[Android Central Question]

I just bought a samsung galaxy note 7 and im trying to download snapchat and whatsapp but I noticed I don't even have google play, not even under my setting under applications! so I downloaded snapchat through the internet and I tried to log in but it said this app can not function without google play services which are not available on your phone. how is that possible? isn't note 7 a new phone. how can I fix this please

[belodion]

It's probably a Chinese version. You may be able to flash a different firmware...I don't know. Would you like me to move this to the Note 7 forum for more comments?

[hallux]

It's probably a Chinese version. You may be able to flash a different firmware...I don't know. Would you like me to move this to the Note 7 forum for more comments?

It's a Note 7, is it possible Google pulled the certification for those because of the problems that were had? The re-issued ones carried a different name, right? Note Fan Edition was it?

[belodion]

It's a Note 7, is it possible Google pulled the certification for those because of the problems that were had? The re-issued ones carried a different name, right? Note Fan Edition was it?

You could be right. I'm no Samsung expert, but I happen to know of a few users who, if reasonably sober, may have something to say about that.

The Fan Edition name I do remember.

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! The Note 7 is not a new phone. As mentioned above, the original Note 7 was a total fiasco due to the battery fire risk, and production and sales were stopped. If you have an original Note 7, I would strongly recommend not using it. You won't be able to take it on a plane -- that restriction is still in effect. If, on the other hand, you have the Note Fan Edition (the revised Note 7 that fixed the battery issue), it should be ok.

As belodion mentioned, if the phone was intended for the Chinese market, that would usually mean it's not certified for Google Play. I'm not sure if the Fan Edition was ever made for China -- I thought it was made primarily for South Korea. Another possibility is that it's a knockoff/clone. Install an app like CPU-Z and see which CPU is present. If it's anything besides a Qualcomm or Samsung chip (i.e., usually a Mediatek), then it's knockoff.