Update: Samsung's official Swiss Facebook account has stepped in with some information regarding the locking issue. According to the official source, a European SIM-locked Galaxy Note 3 could be used outside of Europe (thus become unlocked ) as long as you activate it with a European SIM card first. Nothing to see here then - move along people. Samsung has started locking its Android smartphones, built after the end of July 2013, to their respective home continents. So far the new practice has been confirmed for Europe and America (read South, North and Central, including the Caribbean). Each device will come with a sticker in the retail package, indicating the region it can be used in. The information became public primarily through UK retailer Clove which reported that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 units it received came with a warning that they are locked regionally. Samsung Germany issued an official statement, which shines some light on the new policy.