Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect
11:59 pm, June 30th, 2009, Leander Kahney
Fake iPhones are getting much better. This iPhoney is almost identical to the genuine article, until it's booted up. It was bought by Steven Fernandeez of Toronto. CC-licensed picture by Steven Fernandez.
Counterfeit iPhones have come a long way. They’re now almost identical to original iPhones, fooling bargain hunters on sites like eBay.
Look at the video below from Dana Stibolt, founder of MacMedics, who was given a fake iPhone bought on the auction site.
At first glance, it’s almost identical to current models, from the touchscreen to the volume switches on the side and the dock connector on the bottom.
“It looks EXACTLY like an iPhone,” says Stibolt. “But it does not work very well, and when it does work, it is very slow.”
Last year, knockoff iPhones were easy to spot. They were thicker, bulkier and often had extra buttons or keyboards.
Popular Chinese iClones like the A88 or SciPhone i68 are clearly fake.
But now convincing counterfeit iPhones are appearing on eBay and Craigslist. Unlike most previous knockoffs, these are almost indistinguishable from the originals.
“The fit and finish are pretty Apple like,” says Stibolt. “If you showed it to someone or you were using it in public, I don’t think you could tell. My only complaint was the lens of the phone was plastic and not glass. If they had used glass, it would have been very clever.”
Stibolt says the fake iPhone he examined had some cool extra features like built-in FM radio and a docking station with a speaker. He says the buyer bought the fake iPhone because it was advertised as unlocked, and he wanted to use it with a different carrier than AT&T. He paid about $250, Stibolt says.
The packaging of the new knockoff is especially realistic. It’s more or less identical to Apple’s packaging, and pictures of the box feature prominently in eBay listings. This makes the iPhoney look more genuine. (See related story about knockoff earbuds).
The new fake iPhone has an Apple logo on the back, making it a counterfeit rather than an iClone. When booted up, the home screen and icons are the same as the iPhone’s. But that’s where the similarity stops.
The software can’t be effectively copied, and the iPhoney soon betrays its Linux and Java roots. Many of the apps appear to work — the phone makes calls and checks email — but a lot of the software is slow and clunky.
The number of fake iPhones on the market is difficult to guage. One expert in counterfeiting, the audio manufacturer Shure, said counterfeiting is on the rise.
“With the increasingly globalized economy, counterfeiting continues to proliferate,” says Paul Applebaum, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Shure, which has battled counterfeiters for several years. (see the full interview here). “This may be partly because modern technology makes it easier to produce counterfeits and the internet makes it easier to market and sell them to unsuspecting buyers.”
But how much counterfeiting is done, is impossible to say. “It’s difficult to know, because there is no reliable data about the counterfeit market,” says Applebaum. “Making and selling counterfeit products is a criminal activity, and as you might expect, counterfeiters are not eager to report their sales figures.”
However, there seems to be an increasing number of ripoff reports. EBay buyer lansingmike212, for example, is currently trying to sell a knockoff iPhone, though he’s warning buyers it’s not the genuine article. “Understand what you are bidding on,” he says.
Stibolt was asked to evaluate the fake iPhone in the video below by PayPal. Before issuing a refund, the company requires an authorized Apple service provider to certify it’s a fake, which Stibolt did.
Neither eBay nor Paypal responded to a request for comment. Apple also didn’t respond for a request for comment.
How can you tell if the iPhone you’re bidding on is a knockoff? Easy: the price is too good to be true.
The MacMedics iPhoney video is here.
Posted by Leander Kahney in Hardware, News, Top stories, iPhone | Comment on this article
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[...] http://cultofmac.com/marvel-at-the-ingenuity-of-the-chinese-iphoney-knockoffs-now-near-perfect/1228... [...]
applestories's status on Wednesday, 01-Jul-09 07:06:29 UTC - Identi.ca, on July 1st, 2009 at 12:06 am
You didn’t mention that both the original and the fake are produced in China. Regards, ikera
ikera, on July 1st, 2009 at 12:52 am
So first the chinese try to poison us with lead paint….now there trying to rip us off!!!!!
Eric, on July 1st, 2009 at 7:19 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | DreamNest - Technology | Web | Net, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:23 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Technology News, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:25 am
I dont get the point of this when iPhone are only $99 now
Nathan, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:31 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | PC Badge, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:36 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Fortysixty's Blog, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:55 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Mobile Phone Reviews, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:55 am
[...] hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) Gadgets Playstation 3 iphone anti-virus hacked gadgets laptop review ipod monitor computer memory [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Gizmo Addiction, on July 1st, 2009 at 8:59 am
America invents and innovates then moves production to offshore factories in China.
China has never spent a cent in research and development but its not their fault ….the fault is america’s
naysh, on July 1st, 2009 at 9:44 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iphone with the new iphone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iphones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Gadget News, on July 1st, 2009 at 11:05 am
You should be happy they delivered this as an illegal counterfeit rather than as a legit phone, at least this thing will be seized at the borders. When these things are on sale at the Verizon or AT&T store for $29 with a Palm or Nokia logo on them, it’s going to be a sad day.
phanboy, on July 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Cellphone Reviews, on July 1st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Great video. They’ve come along way.
That’s not a Linux icon, that is an icon for QQ, the most popular instant messaging application in China.
Josh J, on July 1st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I’ve heard that they’re so similar that they even over heat and explode. But the odd thing is this, instead of exploding in the United States, the fake phones are so well manufactured and the distribution channels so closely mimic Apples that the overheating (il fait chaud) occurs primarily in France and the exploding IPods make it only to small Japanese prefectures. God those Chinese are good.
Beltway Greg, on July 1st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
ZOMG, that is so insanely full of win. If only it came with the source code…
Ted Lemon, on July 1st, 2009 at 3:04 pm
[...] Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect | Cult of Mac [...]
links for 2009-07-01 | Acervus, on July 1st, 2009 at 4:07 pm
“and the iPhoney soon betrays it’s Linux and Java roots.” it’s?! These days, it seems that most bloggers must have failed their freshman English classes.
it's disgusting, on July 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Thanks. I’m not much of a copyeditor.
Leander Kahney, on July 1st, 2009 at 6:47 pm
This is where Android will come in.
nm_guy, on July 1st, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I can’t beleive some people still think they are paying $99, $199 or $299 for the phone when they are locked in a two year contrat. There is a reason why unlocked (or no-commitment) iPhones can’t be found under $600 anywhere in the world. Trust me even at a face value of $99 they make much more than that $600 value off you.
dd_l, on July 1st, 2009 at 11:39 pm
[...] Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect Fake iPhones are getting much better. This iPhoney is almost identical to the genuine article, until it’s booted up. It was bought by Steven Fernandeez of Toronto. CC-licensed picture by Steven Fernandez. Counterfeit iPhones have come a long way. They’re now almost identical to original iPhones, fooling bargain hunters on sites like eBay. Look at the video below from Dana Stibolt, founder of MacMedics, who was given a fake iPhone bought on the auction site. At first glance, it’s almost identical to current models, from the touchscreen to the volume switches on the side and the dock connector on the bottom. “It looks EXACTLY like an iPhone,†says Stibolt. “But it does not work very well, and when it does work, it is very slow.†Last year, knockoff iPhones were easy to spot. They were thicker, bulkier and often had extra buttons or keyboards. Popular Chinese iClones like the A88 or SciPhone i68 are clearly fake. But now convincing counterfeit iPhones are appearing on eBay and Craigslist. Unlike most previous knockoffs, these are almost indistinguishable from the originals. “The fit and finish are pretty Apple like,†says Stibolt. “If you showed it to someone or you were using it in public, I don’t think you could tell. My only complaint was the lens of the phone was plastic and not glass. If they had used glass, it would have been very clever.†Stibolt says the fake iPhone he examined had some cool extra features like built-in FM radio and a docking station with a speaker. He says the buyer bought the fake iPhone because it was advertised as unlocked, and he wanted to use it with a different carrier than AT&T. He paid about $250, Stibolt says. The packaging of the new knockoff is especially realistic. It’s more or less identical to Apple’s packaging, and pictures of the box feature prominently in eBay listings. This makes the iPhoney look more genuine. (See related story about knockoff earbuds). The new fake iPhone has an Apple logo on the back, making it a counterfeit rather than an iClone. When booted up, the home screen and icons are the same as the iPhone’s. But that’s where the similarity stops. The software can’t be effectively copied, and the iPhoney soon betrays its Linux and Java roots. Many of the apps appear to work — the phone makes calls and checks email — but a lot of the software is slow and clunky. The number of fake iPhones on the market is difficult to guage. One expert in counterfeiting, the audio manufacturer Shure, said counterfeiting is on the rise. “With the increasingly globalized economy, counterfeiting continues to proliferate,†says Paul Applebaum, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Shure, which has battled counterfeiters for several years. (see the full interview here). “This may be partly because modern technology makes it easier to produce counterfeits and the internet makes it easier to market and sell them to unsuspecting buyers.†But how much counterfeiting is done, is impossible to say. “It’s difficult to know, because there is no reliable data about the counterfeit market,†says Applebaum. “Making and selling counterfeit products is a criminal activity, and as you might expect, counterfeiters are not eager to report their sales figures.†However, there seems to be an increasing number of ripoff reports. EBay buyer lansingmike212, for example, is currently trying to sell a knockoff iPhone, though he’s warning buyers it’s not the genuine article. “Understand what you are bidding on,†he says. Stibolt was asked to evaluate the fake iPhone in the video below by PayPal. Before issuing a refund, the company requires an authorized Apple service provider to certify it’s a fake, which Stibolt did. Neither eBay nor Paypal responded to a request for comment. Apple also didn’t respond for a request for comment. How can you tell if the iPhone you’re bidding on is a knockoff? Easy: the price is too good to be true. The MacMedics iPhoney video is here. Source __________________ Linux Alternatives Guide The Dummies Guide to Virtualbox [...]
[Wired] Iphone knockoffs harder to detect - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net, on July 1st, 2009 at 11:43 pm
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Gadget 411, on July 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 am
[...] Según Cult OF Mac, esta forma de estafa (en que te venden, vÃÂa eBay o Craigslist un clon no original del producto que esperabas comprar) está aumentando bastante y es que las copias chinas cada dÃÂa se parecen más al original, insertando los logos oficiales, nombre, y haciendo las cajas prácticamente iguales a las originales. [...]
¿Cómo funciona un clon chino del iPhone?, on July 2nd, 2009 at 2:18 am
[...] iPhone knockoffs are making their way onto eBay and Craigslist, reports Cult of Mac’s Leander Kahney. And they look so close to the real thing that the only warning [...]
New iPhone Knockoffs Are Nearly Indistinguishable From Original | tekbuz.com, on July 2nd, 2009 at 8:01 am
“the iPhoney soon betrays its Linux and Java roots”
That would mean its software is exceptionally stable. I can’t say why this would be a bad thing, the phone being a counterfeit iPhone excepted.
Ricardo Banffy, on July 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
I agree with nm_guy; as long as the crappy performance has more to do with poor software than totally flaky hardware, Android would be awesome to get running on it.
macwarlock, on July 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
And there was an expectation for a device made in China would not be cloned?
After a while China will become a powerhouse of design like Japan, why cheap labour.
meinrosebud, on July 4th, 2009 at 1:28 am
macs suck!!! go pc!!!
zimlord4, on July 5th, 2009 at 6:31 am
[...] Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect [...]
Copycats Target $30 Apple Earbuds, And They’re Near Perfect | Turbo iPhone, on July 6th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
[...] As Apple perfects the iPhone with the new iPhone 3G S, Chinese counterfeiters perfect the look and feel of fake iPhones, from the hardware to the software UI and even the box. They tend not to work very well, however. (props to Cult of Mac) [...]
Fake Chinese iPhones look more convincing than ever | Gizmo News, on July 7th, 2009 at 11:32 am
[...] Here’s a good article on fake iPhones. [...]
Fake iPhones « Ready and Reach – Paddling According to the Mind of Scott, on July 8th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
[...] iPhone knock-offs are making their way onto eBay and Craigslist, reports Cult of Mac’s Leander Kahney. And they look so close to the real thing that the only warning [...]
The Cool Tech Stuff Blog » » New iPhone Knock-Offs Are Nearly Indistinguishable From Original, on July 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
[...] Also, thanks to http://www.macsurfer.com, http://www.macrumors.com, http://www.wired.com, http://www.boingboing.net, and http://www.cultofmac.com for the link to this [...]
Counterfeit iPhone 3G stops by MacMedics by way of disputed eBay auction at MacMedics Macintosh Service & Consulting Blog, on July 12th, 2009 at 8:20 am
[...] Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect [...]
Copycats Target $30 Apple Earbuds, And They’re Near Perfect, on July 13th, 2009 at 8:18 am
I see you got a real crappy version there. there are some pretty good knockoffs out there. They have a ton or models. Some run windows mobile some run java soiftware. Most are thinner then that and have glass and the touch is responsive. They have gravitron, wi-fi and many of the same features. They are though still not iphones and apps are the biggest draw back as they dont run apple apps.Someone said they dont get it as iphones are $99 well yeah with a 2 year contract and your locked. The clones cost about $75 direct from china and are unlocked quad ban and no contracts so they are attarrctive for that reason. Gives people an iphone feel with no obligation which is why these seem to be so popular.
Joe, on July 21st, 2009 at 9:31 am
Yea um i just bought a i68 from china and its alot different than the one u had…i bet the phone u wer showing that was from china like u said was a broken one from the apple company and i just had some virius on it.
Matt Stegman, on July 21st, 2009 at 2:31 pm
the phone i bought from china isnt even in a apple iphone box…its a completely different on and i talk to the guy that sold it to me for hours and the phone i got is the real deal..it just doesnt have that many features as the iphone 3GS or wat ever it is!!
Matt Stegman, on July 21st, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Actually the Penguin is NOT linux. This program is called QQ which is a very popular instant messaging client from China.
Jacky Liang, on August 5th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I was given an iphone as a gift. Bought off ebay**sighs** FAKE **cries** it’s a piece of shit and I would smash it to bits if I didnt need some kind of phone…
I can barely use it and none of the features match anything Ive read on the iphones….
now im stuck with this piece of crap I can’t use…
Debbie, on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
[...] Marvel At the Ingenuity of the Chinese iPhoney, iPhone Knockoffs Now Near Perfect | Cult of Mac [...]
moody iphone on ebay - ScoobyNet, on January 11th, 2010 at 1:58 pm