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For those wondering, I believe that Google Play in China does not support purchases, thus their absence from this article.

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I don't think most Chinese Android phones ship with Google Play, or any of the other Google apps.

The cheap "generic/no brand" ones don't, but the Huawei and ZTE ones do, and both companies are on track to be bigger than Samsung - Huawei made 35 billion last year, compared to Samsung Electronics' 52 billion. ZTE is smaller at 15 billion.

Speaking of Android phones, see for example the Huawei Ascend p6, not yet Samsung Galaxy S4 territory but it's getting closer:

http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_p6-5467.php

Edit: for completeness, a ZTE high-end phone, not yet as polished as Huawei's I think. Sold as "Sprint Vital" in the U.S.

http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_vital_n9810-5511.php

I’m more interested in trying something from those small Chinese brands than Huawei personally.

In fact, there is no Google Play in China

There is, but it used to offer only free apps.

Amazon, OTOH, does have paid app purchases, and so does Baidu.

http://www.itproportal.com/2013/05/07/amazon-beats-google-pl...

It seems Google is going to offer paid apps soon:

http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2013/05/02/google-play-sto...

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