Do you already know that a number of Xiaomi smartphones do not work correctly in Russia?

Now I’ll tell you which ones, why and why what’s happening will forever force us to buy from official distributors.

But first, a little history to make it clearer.

What helped Xiaomi take over the world

The emergence of Xiaomi radically changed the history of gadgets. Before them big brands officially released regional versions, actively joining the fight against “gray” goods.

With a MacBook, you are more familiar with this than ever: blocked wireless network frequencies, lack of regional languages, refusals when contacting service.

All Xiaomi gadgets at the early stage of the company’s development were initially sold only in China, but had no regional reference. What does it mean?

In the firmware it was possible to install any system and keyboard language, up to Hindi or Ethiopian. This is how Android works - just download the required package, the system will do the rest. The developers did not limit buyers.

Support for regional communication standards has always been tied to China: a smartphone must first of all work there, and only then in another country. But the initially designed operating ranges were easily unlocked.

Fortunately, Xiaomi did not limit fan communities in support, willingly contacting everyone and sending the source code of the firmware for the development of unique custom firmware and beta testing of official ones.


This is how popular versions of the brand name appeared operating system MIUI from official xiaomi fan communities. eu, MiuiPro, MultiROM. All of them are updated once a week/month via OTA (“over the air”) on any Xiaomi smartphone.

The first localized versions appear a couple of weeks after the release of a new smartphone and do not require anything for installation: you install it as if you were updating a system without the Internet, using built-in system tools.

It helps if the brand hasn’t managed to release global firmware: complete localization and integration of the services needed in Europe/Russia is right there.

We can also talk about popular home gadgets: third-party developers helped Xiaomi in as soon as possible help buyers from other regions.

And this was at a time when other brands were artificially limiting the distribution of their devices between local markets.

The first smartphones for the domestic market

The first Xiaomi smartphone that never received official global firmware was Redmi Pro with a dual camera and an AMOLED screen. Well, I didn’t want to hurt.

It was followed by Y1 and 5C, which did not gain popularity even in China. And that would be fine, but a lot of people bought Xiaomi Mi 5X, hoping to upgrade to the global version...

The bootloader (Hboot) is a program that controls the operating system kernel. Closed provides protection against unwanted programs, open allows you to modify the lower levels of the operating system.

And they couldn’t do this, because exactly the same smartphone with “pure” Android on board, the A1, entered the global market. The bootloaders of these two smartphones are incompatible, so it is impossible to reflash the Mi 5X into a full-fledged A1: when you try to update the system (OTA arrives over the air), the smartphone turns into a “brick”. Treatment - disassembly and hardware witchcraft.

Some Chinese stores have put another option on sale: an allegedly Russified version of the Mi 5X. Of course, such a thing never existed. What is this?

Unscrupulous sellers were able to install the system bootloader from Xiaomi Mi Max, which made it possible to install a Russified version of the firmware.

When trying to reflash such a smartphone using standard Xiaomi methods (it’s very simple - download, press a button), the buyer received a dead device without the possibility of recovery. Later, craftsmen learned to restore them, but the methods require great skill.

Now gadgets that previously worked normally have problems. And smartphones even received 2 articles per model - for different markets. And it began...

How Xiaomi blocks the use of Chinese technology

Let's start with home appliances. My Xiaomi R1D router worked faithfully for 2 years until Xiaomi updated the firmware and servers. I admit - instead of the official Chinese one, I used a custom English version.

It stopped connecting to the smartphone, synchronizing via DLNA and downloading torrents. The application refused to see the router even after a complete hard reset.

Until I installed the Chinese firmware and set the correct region (Other), the smartphone application did not allow me to connect. Now in one Mi account I see only the router, in the other - all other gadgets.

But my router is only released for Chinese market, so the full set of functions is only available when connecting to Chinese servers. Or a slow VPN (imagine sending home traffic through an external server), or putting up with DLNA not working and smart home gadgets not connecting.

The first is solved by another NAS or third-party OpenWRT firmware. But a “smart home” cannot be built from Xiaomi components.

Flash cannot be used as is

Add a comma yourself after reading, because with smartphones everything is much more interesting. The story with Mi 5X is repeated with all Xiaomi devices.

The flagship Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s received 3 options: global, Chinese, Russian. Each one has a different model code.

If you install global firmware on a smartphone with AliExpress, you cannot use Google Pay and some banking applications. The international version of the device costs the same as last year's Samsung. The Russian one is better priced, but it comes with a bunch of unnecessary applications pre-installed.

What's happening? To flash a smartphone from one version to another, you need to unlock the bootloader. Old Xiaomi smartphones allowed any manipulation with it.

If one of the new Xiaomis is flashed from Chinese firmware to international firmware, the bootloader must be left unlocked, otherwise the smartphone will stop turning on.

An unlocked bootloader causes banking apps and Google Pay to crash. The only salvation is crutch custom firmware.

However, long-awaited Mi 8 and gaming Black Shark We never received the official international version of the firmware. Fans wait, install custom ones, and struggle with the settings.

What happens if you buy a “gray” Xiaomi on AliExpress?

What's the result? There are no longer guarantees that your Xiaomi from AliExpress, purchased at the start of sales, will receive international firmware. Or that you will be able to use it - you may have to customize it.

Recently, there have been cases when Orienburg customs began to unwrap parcels containing Xiaomi phones purchased on AliExpress. When contacting the customs service to receive an official explanation of the reason why this product was stopped, they give the following answer: Since March 2017, the official Xiaomi online store in Russia, Smart Orange (a marketing division of RDC Group), has acquired the rights to sell Xiaomi products in Russia . Therefore, phones imported into Russia that have not been approved by the company are counterfeit. A reasonable question arises here - why did Smart Orange LLC not ban the sale of these products on the AliExpress site, but influence customs, which stops parcels that are goods for personal use, and certainly non-counterfeit?

In accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 328 of the Customs Code of the Customs Union: “2. Measures to protect intellectual property rights are not applied customs authorities in relation to goods transported across the customs border: 1) individuals for personal use, including those sent to their address in international mail;"

What to do if a parcel with a Xiaomi phone was not allowed through customs?

If you are expecting a Xiaomi phone and see that the tracking of your postal item has a status with a refusal from customs clearance, then you should write an official appeal to the relevant customs department with a request to inform about the reasons for the refusal. An official response should be attached to an open dispute on AliExpress.

At the moment there is information that Xiaomi phones are passing through customs in Vnukovo. Basically, they unwrap parcels arriving at customs in Orenburg. Therefore, if you want to buy a Xiaomi phone, then it is better to write to the seller first and find out about the delivery method, so that the parcel does not end up in Orenburg.

This article will focus specifically on resellers, those companies that import smartphones from China, make a markup and sell them here. We are not talking about chain stores; with them and their markup of 100%, everything is clear.

In all cities there are companies that sell Xiaomi smartphones and even provide their warranty on these devices. Unlike popular stores (I think you know very well which stores we're talking about), resellers have lower appetites for markups, but they still exist. On average, the markup is 2-3 thousand rubles for a Xiaomi smartphone up to 10 thousand rubles and more than 3 thousand rubles for other smartphones. But it's not just about the markup. Let's look at all the pitfalls when buying a smartphone "in transition", and also find out all the pros and cons of such a purchase.

Pros.

The smartphone is here and now.

Opportunity to buy a smartphone here and now. I know people who did not want to wait half a month from China for their package to arrive. They wanted to get a smartphone right now. And resellers are a good option. You can drive to the store and in ten minutes be the proud owner of a new device.

Possibility to check the product before purchasing.

In general, Russian Post also has such an opportunity. It's just that not everyone knows about it. But unlike Russian Post, they immediately give you a smartphone, which you can turn on, look at, and if you don’t like something, refuse to purchase. If you buy through Aliexpress, then you will have to issue a refund, wait for this refund, and generally waste your time.

But there’s a problem here: if the packaging has been opened, it will be extremely difficult to check whether the smartphone was “used” and whether it is refurbished? To some extent, you are still buying a pig in a poke.

Opportunity to save.

As I already said, buying in a regular chain store smartphone, you are faced with an inadequate markup from the Xiaomi store, which can reach up to 100% of the cost of the smartphone. It is clear that the store must earn money and pay taxes, but in the best case, the markup should be 30-40%, taking into account the 18% tax, where such “greed” comes from, I personally don’t understand.

There is no need to wait two or three weeks and be afraid that the smartphone will not arrive. Remember the story that happened in May 2017, when Smart Orange banned the purchase of Xiaomi smartphones from Aliexpress? For those who don’t know, let me remind you. There is a company called Smart Orange, which is the official distributor of Xiaomi in Russia. She was not satisfied that a large percentage of smartphones go from China to Russia, bypassing official supplies. The distributor decided to block this channel. And then the worst thing happened - parcels with smartphones began to be turned away at customs and many people did not see their smartphones.

But this story is so-so, after a month everything was returned as it was and everyone felt good. In reality, now a very small percentage of parcels do not reach their customers. And mostly people buy smartphones from resellers here so as not to wait for a package from China.

Availability of guarantee. Ha ha ha. Of course it’s a joke, what kind of guarantee are we talking about when you buy a Xiaomi smartphone? I have seen repair reports from many people who repaired smartphones in authorized centers in Moscow. In my opinion, any defect in a smartphone service center regards it as non-warranty.

And if the reseller provides his own repairs, maybe he will do it better? Also unlikely.

Minuses.

Cat in a poke.

Indeed, a very big and fat pig in a poke. Where was the smartphone purchased, how did it get to Russia, was it repaired, was this smartphone returned? You will not be able to get an answer to these questions.

Plus, there is a great chance to buy a “Chinese” smartphone, that is, a smartphone that is supplied only for the Chinese market. There will be a lot of problems with such a smartphone. In particular, there will be no normal support for the Russian language, the frequencies may not match and you will not be able to receive 4G LTE, or maybe you will get a brick when updating your smartphone.

Conclusions.

I believe that it is better to buy a smartphone directly from a seller on Aliexpress. It is enough to choose a seller who has a lot of reviews, read them, look at the characteristics of Xiaomi, its modification, and firmware version. Yes, it will take longer, you will have to wait two to three weeks for the package to arrive, but it will be much more reliable.

You will already know where this smartphone was purchased, what country it is intended for, what the warranty is for it, and so on. And if something goes wrong, Aliexpress returns the money. Remember, until you have confirmed receipt of the parcel, the seller will not receive your money; it will be held by the site.

By the way, I know many people who bought Xiaomi smartphones in transition and their gadgets work great. So, it all depends on you. If you can check everything before purchasing, then nothing bad will happen.

Before the goods are transferred to the buyer, you can cancel the purchase at any time. If the order is prepaid, you can return the entire payment amount back to the card by writing to

Return

When purchasing remotely (with courier delivery) in the online store website, you can return the goods of proper quality within 7 (seven) days from the date of receipt of the goods (Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights of the Russian Federation, Article 26.1). In this case, shipping costs are paid by the buyer.*

If technical faults are detected, the buyer may refuse the goods within 14 days from the date of receipt of the goods. In this case, a technical examination will be carried out. (after specified period the goods are subject to warranty repairs)

The returned item must be:

• - fully equipped
• — without traces of use and mechanical damage, maintaining its presentation and consumer qualities
• - in undamaged original packaging
• — with preservation of all types of markings and protection, seals, factory labels
• — with original documents confirming the purchase of goods: invoice, cash receipt(in the presence of)

Please note: the return conditions do not imply the operation of the equipment, use for testing purposes or other use of the goods. We accept your right to change your mind, but may refuse returns or exchanges on used items.

If a gift or additional accessories were included with the product, they are also subject to return in accordance with the specified rules.

* This condition only applies when purchasing online from the online store website

To return, follow these steps:

1. Fill out the form for returning/exchanging goods (Download)
2. Send a scan of the application to support.ru@site. You can confirm receipt of the application by calling the hotline.
3. Our operator will contact you to confirm the return and how to send the item back to the store. Shipping costs are paid by the buyer. You can bring the goods yourself to the returns collection point at the address: Moscow, Varshavskoe shosse, 1, building 1-2, office A110
4. Along with the goods, you must provide the courier with the original application for replacement and documents confirming the purchase.
5. If there are no complaints about the configuration and condition of the returned goods, cash will be returned within 10 business days of receipt at the warehouse. Refunds are made at bank card, from which the payment was made, or to the client’s bank account.
6. If you have any complaints, our operator will contact you:
   • - if part of the kit is missing, their cost will be withheld
   • — in case of mechanical damage to the product or packaging, an additional examination will be carried out

All Xiaomi smartphones are imported into Russia, so many buyers of mobile devices from this manufacturer were never able to receive their parcels. Chinese online stores and sellers understood this and returned money to customers for undelivered goods. Even though thousands of Russians have already filed complaints with several Russian authorities and the CEO of Xiaomi in China, the likelihood of resolving this situation with customs peacefully is extremely low.

The editors of the site carefully analyzed the situation and found two really working solutions that will help buyers from Russia continue to get their hands on Xiaomi smartphones at a very reasonable price. low prices. At the same time, the likelihood of any problems arising with the customs service of the Russian Federation is negligible. If everything is done correctly, the package is guaranteed to end up in the hands of the buyer, bypassing the traps set by the Smart Orange company, which asked not to allow allegedly counterfeit Xiaomi smartphones into Russia, since it owns the rights to this trademark.

Agree with the seller or online store

Russian customs operates very simply. If the postal package contains words like “Xiaomi smartphone,” then such mail will not reach Russia. All Chinese online stores and individual sellers usually mention the name of the company, so Russian customs are actually provided with all the data to complete their task

Before purchasing a Xiaomi smartphone in China, you should contact representatives of the online store or seller in advance, asking them not to indicate the brand name of the smartphone, limiting themselves to only the words “smartphone” or “ mobile device on Android." In this case, the customs service will never be able to know for sure which smartphone manufacturer is inside. Of course, the package can be opened, but this almost never happens.

Compliance with this simple rule will allow you to continue to order Xiaomi smartphones from China without overpaying double the price to the Russian representative of the company. At the same time, everything will be fine legally, since the essence of the parcel does not change. Customs officers will still understand that there is a mobile device inside, but what kind of device they will only have to guess.

Order Xiaomi smartphones from the Mall

As part of its integration into the Russian market, the largest Chinese online store AliExpress opened a so-called “Mall” a few months ago, in which Russian residents can order goods not from China, but directly from their country. Thus, postal items bypass inspection customs services, which means buying like this in a simple way You can use Xiaomi smartphones.

Of course, goods from the Mall cost approximately 10-15% more than those when delivered from China, but the confidence of receiving the parcel and the absence of headaches with customs are definitely worth it. We also note that all postal items moving only in Russia reach recipients within two weeks, and this is another reason to buy a Xiaomi smartphone through AliExpress Mall.

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