Android smartphone in the UAE
 

So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone the other day. Great piece of gear. Big problem with applications though.

Turns out paid Android applications are somehow blocked or unavailable in Dubai. There are a lot of free apps that are OK but either don’t have full functionality or have an advertising banner that I’d gladly pay a few fils to get rid of. Almost anywhere else on Earth you pay a few bucks and upgrade to the full version. Not in the UAE.

I tried connecting the phone to a PC with a VPN running to make it look like it was in the US, with an old US sim card in the phone, but still it somehow knew I had a piece of $#!* UAE phone and wouldn’t let me. Same thing downroute in countries listed as unblocked on the Android website.

Unless someone knows how to get around this, I would have to say don’t buy any Android based phone in the UAE if you think you might want to use paid applications. Stick with the iPhone. Even someone like me who’s not into Apple has to concede this. Any Android guys out there who know a workaround?

By the way, don’t expect the salesgirl at any of the electronics superstores in Dubai to tell you about this before you buy. Sure, you’ll always get a friendly Hi Sirrrr! when you walk in the door, but don’t expect them to mention the bit about paid apps not being available for Android in the UAE.

There's a problem with what the UAE want you to have on your phone and also license issues sadly :confused:

Well there is one solution, take a wander on over to Android Forums and root your S2, then istall a decent non-UAE Rom on it and the world is your oyster. Did his to my Etislat HTC Wildfire and will do the Galaxy as soon as Ice Cream Sandwich is out

Similar problem with the IPad, no FaceTime on an IPad bought in the UAE, and impossible to install as it is linked to the serial no of the device. Only way to get around it is to crack it, this was explained to me by the Apple helpline in the USA.....