Apple is arguably the most influential luxury brand in Vietnam. When it comes to status, having the Apple logo on the back of your phone can make or break you. The brand is also one of the most copied and diluted as thousands of stores – from cafes to computer shops – use it to legitimize their business. It’s the Vietnamese version of “put a bird on it.” But as Anh-Minh Do over at TechinAsia points out, this behavior may have landed Vietnam on Apple’s shit list.
If you have an iPhone and live in Vietnam, there’s a good chance it’s jailbroken. Apple does not like this. Technically, jail breaking your iPhone will void your AppleCare contract, if you have one. Luckily, you can return your phone to factory settings and they will be none the wiser.
Jail breaking also overrides the DRM in Apple’s applications, allowing users to install paid apps for free.This is actually a universal thing in Vietnam – whether iOS or Android, small shop or electronics center, new or used, stores will install dozens of applications, often without asking.
This is perhaps the main reason why Vietnam is consistently last in line when it comes to Apple products and releases.
Check the full article where Anh-Minh goes into greater detail about brand bootlegging and design leaks.
