Buying International SGS2

[avinash4]

Hey, I am from Canada and I am very interested in purchasing the Samsung Galaxy S2 as my first Android phone. I understand that this phone won't be coming to Canada or the US until likely Q3 2011, which is a long wait! I have confirmed that the international version is compatible with the bands that my carrier (Fido.ca) uses.

I have noticed that the prices for the Internation version are VERY high (about 600 GBP), even the iPhone was not so expensive a launch here in Canada. Is it known that phones in the UK cost much more or will this be the cost of the phone when it comes to North America as well. If so, should I wait for prices to drop for the international version?

For those who have ordered internationally, what is a good provider that ships overseas? I was thinking of getting it from amazon.co.uk.

Thanks in advance for your assistance. I am excited to get my hands on this phone!

 

[Quboid]

Welcome to Phandroid and AndroidForums.

UK prices are usually very high. I don't know how Samsung compare, but often the price of gadgets in USD is the same as the price in GBP, as if the exchange rate was 1:1. You will probably save at least a hundred dollars by waiting. Certainly the price of a sim-free SGS2 is prohibitive for me and I'll be getting one on contract, but of course our individual circumstances dictate that more than anything.

One thing to be wary of is local providers crippling the device. In the US, the networks can really mess up a device for no obvious reason, I think one of the US networks forced the SGS1 to use Bing rather than Google for searches. WTF?! I don't know if Canada has the same problem. Buying a sim-free one from Europe will not have this problem.

You may be able to save a few bucks by buying from a Euro country. If Ireland is getting it at the same time as the UK they might be cheaper and you will get an English language device.

 

[chocobosandwich]

European phones will always be more expensive when compared to domestic American phones. Their market and money is different and exchange rates don't favor the US. That's why European peeps actually come to America to vacation, because it's cheaper.

To give you an example. When I bought my T-mobile Vibrant (Galaxy S), I got it off of eBay for literally $385 a couple of weeks after it was released in the states. The comparative unlocked European/International version was $650 on eBay. ($650 - $385 = $265 savings!) These are the cheapest prices you can get. If you think eBay seems iffy for buying phones, it's actually the most popular way of getting stuff beyond your typical carrier stores and resellers. They promptly deliver and don't BS like a couple of online retailers I've dealt with, both headquartered in the states.

The reason why branded phones are so much cheaper on eBay is because many people with existing family plans or getting new family plans, order 4 addtional lines (only $5 a line for T-mobile last time I checked), get a $199 Vibrant for each line, and then sell it on eBay for over $400. Minus the $120 for 2 years each line ($5 x 24 = $120) and you can come out with over $100 profit for each Vibrant. Even more profit when the Vibrant gets discounted by T-mobile, or has those buy one get one free offers.

If you can wait a month or so, unless you really really want it now or it is severely delayed, you can get a branded Canadian/US domestic phone for way cheaper. And when I mean way cheaper, I mean like 50% cheaper, because that SGS2 ain't gonna be less than say $750 without shipping, more with.

 

[avinash4]

Thank you both so much for the responses, it likely saved me lots of money. I will wait until it launches in North America. Hopefully it's soon!