Q: Apple blocked Face Time in Middle East

I'm sorry, but you're wrong.  Saudi Arabia does not allow the sale of iPhones that have Facetime enabled.  It is against their laws.  Therefore, any iPhones that have Facetime enabled are models that are not supposed to be sold in that country.

Not sure about the Phillipines, but in most countries, performing an action that is contrary to the local laws is defined as a 'crime'.  As in 'illegal'.

Now, whether or not the local law enforcement actually do anything about it is a separate issue.  A cop turning a blind eye doesn't make it a legal action. 

There are people on the street corners of some American cities selling illegal drugs.  In some areas, the cops don't bother to even try to stop them.  Does that make it legal, all of a sudden?  Did a magical lawyer fairy swoop down from the sky, wave a magic wand, and make it legal?  No.  The fact that the cops ignore the problem and don't enforce the law doesn't CHANGE the law.

I don't care how popular the bookstore is.  Doesn't change the fact that they are selling an illegal product in that country.

so how come that those facetime models are not restricted by the government? If this regulation thing is under the law of government? In uae i dont have much idea concerning with the regulations..

They ARE restricted by the government.  Whether or not law enforcement does anything about it is another matter.  Or have you never heard of a corrupt police department?  Being from the Phillipines, I find that hard to believe.

The only authorized iPhones are sold through the cell carriers and since the cell carriers are owned by the state they do not have FaceTime at the request of the KSA. If you have an iPhone with FaceTime since say you are a visitor you still can't get FaceTime through any carriers or on WiFi without use of a VPN.

There are no laws regarding anyone else selling grey market products and they are available (not just phones) openly in the KSA.

ohohkhimee wrote:

 

i bet to disagree its not illegal..he purchased from jarir which is well known bookstore in riyadh..another person i know he told me his ip5 has facetime he bought also the ip5 in the same store so therefore i conclude that this regulation thing has nothing to do with the facetime its just that some of the models are offered in with facetime and non facetime models..i just dont know if in other countries offer the same like that or just maybe middle east only which facetime model is separated..

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Facetime is banned by law in KSA and UAE, that's why Apple has had to remove it from all iPhones sold in those countries.

Importing phones from other countries and re-selling them there does not magically make it OK, no matter who the retailer is. Odds are no import duties were paid on them either (delcaring that you are importing an illegal product so that you can pay the taxes on it wouldn't seem to be the smartest move), making them doubly illegal.

What does being from the Phillipines have to do with the KSA?

Whether it's a regualtion or a law, same difference.  It's violating a regulation, and it's not being enforced.  Not really my problem.

Phillipines has nothing to do with the KSA.  I never said it did.  However, the Phillipies has an internationally know police corruption problem.  That relates to enforcement agencies ignoring their jobs of enforcing a law/regulation/whatever.

No regulations and laws are not identical, but it is also not a regulation. If I take a job in the KSA and bring my iPhone with me I cannot use it on any cell provider or WiFi provider. I can use a VPN to access other providers if I want to got to that trouble. When I leave the KSA I can sell my iPhone, that has FaceTime on it, to a KSA resident. It is not against regulations or illegal. The bookstore can do the same thing and since they are operating openly part of that high price (and it is high) goes to the government for import duties.

You were responding to someone apparently from the KSA. You said, "

Or have you never heard of a corrupt police department?  Being from the Phillipines, I find that hard to believe.

" So what would the OP relate from this?

There is corruption in every part of the world.

dude philippines can do whatever they want it is a free country so dont include philippines regarding that matter. Commting of crimes in saudi is highly sensitive due to its conservativeness and death penalty which is the most scariest part..

take a look at this picture a book from jarir

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/735586_603348539685522_53 05657_o.jpg[/img]

That picture doesn't tell us whether it has FaceTIme or not.

Please, gents, stop. Please.

For the purposes of my point (lack of enforcement), laws & regulations are the same.  Just for that specific point.  The punishment for breaking a regulation is obviously different from breaking a law.

As far as I've ever heard from friends that went to Saudi, the import, for the purpose of retail sale (not personal sales), of out-of-country iPhones, is a violation of import laws.  Personal property sales are different than retail sales.  So, based on their information, I assumed it was a violation of law/regulations.

I was responding to ohohkhimee, who said: "im from philippines currently working in ksa"

He's from the Phillipines not KSA.

@ohohkhimee: You're the one that mentioned you were from the Phillipines.  How was that relevant, when you brought it up, to the situation in KSA?  I was just going with the flow of conversation.

facetime icon on it and some models dont have that facetime icon..

Agreed. This thread is now verging on the ridiculous. Anything which can be said has been said. Too many times.