It is incredibly popular not only among users of mobile technology, but also among numerous Chinese manufacturers. Copies of the "apple" gadget (often of extremely low quality) are common in Russia - you can be sure that if the seller offers the iPhone for next to nothing, the original is out of the question.
It is better to buy an iPhone in cellular networks or large electronics stores - in this case, fraud is excluded. However, if you think that paying 50 thousand rubles for a gadget in the salon is too much, and you prefer the option of buying it "by hand", remember that you are taking a risk. With such a deal, special attention should be paid to the inspection and verification of the iPhone.
Visual verification is not always effective, because the "Chinese craftsmen" have already adapted to design fakes that are outwardly identical to the original. However, the inspection should not be neglected - the inspection will save you from acquiring the lowest quality “fake” and it won’t take much time.
Signs of the Chinese iPhone are:
Availability of two or three slots for SIM-cards
A genuine iPhone supports only one SIM card, which is placed in a special tray, which is removed from the device with a needle.
Removable battery
This feature is similar to the previous one. If you see how the seller removes the iPhone battery to supply under it Sims, close the deal immediately.
Screen size not matching the original
Remember these features:
It’s not worth it to be too meticulous about measuring the diagonal: the same iPhone 5 has a diagonal, to be precise, not 4 inches, but 4.065. Due to excessive pickiness, you can miss out on a good deal.
The presence of an antenna
Sellers present the antenna as an advantage - supposedly it will be possible to listen to the radio without connecting a headset. In fact, the presence of a retractable antenna is a sign of a "fierce" fake.
Screen grain
If you manage to turn on the iPhone before buying, that would be great. An experienced Apple user will always distinguish the original from a fake by the screen of the gadget alone - the original has a display created using RETINA technology, which has a very high pixel density.
Poor quality logo
If the legendary "bitten apple" on the back of the device is a sticker or painted, there can be no two opinions - they are trying to sell you a copy.
Stylus included
No modern manufacturer (including Apple) now produces gadgets with resistive displays. Among the originals, the stylus in the kit can only be found in the Samsung Note series.
"Sticky" sensor
If you have to make an effort to, for example, swipe from right to left to go to another screen, you are dealing with a "fake".
The presence of touch buttons
There is only one button on the front of the real iPhone - " Home', and it is physical.
Hieroglyphs in abundance
Even if iPhones are assembled in China, they are still being developed in the USA. Hieroglyphs should meet you only once - when, after the first launch, the smartphone greets you on different languages. The interface of the original device is Russified.
Please note: the inscription on the back of the gadget " Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China» should not scare you! Both real iPhones and fakes are assembled in China - the difference is that the originals come from special Apple factories.
How to distinguish an iPhone from a fake: other ways
If outwardly the iPhone does not have any signs of a Chinese fake, use other verification methods:
Check the "Settings" menu
Follow the path" Settings» — « Main' and try to find the section ' Software Update". In original devices, it is located directly below the " About this device».
There is no this section in the settings of Chinese fakes.
Pay attention to the quality of Russification of the menu. The Russian language is considered one of the most difficult, therefore spelling mistakes in the titles of sections and paragraphs of Chinese iPhones is not uncommon.
Check Siri
The presence of the Siri voice control program distinguishes the original iPhone from a fake - the Chinese have not yet learned how to integrate this program into their fakes. Just press the " Home” for a few seconds and look at the result.
Go to AppStore
The iOS operating system has a closed code, so third-party developers cannot install it on gadgets. All Chinese fakes work on Android or simple self-written platforms. You can check which OS is on the gadget by visiting the application store. If Android is used, then clicking on the AppStore icon will take you to Google Play - this is another sure way to distinguish a “natural” Apple product from a fake.
If the smartphone runs on a self-written "OS", you will not be able to get into any of the app stores at all.
Connect your gadget to iTunes
This way to distinguish the original iPhone from the "fake" is the most effective and simple, but it requires a computer or smartphone at hand. When connecting original iPhone via USB cable iTunes will definitely try to recognize and synchronize it. If iTunes remains indifferent, most likely, you have a fake in front of you.
You can also check the Apple smartphone for originality by serial number and IMEI - read how this is done.
Is it possible to distinguish the original from the copy by configuration?
When buying an iPhone, the equipment should also be the object of verification. Remember: iPhone packaging has never changed. The box should contain:
The envelope, inside which is a colored instruction. The manual has a high-quality appearance and two stickers with the Apple logo on the cover. The same envelope should contain a needle for removing the SIM.
SZU white weighing approximately 60 grams, produced in factories foxlink or Flextronix. There is no need to take the scales with you to check the iPhone: all the information must be present on the charge itself.
USB cable. The original cable from a fake can be distinguished by the inscription " Designed By Apple…” — on the real product it is barely visible, but on the copy it is applied with bold paint. The cable is also white.
Headphones. It is most difficult to distinguish them from a fake - outwardly, a complete copy is likely. "Fake" can be detected by touch - the wire of the original headphones is softer - however, such a check makes sense only when there is something to compare with.
The absence of one of the elements of the kit, as well as the presence of an extra one, is a signal to cancel the deal to buy an iPhone.
Pay attention to such a trifle as the packaging of accessories: all components must be neatly packed in a box and wrapped in a transparent film. The absence of a film and “chaos” in an opened box do not always indicate that the iPhone is fake or used - perhaps the sellers simply used the accessories for personal purposes, which, however, is also unpleasant for the buyer and unacceptable. If possible, ask for an iPhone from the warehouse in a sealed package.
Conclusion
The huge number of Chinese counterfeit iPhones is simply explained: Apple does not fight plagiarism in China. There are two reasons: firstly, in China there are many small industries, sue which large sums it won’t work anyway, and secondly, to be at enmity with Chinese manufacturers means to turn against yourself the most big market sales. Americans themselves do not suffer from Chinese fakes: their standard of living allows them to purchase original devices and not look for savings. But for Russians, traditionally striving for cheapness, the “Chinese flood” is a problem. To avoid cheating, you need to buy smartphones only from reputable dealers, avoid adventurous offers and pay attention to the aspects described in this article when checking.
From the time that gadgets from the world-famous giant Apple began to appear on the mobile phone market, Chinese experts immediately took up the “dirty business”. Factories in the Middle Kingdom are tirelessly trying to copy Apple products, offering consumers cheap fakes with a variety of popular features, and even selling these clones at the price of original iPhones.
In addition, not every seller will happily tell a customer who chooses a brand new iPhone 4s on the store counter what he has in his hands instead of the original - a replica, a clone, or even a low-quality fake. Therefore, the information provided in this article will help you not to make a mistake when buying a popular mobile phone and pay your money for a truly high-quality and original product. Consider how to distinguish a genuine iPhone 4s from a cheap fake.
The box and its contents
Before you pay a lot of money for a gadget that at first glance resembles the desired iPhone 4S, carefully consider the packaging and what is in it. So let's check the package:
- The box must be sealed! Even if you are looking at a genuine iPhone, the boxes that you open may contain accessories that have been replaced with cheaper counterparts;
- charger and cradle. The mobile phone is supplied with an original charging adapter, which must contain the inscription FLEXTRONIX or FOXLINK. If the charger detects at least one Chinese character- Feel free to return such an accessory to the seller. The weight of the adapter itself should be approximately 60 grams. Cradle "apple" production weighs approximately 80 grams. Unlike the Chinese counterpart, the inscription "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China", which is located at the bottom, must be squeezed out, and not just printed, as is done on Chinese fakes. The Chinese analogue does not have a sound output function, while the original accessory has 2 sound recording channels;
- USB cable. The original USB cable should not have any latches on the side of the phone connector;
- headset. With the naked eye, it is almost impossible to distinguish the authenticity of the headphones from the iPhone 4S, however, in the original headset, the cable is softer than in its counterparts.
Device and its characteristics
- Corporate logo. A Chinese iPhone can give itself away by having the wrong logo. The true "apple" logo is an apple bitten with right side. In a Chinese fake, it may be bitten off on the left side.
- Screen size. If you pick up the original iPhone 4S and the Chinese iPhone, the first screen should be larger. Such a difference is clearly visible, and a fake can be recognized with the naked eye.
- Back side of iPhone 4S. In addition to the logo and inscriptions on the back of the mobile phone, the Chinese iPhone pretends to be a removable back cover of the battery compartment, while the real gadget is made non-separable, and without the use of additional tool the original phone is not disassembled. In addition, Chinese "miscarriages" may have the inscription Android on the back cover. This operating system has nothing to do with Apple products.
- Built-in memory. The original iPhone 4S has no data on the internal memory of the smartphone on the back cover. The Chinese "iPhone" can be recognized by the presence of a memory expansion slot for microSD cards.
- Software and PC connection. As mentioned above, the original iPhone and all genuine "apple" products do not have Android! Apple releases its gadgets with its own proprietary software iOS. When connecting the original phone to a personal computer, data transfer and file exchange should be carried out only using special iTunes software. If the connected gadget is not detected by iTunes, then you have a Chinese fake in your hands.
The main differences between iPhone 4 and 4S
After the release of the new iPhone 4s, many began to wonder - is it worth changing the previous model to the latest and what specific differences are there between these phones. A number of updates and improvements that distinguish the iPhone 4 from the subsequent 4c are quite wide and relate to different parameters of the device.
Processor and Performance
The main updates of the 4S model relate specifically to the internal filling of the device. Now, a phone with a huge memory card size, namely 64 GB, is available to customers, compared to the fact that the iPhone 4 could only be purchased with 32 and 16 GB of memory.
The novelty can now be powered by a 2-core A5 microprocessor, which makes it more massive and increases battery life. The graphics microprocessor has become 9 times stronger. These updates have helped make the new iPhone 4s virtually twice as productive.
Comparison of the technical features of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s
The iPhone 4s also added a brand new navigation system, in addition to GPS navigation, you can now use the GLONASS system, which was developed in Russia, and is becoming more and more a real rival to GPS. The novelty has got an improved Bluetooth module - 4.0. The past device was equipped with a 2.1 EDR module, which was weaker.
Video-Test of speed and performance
Another undeniable improvement is that the 4s now supports both GSM and CDMA. This means that the new iPhone is becoming a "world" phone, and can be used in almost every part of the world. The implementation of the web has become much easier, the page on the web loads a couple of seconds faster. This will be a good plus for users who use the Internet access function quite often.
Design differences
The external data of the phones are actually similar, if you do not consider both models in more detail. Color solutions remained the same, you can buy dark or snow-white. There are a number of small differences that make it possible distinguish iphone 4 from 4s.
- Firstly, there is a small difference in weight, the iPhone 4s model is heavier than the previous one, the difference in weight between devices is only 3 grams.
- Secondly, if you look closely, you can see that the sound control button in 4s is slightly lowered. This is the most noticeable difference in the appearance of the new device.
Distinctive features of models 4 and 4S
The difference is justified by the fact that the antenna located on the side edge is interrupted from the side where this button is located. The new iPhone 4c is equipped with not one, but 2 antennas. Two antennas are placed in iron corners. Previously, communication could be difficult, because during a conversation, it was possible to accidentally block the antenna with your finger, which aggravated the connection.
How to tell iPhone 4 from iPhone 4S
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But this was taken into account when developing newest model. The antennas have been improved, so now the new iPhone is equipped with the so-called "smart" switching function. This will help make communication between subscribers better and remove tasks that might have appeared with the iPhone 4.
Otherwise appearance both phones are actually the same, the difference is almost invisible. This decision is most likely justified by the fact that Apple products are already popular in the markets, and it makes no sense to try to make the previously developed design better, because it completely suits users.
Photo and video filming
Significant changes can be seen when using the shooting mode. For starters, the camera of the new iPhone 4s has become an order of magnitude better. Its expansion in the brand new iPhone is 8 megapixels, which is very different from the one that is built into 4.
Pictures taken with iPhone 4s are sharper and color reproduction is even closer to real colors. When shooting portrait images, or just people, the skin will not differ purple, the color will be more natural.
When shooting video, 4s owners can record in FullHD extension, and the previous model could record exclusively in 720p format. In addition, the camera is now 30% faster. Also, it has software image stabilization, which will significantly improve the quality of video files that were recorded in motion.
With the lack of lighting, the pictures will also turn out much better now, because they have reduced graininess. The difference between pictures taken on iphone 4 and 4c are very visible.
Photo and video test
For users, the Siri application became available, which gave the letter s in the title of the newest model. This program was developed specifically for ios, and has a wide range of features that will make life much easier for those who acquire iphone 4C.
Siri is a personal assistant and help desk all rolled into one. The program will be able to learn the user's preferences, although it will come in handy for this certain time, and will adapt to each person individually. This program will be able to help you with an organizer, an alarm clock and with all other functions of the phone, will be able to fulfill any query in a search engine quickly and perfectly.
The program is controlled by voice. AT American models Siri has a female voice, and those produced in Majestic Britain have a male voice. This choice is justified by a mental factor.
Video review of Siri voice control
As a conclusion, we want to emphasize that Apple products have firmly established themselves in the markets and the choice of phones of this brand, regardless of whether it is 4 or 4c, will be a good decision for you.
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Proven ways.
The more popular Apple devices become, the more often you can see cheap Chinese fakes for original smartphones. And if a few years ago a fake could be identified by the characteristic crack of the case or a poor-quality picture on the display, now craftsmen are churning out almost perfect copies of the iPhone. So how not to fall for the bait of scammers and not buy a “leftist”?
The easiest way out is to buy an iPhone from an authorized dealer. The method is obvious, but not for everyone, because sometimes you want to buy a gadget, and you only have enough money for a used model. But in any case, if the situation suffers, then it’s better to save up and take the original and legally “clean” (I don’t think it’s necessary to remind about the frequent theft of phones) iPhone in a specialized store - that’s the official Apple reseller in Russia.
However, if you have looked after yourself a model on the ad site, a la Avito, and seriously decided to purchase a model from your hands, then you need to know a few distinguishing features.
Checking the serial number
Whether you go to buy an iPhone alone or with a friend, be sure to arm yourself with a smartphone or tablet (you can even run Android) with the ability to access the Internet. This is necessary for an absolutely accurate check on the originality of the purchased device. What should be done?
Step 1. Go to the iPhone menu " Settings» → « Main» →« About this device” and find the item “ Serial number».
Step 2: From your device, go to this link. The link leads to the official Apple website to the section for checking serial numbers.
Step 3. In the box under the inscription " Enter serial number hardware equipment» specify the serial number of the device to be checked and click « Continue» .
Step 4. If the iPhone is not Chinese, you will see its model and other information, such as the possibility of obtaining support from Apple by phone. Otherwise, you will see the message " Unfortunately this serial number is not correct. Please check your information and try again", which means that it is better to bypass this unfortunate seller.
Be careful when entering the serial number of the device, because due to a mistake in one character, you can think badly about a person and be left without a brand new (or used) iPhone.
Opening our eyes wider
No matter how high-quality the replica of the iPhone is, the creators of the clones technically cannot do everything perfectly like Apple does. Therefore, even with a cursory glance, without resorting to checking the serial number of the device, it is possible to identify a fake. You need to pay attention to the following details:
- There should not be any hieroglyphs, spelling errors or other calligraphic errors in the system.
- On the back cover of the device there should be inscriptions: iPhone, Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China, model number, certification marks (as in the picture).
- The iPhone cannot have an antenna.
- The iPhone also cannot have two SIM cards, a built-in memory card and charging from usb and mini-usb.
- Back cover iPhone any model is not removed until the fixing screws are unscrewed.
Another quick way to identify a fake
A very simple and easy method - take the iPhone in hand, go to the standard application App Store . Anyone, even the coolest Chinese iPhone will be forced to take you to Google Play, the app store for Android devices.
This is what the App Store should look like:
This is what Google Play looks like:
In addition, you will not be able to find most Apple branded applications on Google Play. Try to search for applications such as Keynote, iMovie, Pages, Numbers, Apple Store - if they are not in the store, then you have a fake, not the original iPhone.
Another sure way to identify a Chinese iPhone
Well, I want to end this article on one more the right way, which will reveal even the most inveterate Chinese geniuses with giblets. To do this, you will need a laptop or personal computer (if the seller came to sell the iPhone directly to your home) with iTunes installed. You can download iTunes from the official Apple website.
The thing is that when you connect your iPhone to your computer and turn on iTunes, the program should detect the device and try to synchronize it. If iTunes is silent like a partisan, most likely they are trying to slip you a fake, be careful.
Read more about how to distinguish a real iPhone from a fake on our forum in the topic.
From the moment Apple products began to appear on the gadget market, Chinese craftsmen no longer have time to rest. Moreover, electronics with an apple are assembled in Asia and there are ready-made templates. They diligently copy the entire line of iPhones, offering consumers cheap counterparts with a variety of popular features. And it would be nice if the buyer is immediately told that the Chinese iPhone 4 is on the counter, and not a copy of it. But, many unscrupulous sellers at the price of the original are trying to sell a copy. So the topic of how to distinguish a fake from the original Chinese iPhone 4 will always be relevant. After all, you need to know how to protect yourself from purchasing non-original goods. I have nothing against Chinese phones. But, the seller is obliged to notify the origin of the phone and set an adequate price.
So, you need to start by inspecting the phone. On the back cover there should be a sprayed logo of an apple bitten off on the right side. In Chinese, it is glued on and most often the apple is bitten off on the left. There is also the Android logo, which has nothing to do with Apple at all.
The iPhone 4 has no markings on the amount of built-in memory on the back cover. This was only in the third generation and is in the Asian counterparts. Below you can read the inscription "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" (designed in California, assembled in China), and then information: model and serial number. Analogues may have America written instead of Chin, or have nothing at all.
Now about the phone's memory. Officially, Apple does not have iPhones with 64 GB of internal memory. Still, Asians offer models with 73 MB and 30 MB of internal memory. They differ in support for microSD cards.
The rear camera of the iPhone 4 according to the developer is 5 Mpix. For copies, it does not even reach 2 Mpix. When turned on, the screen snows and it is impossible to get clear pictures. On top of the gadget, the Chinese have an antenna. This is evidence of a built-in TV tuner. Probably, this is how the Asians are trying to compensate for the shortcomings of non-original Apple by offering all sorts of add-ons.
The iPhone 4 offers a Retina display with a resolution of 960 x 640. Asians have a QVGA display with a resolution of 320 x 480. Although there are thermal screens.
Data transfer, when connecting the gadget to a PC, is carried out through the proprietary iTunes software. So, if you connected an iPhone and the USB Configuration window opened, but the program does not see it, then you have a Chinese in your hands.
To be sure, you can check the IMEI of the phone on special sites. You need to go to the "SETTINGS / BASIC / ABOUT DEVICE" menu and there will be an IMEI line. This is a 15 digit code that must be entered on the portal.
So, this is the main list of differences between the original and the copy. So, this is an opportunity to make your choice consciously in favor of an accessible copy or a solid original.
