Between the rise of the internet and the explosion in international travel and shipping, the world today feels smaller than ever. We enjoy unprecedent access to opinions, content, and even products from markets spanning the globe — often no more than a couple clicks away. But has this also had the effect of making us a little entitled, and feeling frustrated when we can’t get access to something that people elsewhere can? Today we’re wondering about just that in the context of — what else? — smartphones.
Walk into any local carrier store or big-box retailer in the US, and you’re sure to find a nice selection of mainstream handsets: all the big flagships, plenty of budget options, and maybe even some white-label carrier phones. But if your interests lie just slightly outside the norm, finding someone selling the phone of your dreams might quickly get a lot more difficult. And when you start looking at some of the incredible hardware exclusively available abroad, like HUAWEI’s triple-screen Mate XT, the idea of just importing your new phone can start to sound pretty appealing.