Samsung acknowledges region-locking on Note 3 was a bad move

Samsung issued the following statement (translated from German, so don't mind the improper grammar in places):

“We assure you that the pleasant and smooth user experience for our customers with Samsung products is a top priority for us. Of course, we take customer feedback to heart.
The fact that the regional SIM Lock function ensures this degree of uncertainty , we did not expect . Therefore, we collected and analyzed the many questions in the last days .
The regional SIM lock feature on the latest Samsung products will remain in place. We are currently examining intensively However , how can we optimize and simplify the procedure for total customer satisfaction. To answer all the questions satisfactorily , but we still need some time .
If users previously have problems with the deactivation of the regional SIM lock function, they can contact customer service . This supports like the activation process so that customers can use their device without restrictions.”

As you can see, Samsung did not “expect this level of uncertainty” as a result of the region lock, though if they had coded the lock properly – which would have let everyone unlock the device for use with any SIM in the world by activating it with a local SIM first, something it doesn't do for some users right now – the region lock might never have been such a huge issue in the first place.

It's also disappointing that current devices will continue to sport a region lock, and we hope Samsung changes its stance on that decision. For now, don't forget to head to the nearest service center if you wish to remove that region lock, and keep your fingers crossed for Samsung not implementing such poor ideas in future devices.

Via