Here are some other differences:

External signs:

• Lack of instructions in Russian. If it is not there and the packaging is completely in English, you know that you have a “gray” product.
• Charging for American plug. Usually sellers exchange it for an adapter or another charger, which, by the way, may differ in color - be careful.
• Special “scammers” don’t even pay attention to this.
• Lack of a warranty card or a card in any language other than Russian.
• On the packaging, in addition to the country of assembly, they usually write the country for which the smartphone was intended, for example, on the packaging of an HTC smartphone this information is available.
• Accordingly, such a smartphone will have the language of that country, firmware and instructions.

Firmware:

If we are talking about a smartphone or tablet, then very often the device simply does not have the Russian language - this is a sure sign that this is a gadget without Russian certification.

The smartphone can have the More Locale, More Locale 2 or languages ​​application installed. No manufacturer installs this application at the factory. If you see this application, you have a gray device in front of you.

Who sells such devices

It is important to understand one rule: for large players in our market, selling “gray” devices is more expensive for themselves, this is a blow to the image of the company as a whole and problems with the law, since I have already said that such devices cannot be sold at retail.

Also, the store gets huge problems with repairing the goods, since the ASC will not take the goods for repairs and if the volumes are large, then the store simply will not be able to cope with the repairs of the goods.

Gray smartphones are sold mainly by small and medium-sized online stores, whose turnover does not allow them to establish contact with official suppliers and beat out the “normal” purchase price in order to increase their percentage on top.

Let me explain with an example:

Let’s say a “disconnect” store sells only certified products. It has dozens of sales points and cares about its reputation. The store buys a Nokia Lumia 530 for 5,500 rubles from an official supplier, and sells it for 5,990 rubles, that is, it remains in the black by 490 rubles.

If something happens to the buyer, then he himself or through the store sends the smartphone to an authorized service center and this ends the store’s warranty obligations. The buyer benefits from the fact that he purchased the device entirely in Russian, can have it repaired at the ASC and has no problems with updating.

The store benefits from the fact that it does not need to waste its energy and nerves on repairing a broken device; the manufacturer will do it all for him. Minus - the store will receive less profit than a store selling “Eurotest” at the price of “Rostest”.

And there is a second store “cheaply”. This store doesn’t particularly care about its customers, the main thing for it is to sell and stay in the black. He purchases through a supplier in China/Vietnam/USA or even on Ebay the same Nokia Lumia 530, but not for 5,500 rubles, but for 4,000 rubles and sells here at the retail price like other stores - 5,990 rubles. Is this beneficial for the store? Certainly! After all, the markup is 1990 rubles, the seller remains at a huge advantage, having found such a “sucker” buyer. What about the buyer?

In addition to a smartphone for 5,990 rubles, the buyer also receives “hemorrhoids on his ass” and a “sucker of the year” nameplate, since he was just sold a device at the price of growth, but without Russian certification and an official guarantee.

The buyer will no longer be able to contact technical support from the manufacturer, nor will he be able to have it repaired at authorized service centers. They simply won’t accept this device from him, saying that where you bought it (meaning the country, for example China), you are taking it there.

The buyer, upset, returns the smartphone back to the store. And here the store gets the full benefit. Since he needs to repair a technically complex product, and not all online stores have their own service centers, especially small sharashkas who just want to sell something. Therefore, they begin to “shave” the client.

First they tell him that this is “not a marriage at all and it’s your own fault.” Dear customer, know that you will encounter this sooner or later, I guarantee you. And if you still managed to return the device for repair, then the repair proceeds as follows: the smartphone sits in the store’s warehouse for 45 days, and when the deadline is up, they say that we will return your money and throw you away with the money, or they constantly feed you breakfast. But first, the store will use any excuses to try to sell you not money but goods, this is beneficial for them! Either give 5,990 rubles or give away the goods for the same 4,000 rubles, the second option is much more profitable.

But there are stores that sell Eurotest honestly. These are quite large online stores, and at the same time they lower the cost of gray goods, so that it is profitable for the buyer not to overpay for PCT goods, but to buy gray goods from them. It's a shame there aren't many stores like this.

Warranty obligations and consequences for the consumer

I already wrote above about the warranty for “gray” devices. Devices illegally imported into the Russian Federation are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty. The manufacturer's authorized service center will refuse to repair you, even if you contact Rospotrebnadzor or a consumer protection organization, they will not be able to do anything, since according to the law the manufacturer is right, but you are not.

All warranty obligations for the gray device are borne by the store. But since large players do not sell gray devices, but only small companies sell them, you may encounter problems during repairs, when they will deceive you in every possible way and say that you yourself are to blame for the breakdown of the device. And many online stores simply do not have service centers or ask you to send the device back by mail, and then the package may randomly “disappear.”

You may not receive technical support from the manufacturer, and new updates may arrive early or not arrive at all. For example, when buying a smartphone that should be sold in the USA, you will receive the update earlier, since updates come first for Western countries, but when buying a device made for Vietnam, you may not receive the update. Be careful.

After the update, everything may be in English or in the language of the country for which the update was intended. You can return the Russian language, in particular on Android devices this can be done using the More Locale 2 application, but it only works with Root rights, and if you set yourself to Root, you will lose the warranty. This is such a vicious circle.

Who are these devices for?

Eurotest smartphones and other devices are primarily intended for people who understand firmware, updates and are tech-savvy. Those who are not afraid that the phone may break down and solve simple problems themselves.

If you want everything to always work stably, do not buy Eurotest. You will get a lot of problems, and if something happens to the device, you will also get problems with repairs.

Bottom line

Disadvantages of the Eurotest:

• lack of official guarantee
• problem with updates
• lack of original charger and accessories
• in some cases lack of Russian language

Advantages of the Eurotest:

• lower prices in some stores

The most gray devices on our market are among mobile phones. In particular, all stores that are not authorized by Apple sell gray devices. Most devices from HTC, Sony, Samsung have a “gray” past, and devices such as Explay, Ritmix, 3Q, Alcatel have only Russian certification, no matter what store you would buy them in.

When it comes to buying a new smartphone, the user can check the cost of the device in various stores, for example, using the Internet. And you will probably be very surprised by the price range. One of the reasons why a smartphone in one store costs much more than in another is the presence of a sign (the so-called Rostest). At the same time, less expensive devices are called Eurotest. What exactly is it and what is the difference between the devices?

What are Rostest and Eurotest?

• The presence of the PCT (Rostest) mark on a phone or other device indicates that it has passed Rostest quality certification, which is what the designation symbolizes. This means that the device was officially imported into the country directly by the manufacturer or supplier.

• Eurotest is the unspoken name for devices that meet European quality and safety standards. Sellers usually import such devices themselves.

What is the difference between Rostest and Eurotest?

No matter how strange it may sound, in most cases the user will not find any differences at all when purchasing a device. Why? For the simple reason that there are no obvious differences.

Okay, you say, but then why are PCT devices more expensive? The fact is that the device must undergo certification, and this, as you understand, costs money. Accordingly, part of the costs for this falls on the shoulders of buyers. In addition, in this case, the manufacturer provides its guarantee directly. In the case of Eurotest, the guarantee is given by the seller, and it is impossible to say which is better in this case.

It is noteworthy that PCT smartphones are not always more expensive than Eurotest, it is often the exact opposite - they are sold cheaper, since the manufacturer can afford to reduce the cost of its products, and sellers, whose main goal is to make a profit, cannot do this.

The Rostest device cannot be a fake, while smartphones purchased from an unknown store may be. There are indeed a lot of fakes on the market and the user cannot in all cases understand that it is a fake, especially since the latter have become very high quality.

In rare cases, there will be a difference between Rostest and Eurotest devices. For example, a fairly well-known manufacturer of mobile devices has left the Russian language in its devices only for those that are officially sold in our country. Other devices use only English and Chinese languages. Accordingly, if you buy such a smartphone in some online store, it will not have the Russian language. However, this case is a rare exception, not the rule. But be careful.

As for everyone's favorite iPhone, the only difference will be in the warranty. In addition, a “gray” iPhone may be locked to a specific operator and it is unlikely to be unlocked just like that.

Which is better - Rostest or Eurotest?

In most cases there is no difference, other than the type of warranty. So if this doesn’t bother you, and the difference in cost is noticeable for your budget, you can safely take the Eurotest device.

In some cases, for example, when only the official version of the smartphone supports the Russian language, it is worth giving preference to the PCT sign. But this is an exception to the rule.

Instructions

Pay attention to the packaging of the phone when purchasing. The box with a certified phone must have an inscription in the language; it will be printed on the box, and not on stickers or stamps.

Open the box and check that it contains the Russian language. This is important in conjunction with the previous sign that it is uncertified: even in the package with a “gray” phone there may be instructions from a Russian page. Official manufacturers usually provide separate instructions for the country in which the device will be sold.

Turn on the phone, its menu should be Russified. If it is not there, then the device is not intended for sale in the Russian Federation, and, accordingly, the phone has not passed certification.

Check your phone using its unique serial number. To do this, dial *#06#, the number will appear on the screen, follow the link http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=imeinr and enter the received numbers in the field to find out the authenticity of the phone. You can also contact the manufacturer via the hotline and find out whether the device has been certified for Russia. For example, the Nokia hotline is 8 800 700 2222.

Open the phone cover and remove the battery, look at the sticker; in addition to the serial number, it should contain the PCT and SSE signs, not on a separate stamp, but next to the number. The same PCT marking must be on the phone packaging, this means that the phone is PCT certified.

Inspect the keyboard: the roughness of the Russian engraving and the discrepancy between the Russian letters and the Latin ones indicate a fake. Finally, ask the seller about warranty repair terms. Often sellers do not hide the fact that the goods they sell are “gray”.

Sources:

• phone check

An expensive phone, regardless of its functionality, is a status item that shows the wealth and achievements of its owner. There are several reasons for purchasing such gadgets.

Exterior design

The expensive price of a phone or smartphone can be determined not only by the built-in devices, but also by the materials used. Premium and luxury phones are often made from precious and rare metals, leather, hardwood, gemstones, etc. This is where the high price of the product comes from, which a wealthy person wants to buy. As a rule, these are people who are constantly in the public eye (artists, singers, cultural figures, famous businessmen). Often the functionality of an expensive phone leaves much to be desired. For example, Vertu, a company that produces gadgets made from precious woods and precious metals, released its first smartphone only in 2010, while other manufacturers producing phones for any wallet have been producing smartphones with increased functionality for more than 10 years.

Manufacturers of the most functional communicators and smartphones are Samsung, Apple, HTC and Huawei. The struggle for the right to own patents for various technical solutions continues between the first two.

Functional

Most often, the expensive price of a device is due to the technical solutions and innovations built into it, thanks to which some of them receive the status of flagship of the phone and communicator market. Modern communicators and smartphones are displacing classic cell phones from their usual positions in the market, making the cost of a smartphone both very low and very high. For example, the cost of the device can be affected by the quality of the camera, the number of processor cores, the amount of built-in memory, etc. Not long ago, retinal sensors, fingerprint scanners, transparent cases, etc. began to appear on smartphones. Often, such a gadget is really necessary for the consumer, since he needs a device with a large number of functions that will be in demand by him. If this is really the case, then a person will not be afraid of the expensive cost.

Representatives of the fairer sex will especially appreciate a phone made of precious metals as a gift. This can become not only an expensive gift, but also an investment. The price of gold is increasing from year to year.

Phone as a gift

Sometimes such phones are purchased as a gift when a person already has almost all the attributes of a rich life, but either did not have time to acquire such a device or did not want to. When purchasing such a device, the emphasis is not on functionality, but on the materials used. Gold and silver phones will be a good gift for anyone. Modern smartphones can cost tens of thousands of rubles, but this does not mean that it cannot be given to someone as a gift. You should not make a decision about such a purchase on your own, as a person may not accept such a gesture of attention. It is better to choose an expensive smartphone or phone together. In many large cities of the country there are stores that specialize in selling premium devices (one of them is Euroset-Luxury).

You don’t have to worry about whether the iPhone is genuine if the device is purchased at a hardware store or at one of the offices of cellular networks, such as MTS or Svyaznoy. But if you intend to order an iPhone via the Internet (for example, from a Chinese store) or buy a gadget “from hand”, you need to be careful and insist on preliminary verification of the authenticity of the gadget via the Internet.

This method is the most suitable, because to use it you don’t even need to open the box and take out the device itself. Follow the instructions:

Step 1. Find the serial number of the device on the packaging - it should be located on the back of the box between the IMEI and the part number (Part No.). The serial number consists of 11 or 12 characters (numbers and letters).

Source: cheerfuleboway.tumblr.com

If the iPhone is printed and activated, check the “serial numbers” on the packaging and in the device settings (path “ Settings» — « Basic» — « About this device»).