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I expect this to increase prices for chinese phones. It is well known that xiaomi operates on thin margin so they can push their IT services and recoup the cost

I expect this to increase prices for chinese phones. It is well known that xiaomi operates on thin margin so they can push their IT services and recoup the cost.

ffpip 6y ago
> IT services Ads in default apps, user data collection and selling the said collected data.
- searchableguy 6y ago
  > Ads in default apps, user data collection and selling the said collected data. That's almost everyone. Yesterday, I opened a brand new budget samsung phone. Despite not logging in anything and declining every box I could, it was automatically filled with invasive apps. It came with made in India sticker. At least with xiaomi, I can flash it with a custom rom and remove the bloatware. Many alternatives lock down their phone. The other phones that I would trust are expensive and out of reach for many Indians such as the pixel (their last device was banned in India).
  - ffpip 6y ago
    Samsung budget phones have unlockable bootloader too? Yes. I do know that. Even I use a custom rom on a redmi phone
    - searchableguy 6y ago
      > Samsung budget phones have unlockable bootloader too? Not consistently and many don't have much support in the ROM market anymore.
      - milankragujevic 6y ago
        It is not true, all Samsung phones have unlockable bootloaders except those bought in the USA on carrier.
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      It's more complicated than that, not always, and it invariably comes with restrictions. Plus, the devices are pretty much just worse than Xiaomi's, so they don't get much attention from the ROM scene.
  - Spivak 6y ago
    I flashed my old Samsung phones a just a few years ago. Did something change and they finally lock the bootloaders permanently?
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      They are trying their best. There's always a chance of an exploit getting found, though. Happens pretty frequently.
  - cooljacob204 6y ago
    Yup, I bought an S8+ and after the terrible experience with bloatware and Bixby I have sworn off buying a Samsung phone again. Over the past few years it has updated and installed new bloatware multiple times and even re-enabled Facebook background services.
    - greycol 6y ago
      I flashed my s8+ with LineageOS 4 or 5 months ago and am happy with the results. You'll need to check if your snapdragon or exynos for compatability. It gets you the latest version of android (since samsung decided that 2 years is all they're willing to support their flagship phone for) and a complete lack of bloatware. I'll add that some apps (noteably netflix and banking) can throw a hissy fit on rooted phones and you will have to use something like Magisk to get the app store to function correctly and allow you to download the apps.
  - milankragujevic 6y ago
    All Samsung phones (except those bought on carrier in USA) have unlockable bootloaders. Xiaomi phones have a waiting period, you are required to log in with a Mi account then use the phone connected to the internet for 7 days to be able to unlock it. Samsung here seems way more user friendly. And with Treble GSI ROMs, you can flash a custom OS on any phone, except Samsung has less problems on average with the kernel (ignoring their security features) compared to Xiaomi which requires a custom kernel in many cases to enen boot a GSI.
- Spivak 6y ago
  Yep, it's pretty much the only way TV manufacturer's are able to compete these days too. I wish these kinds of things were considered market failures because if a gov't came in and forced the whole market to stop TVs would get a little more expensive but now they wouldn't feel like they had to sell their users out because everyone else is.
- HenryBemis 6y ago
  The first app I install in any Android device I get my hands on is NoRoot Firewall, and block (global) any offensive IPs or URLs. Another option that annoys me (but I understand it is user friendly to have it enabled by default) is that when you install an app it automatically switches on Data and WiFi access to it (and the firewall blocks it until I allow it).
pier25 6y ago
And how come Xiaomi has models with Android One?
yumraj 6y ago
You forgot Chineses government subsidy to get a backdoored phone in the hands of the masses in an enemy nation.
- shalmanese 6y ago
  You significantly overestimate the geopolitical value of users who wouldn't buy a phone for $35 but will buy a phone for $30.
  - chanmad29 6y ago
    Likely India was a market that was super price sensitive, but based on anecdotal info, I think users have already started to get pickier.

I expect this to increase prices for chinese phones. It is well known that xiaomi operates on thin margin so they can push their IT services and recoup the cost.

ffpip 6y ago

> IT services Ads in default apps, user data collection and selling the said collected data.

searchableguy 6y ago
> Ads in default apps, user data collection and selling the said collected data. That's almost everyone. Yesterday, I opened a brand new budget samsung phone. Despite not logging in anything and declining every box I could, it was automatically filled with invasive apps. It came with made in India sticker. At least with xiaomi, I can flash it with a custom rom and remove the bloatware. Many alternatives lock down their phone. The other phones that I would trust are expensive and out of reach for many Indians such as the pixel (their last device was banned in India).
- ffpip 6y ago
  Samsung budget phones have unlockable bootloader too? Yes. I do know that. Even I use a custom rom on a redmi phone
  - searchableguy 6y ago
    > Samsung budget phones have unlockable bootloader too? Not consistently and many don't have much support in the ROM market anymore.
    - milankragujevic 6y ago
      It is not true, all Samsung phones have unlockable bootloaders except those bought in the USA on carrier.
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    It's more complicated than that, not always, and it invariably comes with restrictions. Plus, the devices are pretty much just worse than Xiaomi's, so they don't get much attention from the ROM scene.
- Spivak 6y ago
  I flashed my old Samsung phones a just a few years ago. Did something change and they finally lock the bootloaders permanently?
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    They are trying their best. There's always a chance of an exploit getting found, though. Happens pretty frequently.
- cooljacob204 6y ago
  Yup, I bought an S8+ and after the terrible experience with bloatware and Bixby I have sworn off buying a Samsung phone again. Over the past few years it has updated and installed new bloatware multiple times and even re-enabled Facebook background services.
  - greycol 6y ago
    I flashed my s8+ with LineageOS 4 or 5 months ago and am happy with the results. You'll need to check if your snapdragon or exynos for compatability. It gets you the latest version of android (since samsung decided that 2 years is all they're willing to support their flagship phone for) and a complete lack of bloatware. I'll add that some apps (noteably netflix and banking) can throw a hissy fit on rooted phones and you will have to use something like Magisk to get the app store to function correctly and allow you to download the apps.
- milankragujevic 6y ago
  All Samsung phones (except those bought on carrier in USA) have unlockable bootloaders. Xiaomi phones have a waiting period, you are required to log in with a Mi account then use the phone connected to the internet for 7 days to be able to unlock it. Samsung here seems way more user friendly. And with Treble GSI ROMs, you can flash a custom OS on any phone, except Samsung has less problems on average with the kernel (ignoring their security features) compared to Xiaomi which requires a custom kernel in many cases to enen boot a GSI.
Spivak 6y ago
Yep, it's pretty much the only way TV manufacturer's are able to compete these days too. I wish these kinds of things were considered market failures because if a gov't came in and forced the whole market to stop TVs would get a little more expensive but now they wouldn't feel like they had to sell their users out because everyone else is.
HenryBemis 6y ago
The first app I install in any Android device I get my hands on is NoRoot Firewall, and block (global) any offensive IPs or URLs. Another option that annoys me (but I understand it is user friendly to have it enabled by default) is that when you install an app it automatically switches on Data and WiFi access to it (and the firewall blocks it until I allow it).

pier25 6y ago

And how come Xiaomi has models with Android One?

yumraj 6y ago

You forgot Chineses government subsidy to get a backdoored phone in the hands of the masses in an enemy nation.

shalmanese 6y ago
You significantly overestimate the geopolitical value of users who wouldn't buy a phone for $35 but will buy a phone for $30.
- chanmad29 6y ago
  Likely India was a market that was super price sensitive, but based on anecdotal info, I think users have already started to get pickier.