It is a common practice in almost all brands of smartphone manufacturers: to market different versions of the same phone. Why is this done? What is the difference between a Spanish version mobile and a European version? We will answer these questions in this post.
The question may be a bit surprising, if we take into account that all units of a given phone model are manufactured in the same place to be later distributed throughout the world. But already from the factory, the devices will travel to their respective destinations with their own unique characteristics. And there is a logical reason why this is so.
This happens because each country has its own regulations and the manufacturer has no choice but to adapt to them, ensure that the device complies with the requirements and regulations required in each case. In general, European version devices tend to limit updates due to geographic location and are sold at a different price than Spanish version mobiles.
It is very important know these details before buying a mobile phone online. It happens too often that we find the mobile model we wanted in an online store and, upon receiving it at home, we realize that its characteristics are not suitable for use in our country. But what are those differences? Normally, they stick to the aspects that we list below:
Main differences
These are the points to which special attention must be paid when establishing the difference between a Spanish version mobile and a European version.
Operating system and updates
Even if the manufacturer and model are the same, a mobile phone may have an operating system with different modifications or layers of customization. This is explained, as we indicated before, as a way to adapt to the requirements of the standards of each country or market.
In the case of the Spanish version versus the European version, the difference is usually limited to the interface design and idiom* (which, in some cases, is not a minor issue). However, other times we will meet problems updating the system or when configuring its functions.
And it is that some operating system updates are not available for all regions or countries. Or they are available after they have been implemented.
(*) Luckily, on the Internet it is easy to find user manuals and instructions for almost any mobile model in Spanish.
The guarantee
This is one of the most delicate issues. There is no doubt that the possibility of buying in online stores around the world offers us a lot of freedom and a lot of possibilities. Nothing happens until the day a problem with the mobile that we have bought. What guarantee covers me in this case?
The laws of European Union establish the obligation to offer a two year warranty to mobile phone vendors. This does not mean that we will have to deal directly with the seller to manage the repair or replacement of the device.
Things get complicated when it comes to smartphones purchased, for example, in chinese stores. In most of them they offer us only one year warranty. However, it must be taken into account that it does not include the expenses involved in sending the device to the country of origin to be repaired. And also with the time that it will roast from the time we send it until we receive it back at home, duly repaired.
If we don't want to wait an eternity, we can always resort to a repair shop. Normally, there we will find spare parts for any make and model, and technicians capable of repairing our fault.
4G Networks
Different phone companies use different frequency bands for its operation, which in turn may vary by country or region. These frequencies are regulated by the International Telecommunications Union in order to avoid interference.
For this reason, when we are going to buy a smartphone from another country, it is essential to first find out the types of band with which it is compatible, and if these are available by the operators that work in Spain. The table that we show above will be very useful when choosing.
In the case of a MVNO (Virtual Mobile Operator) It will be necessary to investigate which network it uses to know the band in question.
Chargers
Here is another aspect that we often overlook, although it can only be a problem if the store where we buy the mobile phone is in the United Kingdom. And it is that the loaders used in the British Isles are adapted to triple-pin plugs, which are different from ours.
The same happens with mobiles bought in Chinese stores. It is true that on many occasions the shipment includes a adapter. If not, we always have the option to buy one. They are very cheap and can be found at any hardware store.