Anyone leery of chinese phones given the current world situation?

[J Dubbs]

I'm leery of buying a Chinese brand phone right now because of all the friction, election meddling, and China's seemingly lack of concern for protecting the incredible amounts of sensitive data on phones.

It's a shame because there are some very neat phones being produced by some of the upper tier Chinese manufacturers at some very good prices. I feel like my options are pretty limited right now.

How about you guys?

 

[dangerousfen]

I'm leery of buying a Chinese brand phone right now because of all the friction, election meddling, and China's seemingly lack of concern for protecting the incredible amounts of sensitive data on phones.

It's a shame because there are some very neat phones being produced by some of the upper tier Chinese manufacturers at some very good prices. I feel like my options are pretty limited right now.

How about you guys?

I agree. I'm a Nokia user but don't like the direction they're going with the current lineup. There are many mid range phones from China but I just don't trust them and don't want to give them my cash.

It's rather ironic really because I believe that even Nokia phones are manufactured in China. Pretty much all phones have Chinese parts.

Difficult choices ahead me thinks.

 

[Inders99]

The NSA has more info on you than you could ever imagine. I would't worry about it, the Red Army isn't going to come take you away.

 

[J Dubbs]

The NSA has more info on you than you could ever imagine. I would't worry about it, the Red Army isn't going to come take you away.

LoL. It's my banking info etc that I'm worried about them taking away

 

[Javier P]

Maybe I'm a bit biased since I'm a happy and relaxed owner of a OnePlus, but ...

Most, if not all, threads I see about this kind of issue are from users from the United States, worried that the NSA, their own government or the "Chinese" are interested in spying them or steal their money.

All those Chinese brands are sold all around the world and they have a great community making custom ROMs and going through all the code in them. I'm pretty sure that if they could steal your money everyone would know by now. Don't you think?

 

[dangerousfen]

Maybe I'm a bit biased since I'm a happy and relaxed owner of a OnePlus, but ...

Most, if not all, threads I see about this kind of issue are from users from the United States, worried that the NSA, their own government or the "Chinese" are interested in spying them or steal their money.

All those Chinese brands are sold all around the world and they have a great community making custom ROMs and going through all the code in them. I'm pretty sure that if they could steal your money everyone would know by now. Don't you think?

As far as I'm concerned, it's nothing to do with stealing. I'll leave it there.

 

[Javier P]

As far as I'm concerned, it's nothing to do with stealing. I'll leave it there.

My point is not only about stealing.

 

[mustang7757]

I have a 1 +6 and 1+7Pro , they are very good phones, would of got Huawei but they don't sell them in the US. I won't buy any phone that's not available in my region and doesn't have warranty.

 

[ptkelly]

Years ago I had a problem with the IRS. The short story, a friend at the IRS asked me for the account number for my 457G and said, "You have what we need there. Can I just take it? Then I can unfreeze your bank account." I said sure and click-click-click, he took the money. He came by the next morning for my to sign papers authorizing him to take the money.

No, I'm less worried about the Chinese than I am the U.S. government. My friend in the IRS died. I have the Huawei P30 pro, for the camera, but I might get a Xiaomi next. I wish an American company would actually compete with the Chinese.

 

[J Dubbs]

Thanks for the feedback so far everyone.... some good points made all' round. I've been struggling with the idea of trying a Chinese brand, some very cool, innovative, high spec options out there for good prices

 

[me just saying]

I would have no problems owning a phone made by a chinese company if it had the features I want and at the price I could afford. I don't think there is any more spying on the phones than what the US or South Korea does. That said, at this time, I need the play store, the ability to use NFC mobile payments, online banking and other features that may not be available to those phones. What they have today may not be available tomorrow depending which direction the political winds blow.

 

[Rukbat]

I wish an American company would actually compete with the Chinese.

And which Americans would be working for them for $5/day? More pay than that and they couldn't compete. The only way to compete would be to stop all R&D - use some other company's hardware designs and some other company's software. (Apple, manufacturers of Android phones that want them fabricated in China, have to turn over all design rights to Chinese companies.)

 

[Ry]

Not worried at all.

 

[Chuck Finley69]

I believe the general problem is the State endorsed and sponsored theft of intellectual property. USA companies spend a great deal of money on R&D and there are National security concerns.

While it may seem like trivial nuances or semantics, the citizens of Hong Kong have raised some very legitimate concerns about their Mainland government. While oversimplification, the phrase can’t have your cake and eat it too has some legitimate merit.

 

[ptkelly]

And which Americans would be working for them for $5/day? More pay than that and they couldn't compete. The only way to compete would be to stop all R&D - use some other company's hardware designs and some other company's software. (Apple, manufacturers of Android phones that want them fabricated in China, have to turn over all design rights to Chinese companies.)

Apple is a U.S. company and manufactures it's products overseas. That makes sense to me. If Google started creating phones with cameras that compete with Huawai I'd be happy to buy from them whether they're manufactured in Vietnam, China, or Guatemala. Right now it's a U.S. company manufacturing their phones in China.

 

[Chuck Finley69]

Apple is a U.S. company and manufactures it's products overseas. That makes sense to me. If Google started creating phones with cameras that compete with Huawai I'd be happy to buy from them whether they're manufactured in Vietnam, China, or Guatemala. Right now it's a U.S. company manufacturing their phones in China.

Plus it appears going forward, many companies are moving production to other parts of SE Asia or elsewhere.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Not worried at all.

Me either. Would never use a phone made by a Chinese company.

 

[Mike Dee]

Are we referring to Chinese OEMs or phones made in China?

 

[Chuck Finley69]

Are we referring to Chinese OEMs or phones made in China?

OP specifically refers to brands so that suggests OEMs to me.

 

[Mike Dee]

OP specifically refers to brands so that suggests OEMs to me.

I'm well aware of what the OP is referring too. I'm wondering about some of the other comments.