Why are European WP's... European?

[shlomo80]

I got a couple of SIM-free Nokias recently outside of my usual sources. They both turned out to be of Chinese origin.

Now what I don't understand is that looking in the settings, these are truly global machines - in terms of language and keyboard settings. Compare that to my usual Expansys/etc 'legit' sources of unlocked phones: We get European, East European, Western Middle East - and with no increase in the capabilities or the amount of free memory available that I can see.

What am I gaining with European models, and what am I losing with the Chinese one here? If there's no gain/lose, why not just have a truly international ROM in terms of settings like e.g. the iPhones?

 

[WP8Expert]

In Chinese models, they use different frequencies and types of networks, so the ROMs are customized for a better experience. In China, Facebook, Twitter and Google is replaced Renren, Sina Weibo and Baidu, so those are also customised for better experience. It would be better to have customised ROMs than one international ROM with EVERYTHING crammed into it. Even if that is done, it will cause phones to lag and take up more space as the ROMs will weigh more (in storage)

 

[shlomo80]

In Chinese models, they use different frequencies and types of networks, so the ROMs are customized for a better experience. In China, Facebook, Twitter and Google is replaced Renren, Sina Weibo and Baidu, so those are also customised for better experience. It would be better to have customised ROMs than one international ROM with EVERYTHING crammed into it. Even if that is done, it will cause phones to lag and take up more space as the ROMs will weigh more (in storage)

I should have said "Hong Kong Chinese" not "Mainland Chinese" but I thought it was obvious. Clearly no-one would expect to sell the "Fully Communist Crippled" Lumias outside of China.