According to reports compiled by information technology and Internet news site The Next Web, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd would be region-locking almost all of its Android phones in Europe. Regional locking, as described by Wikipedia, would be a corporate practice of blocking the function of the device if it would be used in an area where its phone and special contents was not marketed. The company would also include its latest mobile units Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S4 mini.

The statement sent to AllAboutSamsung, wrote, "Samsung has clarified that provided you activate your handset with a SIM-card from a country covered by the relevant sticker on the packaging, the region lock will then be lifted. A smartphone will only be locked if it is first activated with a SIM card issued by a network operator from another region."

A Samsung spokesperson also added, "Once a device is activated normally, the regional SIM lock is automatically released. Users can enjoy the roaming service as usual and can use other region's SIM card when travelling." Samsung also said in its statement that models that were manufactured from end of July of this year onwards would be affected by the region-locking. A packaging sticker would indicate that a particular handset would be region-locked.

The Next Web had reached out to Samsung for a statement and were still waiting for a response.

Although Samsung saw its profits climbed from USD4.67 billion in the second quarter of last year to USD6.99 billion after minority interest exclusion for the second quarter this year, its figures did not pass analysts expectations. Data compiled by Bloomberg showed that Samsung missed consensus profit projections of 24 analysts by 5.5%