Do all new Android phone start with language options?

[Android Question]

Hi,

I've just bought a 'new and sealed' Android phone from ebay from a reputable seller.

However it booted straight to the homescreen, bypassing any language select options and was already set-up in German language.

There was even a German text message on the phone with sim set-up details - suggesting a sim card had been put in and removed.

The seller is arguing that this was a sealed brand new phone - is what I've described possible on a new unused phone?

Also the two official Samsung box stickers had a very thin cut across them - with a clear plastic sticker over one of them which was intact.
I'm not sure if the thin cut was a perforation on the sticker and also not sure if the clear plastic sticker was even supposed to be there.

Finally I'm also concerned that the Android software may have been tampered with - is this also possible?

Thanks for any help!

 

[chanchan05]

In my experience, no. Well, depends on the source of the device. The phones I got straight from the Samsung Store boots up to language options, but phones from a carrier don't. Mainly because carriers tend to modify the software, like locking the SIM, putting certain wallpapers and such. So it may be that your phone is an unlocked, but carrier branded device.

 

[mikedt]

Thing is Ebay vendors are not authorised Samsung resellers, even if you might consider them reputable or not. The phones could have been repackaged. Sounds like the original Samsung security seals had been cut. Carrier specific, customised and branded phones can be pre-set to work in a particular language, have setup details, e.g. German T-Mobile(Deutsche Telekom). If you have any doubts about the integrity or what might have previously been installed, then do a factory reset on them, provided they're not rooted. If it still comes up in German and has SIM stuff after factory resetting, then it's very likely it originally came from a probably German carrier.

The only time I've noticed that non-carrier phones don't start with language choice is some Chinese devices, which default to Chinese.

 

[Slug]

Also the two official Samsung box stickers had a very thin cut across them - with a clear plastic sticker over one of them which was intact.

The box had been opened prior to sale in that case. Samsung's seals are one-piece paper items with no plastic on top.