Any downside to buying a Spark Nokia 6.1 to use on Skinny?

Yabanize:

With the exception of Samsung etc (Different CSC's, allowing Spark to plaster their logo/wallpaper/app/TWorld)

The way Apple (and hopefully Nokia) do it is so much nicer.

Yeah there's a whole missing layer of readily available info on the extent to which devices are 'branded' and what that branding actually means. As this thread demonstrates, it's actively confusing for people who just want to know if a phone will work for them, so the safe bet is often to buy what's described as 'for your current network' when it can be the case that a version that's on sale but listed as another network's stock is actually identical. It's something I firmly believe there should be more transparency on.

Without going too far off the rails in this thread, since I think it will be useful and heeeey I have a hot minute after launching the S10 today, the rules of thumb for officially locally available smartphone brands are:

Samsung - devices are customised per-network, usually to a minimal extent with the notable exception of 2degrees WiFi calling, and there is no such thing as unbranded Samsung smartphone stock officially available in NZ. Here you are better off getting the one for the network you're on, but if you have the know-how you can switch the software easily or unbrand it entirely to another country's open market version.
Apple - they are all exactly the same regardless of source (unless you're an enterprise and need DEP/zero-touch MDM enrolment)
Huawei - the Mates and the P-series are all the same regardless of source, Novas and Ys may vary, watch for single vs. dual SIM in the low-end - Vodafone does not ever sell dual SIM smartphones so theirs will always be single SIM
OPPO - all the same regardless of source
Motorola - Open market unbranded in any way, same stock as Australia - same software as all open market in APAC
CAT (rugged phones for business if you've not encountered them, one has a thermal camera!) - Open market unbranded in any way, same software as all of APAC
LG - Open market unbranded, same stock and software as Australia
Nokia - exclusively sold through Spark's distribution channels, so all are (very minimally) Spark-branded - I don't have as much visibility into these as I don't work directly with Nokia/HMD - this effectively just means Spark tests the updates locally for critical network compatibility before they're deployed by Nokia
Xiaomi (Mi) - Open market unbranded, they have a single universal 'global' software build per device
Alcatel - customised per-network, just entry-level so usually network locked anyway unless you're buying from 2degrees who no longer lock
Vodafone - obviously Vodafone NZ customised
Sony - No longer active in the NZ market, but they were lightly customised per-network
HTC - No longer active in the NZ market, but they did share a single software build between AU and NZ for a while
Meizu - Open market unbranded with a single universal 'global' software build like Xiaomi, but er, unlike Xiaomi, very slow to update (sorry)
Razer - I'll be able to tell you soon!
Google Pixel - Not officially sold in NZ, included just for reference
OnePlus - Single global software build, included just for reference

I think that's everything worth talking about, and hope it is useful. One day when I'm less entrenched in the industry and its politics and have the bloody time I'll write all this stuff and more up somewhere so enthusiasts on the outside - like I was for many years - get the benefits of what's on the inside that can be shared and isn't, and can make informed purchasing decisions and recommendations based on upfront information.

sparky1685

NikT