I'm currently in China and as an Italian citizen, I'm considering buying an iPad since the prices here are significantly lower than in Italy. However, I'm concerned about potential warranty issues when I return home. I also want to know if there are any software limitations I should be aware of before making a purchase.
2 Answers
Apple products purchased in China have some notable limitations. For instance, iPads sold in China are missing features like eSIM support, FaceTime audio, and group video calls. It's worth considering how important these features are to you before deciding to buy one here.
I've lived in China and my experience shows that if you buy an iPad or iPhone made for the Chinese market, you'll encounter restrictions, especially regarding software integration. Devices sold in China usually lack features like ChatGPT access and rely on Alibaba's AI instead. Warranty-wise, if you buy from an official Apple Store, worldwide service is valid, but for products bought from resellers, you run the risk of having warranty limitations, especially when taking the device out of China. If you're planning to visit Hong Kong, that's a great option as products from there don't have these restrictions.
Thanks for the detailed explanation! Losing the Apple Intelligence feature is significant for me, so I think I'll skip buying the iPad in China. Also, since the store I found is a reseller, I should definitely avoid that for warranty issues. Buying in Hong Kong sounds like the best bet!