There Might Be Quality Difference On The Same iPhone Model Sold in Different Countries

Karamchand Rameshwar - Aug 30, 2019


Even though Foxconn is responsible for making most of iPhone devices, it is reported that there might be a quality difference for the same iPhone model sold in different countries.

The iPhone 7 will have many different region codes (Model). The area code is printed on the box and stated in the 'About' section of Settings. For example, a model is written like this: MNR52LL / A. In it, the last three characters are the ones to tell you where the phone is sold.

1. Differentiate the model

The model is printed on the box and in the Settings

MNR52LL / A: This model is sold in the US market. Similarly, when you see the HN / A code, you will know that the device is sold in India. There are many different models, and these are the most common ones:

HN / A: India
LL / A: USA, Canada
ZP / A: Singapore, Hong Kong
CH / A: China
J / A: Japan
MY / A: Malaysia

2. Hardware differences between each model

Not all models have the same hardware quality. Depending on the market, Apple will design such a device in accordance with the specifications and environment of the country. For example, the display color and brightness might be different for each model. Most likely, this is Apple's intention based on user preferences in each country, not a hardware error.

3894736 Modem Intel Iphone 7 Band 7
The red line shows the signal quality of the Qualcomm modem, while the blue color represents that of the Intel modem (iPhone 7)

There are also unintended differences because Apple has many companies that process and assemble their smartphones. The same chip, the same modem, but sometimes two different vendors work together. For example, the 4G LTE modem on the iPhone 7/7 Plus is made by two companies, Qualcomm and Intel. Many users have reported that the device using Qualcomm modem receives 4G signal better than the one using the Intel modem by 30 to 75%. The iPhone 6S is another notable example. There are also two companies that produce chips for the iPhone 6s, TSMC, and Samsung. The difference in battery life between the two models is about 2 to 3 percent (TSMC lasts longer).

3418454 Iphone 6s Battery0test
Battery benchmark results by software on iPhone 6s, between two models using chips of TSMC and Samsung

The accessories in the box of each model are also different, for example, the US model box uses a two-prong charger, and the Singapore and Hong Kong iPhone models use a three-prong charger. The US box doesn't have a SIM stick while the other two boxes have it.


Sort by Newest | Popular

Next Story