Xiaomi is locking devices that are activated in prohibited regions

Posted by Gladis Harcrow on Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Ever wondered if you can export a Xiaomi device to any country by yourself? Well, yes, but Xiaomi will prevent you from using it if the country is banned.According to reports on Reddit, Xiaomi has included a new function in its user interface. The function can block a new phone if it was activated in a country that it forbids. Xiaomi, like other big manufacturers, has a list of countries and regions it prohibits the export of its products to. These regions include Cuba, South Sudan, Syria, Crimea, Iran, and North Korea. All of the countries listed are problematic in terms of international relations, disputed territories, human rights, or terrorism. That’s the reason that the allied world has prohibited companies from using western technology to export their products to such controversial places.

But even if Xiaomi doesn’t officially export to these regions, third-party resellers often do it anyway. This probably why Xiaomi decided on to taking further measures.

 

Picture of a locked Xiaomi device from Cuba. Courtesy of Reddit user yn4v4s


Xiaomi will block your phone if you're in the wrong place


If you're in one of the prohibited territories around the world, and activate a Xiaomi device, in a couple of days your device will get locked by the manufacturer.

“Xiaomi policy does not permit sale or provision of the product to the territory in which you have attempted to activate it. Please contact the retailers directly for additional information.” - the text Xiaomi displays when it locks a device

It is said that Xiaomi only locks newly activated devices. This means that theoretically, you can activate the device before entering the forbidden zone and still use it there, thus avoiding a Xiaomi lock.

 
The thing is that Xiaomi’s terms and conditions do not mention anything about locking a device for this reason. It is mentioned which countries and regions are prohibited to export, but this new feature is nowhere to be found.

"14.2 The Contract and all Products sold are subject to applicable export control laws, including but not limited to the export control laws of. the US and Buyer’s own jurisdiction. The Buyer will not export any product purchased from the Seller to any country or territory or anywhere if the export control laws forbid it. Prohibited countries and territories include Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, and the Crimea region. If the Buyer plans to export any Products purchased from the Seller to another country, the Buyer you must obtain the required export licenses (or other government approvals) before doing so." - Xiaomi Terms and Conditions

Other manufacturers could potentially follow Xiaomi’s example and start locking newly activated devices in these regions of the world as well. If so, in a while it will become next to impossible to use an illegally imported device in banned regions.

There is history of manufacturers getting sanctioned for exporting western technology to prohibited countries. One example of such a manufacturer is ZTE. The company was punished by the US government for exporting products that use US technologies in banned countries. In order for ZTE to continue using US technology, it stopped exporting to such forbidden places.

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Iskren, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been passionate about technology since his childhood, sparked by his early experiences with phones like the Ericsson T28 and Sony Ericsson P910i. After earning a bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism, he turned his fascination with smartphones into a career, with a particular interest in Apple and Motorola. Outside of his tech pursuits, Iskren enjoys watching TV series, movies, driving, and has a deep passion for cars and Formula 1. He looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly the potential of rollable smartphones.

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