Comment by cesarb
15 days ago
> So even if mass-market smartphones become locked-down completely, we will still have alternatives. [...] (Fairphone and PinePhone come to mind, I'm sure there are more)
You're not looking far ahead enough. Use of these alternatives will be banned.
I already cannot use any of these alternatives: all cell phones must be certified to be imported into Brazil, and so far I could find none of these alternatives certified by ANATEL. My only options are Android, Apple, or non-smartphone "feature phones" (they still exist). Yes, Brazil is one of the first countries on the list for this change from Google, and Apple already does something similar.
That sounds quite dystopian. I did consider this possibility, but thought that it was sufficiently far in the future. Sad that this future already arrived :(
But can you elaborate on how this is enforced? Probably by requiring IMEI registration? (supposedly with a carve-out for tourists, something like "a new IMEI can be used for two weeks without registration, after that it stops working")
If it's IMEI-based, then probably you can still have an alternative phone that will use WiFi hotspot from the "certified" one. Speaking from experience here - we had a problem in Indonesia where we were unable to register a phone due to bureaucratic shortcomings, and so we bought a cheap phone to serve as a hotspot. Inconvenient, true, but still workable.
Also, I don't know how IMEIs are implemented at hardware/software level. Maybe there are ways to spoof them somehow?
> But can you elaborate on how this is enforced?
The import is rejected by customs. Yes, this means there's the small loophole of traveling to another country (which is usually a long travel, this country is huge and the ocean is wide), buying the phone there, and bringing it back with you.
I don't know whether the carriers do reject phones with IMEI pointing to a non-homologated model used with a SIM registered to a Brazilian carrier (that is, not roaming).
> If it's IMEI-based, then probably you can still have an alternative phone that will use WiFi hotspot from the "certified" one.
That takes me back, it's exactly how I used my pre-smartphone PDA, tethering to my phone through Bluetooth. Yeah, that would work (it's exactly how I use my laptop when I can't use the normal Internet connection), were I able to import the thing in the first place.
> Yes, this means there's the small loophole of traveling to another country (which is usually a long travel, this country is huge and the ocean is wide)
I'm a frequent traveler, so I tend to overlook that not all people have that option, apologies for that.
But in many countries where there are some restrictions or crushing import taxes, I saw that there usually quickly appeared a flourishing network of people that utilize the travel loophole to bring in the necessary items - some even build sort-of-a-business out of that. Many just ask their travelling friends to bring them phones they desire (I've been such a friend on multiple occasions).