How to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original. Fake iPhone - how to distinguish an original iPhone from a fake

It is incredibly popular not only among mobile technology users, but also among numerous Chinese manufacturers. Copies of Apple gadgets (often of extremely low quality) are common in Russia - you can be sure that if a seller offers an iPhone for next to nothing, there is no question of the original.

It is better to buy an iPhone from 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 a salon is too much, and you prefer the option of buying it “from hand”, remember that you are taking a risk. In such a transaction, special attention must be paid to inspecting and checking the iPhone.

Visual inspection is not always effective, because the “Chinese masters” have already become accustomed to constructing fakes that are externally identical to the original. However, there is no need to neglect the inspection - checking will protect you from purchasing the lowest quality “fake” and will not take much time.

Signs of a 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 that is removed from the device using a needle.

Removable battery

This sign echoes the previous one. If you see a seller remove the iPhone battery to install under it"Sim cards", end the deal immediately.

Screen diagonal that does not match the original

Remember these characteristics:

You shouldn’t be too pedantic when measuring the diagonal: the same iPhone 5 has a diagonal, to be precise, not 4 inches, but 4.065. If you are too picky, you may miss out on a good deal.

Availability of 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 can turn on your iPhone before purchasing, that will be great. An experienced Apple user will always distinguish the original from the fake by the gadget’s screen alone - the original has a display created using RETINA technology, characterized by a very high pixel density.

Poor quality logo

If the legendary “bitten apple” on the back of the device is a sticker or applied with paint, there can be no two opinions - they are trying to sell you a copy.

Stylus included

Not a single modern manufacturer (including Apple) currently produces gadgets with resistive displays. Among the originals, the included stylus can only be found in 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”.

Availability of touch buttons

On the front edge of a real iPhone there is only one button - “ Home”, and it is physical.

Hieroglyphs in large quantities

Even though iPhones are assembled in China, they are still developed in the USA. You should encounter hieroglyphs only once - when, after the first launch, the smartphone greets you in 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"shouldn't 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 the iPhone does not outwardly show any signs of a Chinese counterfeit, use other verification methods:

Check the Settings menu

Follow the path " Settings» — « Basic" and try to find the section " Software Update" In original devices it is located directly under the “ About this device».

There is no this section in the settings of Chinese fakes.

Pay attention to the quality of the Russification of the menu. Russian is considered one of the most difficult languages, so spelling errors in the names of sections and items of Chinese iPhones are 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 “fake” ones. Just hold down the " Home"for a few seconds and look at the result.

Go to the AppStore

The iOS operating system is closed source, so third-party developers cannot install it on gadgets. All Chinese fakes operate on Android or simple home-written platforms. You can check which OS is on your gadget by visiting the application store. If you are using Android, 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 your smartphone runs on a proprietary operating system, you won’t be able to access any of the app stores at all.

Connect your gadget to iTunes

This way to distinguish an original iPhone from a “fake” one is the most effective and simple, but it requires a computer or smartphone at hand. When connecting the original iPhone via USB cable iTunes will accurately try to recognize and synchronize it. If iTunes remains indifferent, most likely, this is a fake.

You can also check your Apple smartphone for originality by serial number and IMEI - read how this is done.

Is it possible to distinguish an original from a copy by its packaging?

When purchasing an iPhone, the object of inspection should also be the package contents. Remember: iPhone equipment has never changed. The box should contain:

Envelope, inside of which there is a color instruction. The instructions have a high-quality appearance and two stickers with the Apple logo on the cover. The same envelope should also contain a pin for removing the SIM.

SZU white weighing approximately 60 grams, produced in factories Foxlink or Flextronix. There is no need to take a scale with you to check your iPhone: all the information should be present on the charger itself.

USB cable. The original cable can be distinguished from a fake by the inscription “ Designed By Apple..." — on the real product it is barely visible, but on the copy it is applied with thick paint. The cable is also white.

Headphones. It is most difficult to distinguish them from a fake - in appearance they are likely to be completely copied. A “fake” can be detected by touch - the wire of the original headphones is softer - however, such a check only makes sense 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 iPhone purchase transaction.

Pay attention to such a small detail as the packaging of accessories: all components must be neatly placed in a box and wrapped in transparent film. The absence of film and “chaos” in the 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, request the iPhone from the warehouse in a sealed package.

Conclusion

The huge number of Chinese iPhone counterfeits can be explained simply: Apple does not fight plagiarism in the Middle Kingdom. There are two reasons: firstly, there are many small industries located in China, from which it will still not be possible to sue large sums; secondly, to be at enmity with Chinese manufacturers means to set the largest sales market against oneself. The Americans themselves do not suffer from Chinese counterfeits: their standard of living allows them to purchase original devices and not look for savings. But for Russians, who traditionally strive for cheap prices, the “Chinese flood” is a problem. To avoid being scammed, you need to buy smartphones only from reputable dealers, avoid gamble offers, and when checking, pay attention to the aspects described in this article

You may also have a fake. Even if you didn't repair it!

Typical Russian story

Too smart Vasya bought an iPhone 5s in the pavilion for 9,000 rubles and thinks that he deceived the system.

He still doesn’t know what he’s holding instead of an iPhone. set of hardware from Ali, of which only the motherboard remained original. And that was taken from a sunken phone.

And he will definitely find out about his mistake in a month, when this miracle begins to break down like a house of cards.

And you are not immune from it

By now, such stories have happened, if not to each of us, then to some friend. The profit from this method is too popular.

The only way to be 100% sure that your iPhone parts are original? Buy it from an official reseller or directly from Apple.

In all other cases the degree of danger is growing.

The biggest risks—and problems—are for those who take iPhones from any unofficial channels. There is simply freedom for deception; it flourishes as a separate business.

Any conscious buyer of a used iPhone carefully and thoughtfully checks the device, leaving nothing to chance. Even if the phone is bought in a store, sealed and not activated, you can run into a reassembly from Chinese, low-quality spare parts.

When could Chinese parts appear in my iPhone?

Inspection of a batch of Chinese displays at one of the Asian factories.

I counted 5 degrees of probability of getting into overt “China” on my smartphone.

1. Phone purchased directly at Apple.com/ru or in a large federal store. There are isolated stories when cunning local workers discarded devices under the guise of new ones - but they are so rare that there is no need to worry about them at all.

What to do: rejoice.

2. The phone was purchased at a regional or local store. These also include kiosks, pavilions, markets, underground passages and other small businesses.

Here the probability of running into a re-collection varies depending on the seriousness of the seller. The more he can lose, the higher the chance that the phone is really new. I’d like to separately mention those same market kiosks: here the phones in 95% of cases were under repair and were left without the originals inside.

3. The phone was purchased second-hand on an advertisement site. Well, it begins. It's always a roulette game, and in the last 2 years it's been especially tricky. The older the iPhone you buy, the greater the chance that something has been changed.

With a probability of 85%, all iPhones released before the iPhone 6 were repaired.

That is 8 out of 10 people who sell their iPhone 5s on the Internet are partly selling off a Chinese device - alas. Every 6th out of 10 iPhone 6s was also repaired. Everywhere, as a rule, either the battery or the display was changed.

Newer models, 6s and iPhone 7, are repaired much less frequently. But anything can happen there too.

What to do: strictly check each device, just probe through it and look out for every millimeter.

This is what workshops look like where they restore iPhones and install cheap parts.

4. The phone was purchased at a federal store, but visited an official or verified service center. Yes, the parts were replaced. But if it was an authorized service center working with Apple, then there are still “originals” inside, not Chinese ones.

What to do: be happy that you are lucky.

5. The phone was repaired in an unofficial service any format. And again wild roulette! Although no.

If you chose some basement unverified service, you are definitely in trouble. Just got knocked up! Now you have a piece of hardcore Chinese, and this article is intended for you first and foremost.

How to understand which spare part is Chinese?

It's time to check which spare parts you have - without disassembling the phone.

Display and glass

Look at the device from the left or right side. If the display colors change(become significantly darker, and the white color turns purple) - this is a cheap Chinese screen.

Inspect the edges of the screen module. The insulating material at the edges should not protrude beyond the frame of the housing. Is there some kind of rubber band sticking out? The display was just replaced.

Also, shine a flashlight on the edges and corners. There are scratches microcracks? And most importantly, do light or dark spots appear under the glass? If yes, the device has either been in water, or the module was installed poorly. Another option is that the glass was broken, and instead of replacing the entire module, they decided to simply stick on a new one.

How the Chinese glue glass on the iPhone 6.

Important: A crunch when you press the display module at the edges does not mean that the iPhone has been disassembled. Some models (especially iPhone 6) have this problem from the factory.

It has little effect, but can cause dust to get under the body and under the rear camera module. So if it crunches, inspect the chamber.

Also important: The iPhone 6s has a specific defect - dust gets under the upper left corner of the screen. If you have a 6s, open the white background and take a close look.

Do you see small black dots in the corner? Maybe this corner seems a little darker than others? If so, alas! But this is a problem from the factory, and your device can be replaced because of it - if, of course, there is still warranty left.

Replacing the display with the original one: from 3100 rub. with guarantee

Bolts

An iPhone that has never been repaired should not have any marks on the bolts. At all.

Another thing is that it is extremely difficult to notice this without a magnifying glass. You can see something if you shine a light: if you see nicks (they will shine), then at least they dug there.

Housing and clearances

Check out what the original cases of phones officially imported into Russia look like.

iPhone 5:

iPhone 5s:

iPhone 6:

iPhone 6s:

If the text on the back panel (besides the numbers, of course) differs from the examples above, you either have an iPhone from another country or the case has been replaced. Also pay attention to the colors: the iPhone 5 does not come in gold, and the iPhone 6 does not come in pink.

Replacing the case with the original one: from 4510 rub. with guarantee

Battery

Chinese batteries for iPhone as they are delivered to Russia.

Almost every iPhone purchased more than 3 years ago has already had its battery replaced. Their service life is 2 years, after which problems begin.

There is no way to determine visually and without disassembling the case whether the battery has been replaced or not. But you have a secret weapon.

It's called CoconutBattery for macOS. You can download the application here. Next are your steps:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac

2. Launch CoconutBattery and open the iOS tab

3. See the real battery history in this iPhone.

If the device was purchased recently, then it will have very few charge cycles, and the actual capacity (lower green bar) will be between 90-100 percent.

But if you bought a used iPhone, and the application shows up to 100 charge-discharge cycles, the battery was replaced 100%. The same is true in the opposite situation: a new iPhone cannot lose more than 10% of its factory capacity, and the cycles should also not be more than 5.

Replacing the battery with the original one: from 1900 rub. with guarantee

Buttons

These are Chinese. It is almost indistinguishable from the original, if only from the inside and with extensive repair experience.

All buttons in all iPhones, starting with iPhone 5s, by color completely match the shade of the body. They should not be lighter or darker, unless they have completely faded over time. A different shade indicates the installation of either “left” buttons or a “left” housing.

Important: All modern iPhones, especially iPhone 5-6, have a “play” in the lock button and often the Mute mode switch. This is a design feature that doesn't mean anything.

By the way, there are a lot of defects on the iPhone 5 with the lock button and its cable, beware. Just know that in your device, purchased second-hand, this cable has already been replaced.

Replacing iPhone buttons with original ones: from 1900 rub. with guarantee

Touch ID

Chinese. Works as a button, does not work as a sensor.

He simply has to work. There are no “buts”, factory defects, stories about a mythical failure after a firmware update. If you were told them when you bought the device, I sympathize.

A non-working Touch ID indicates one of three things, and they are not mutually exclusive:

1. The phone fell and broke, and so did the sensor. Replaced.

2. The phone sank, the button stopped working. Replaced.

3. The phone was repaired and the Touch ID cable was broken (very easily). Not replaced.

The trick is that Touch ID cannot be taken and replaced so that it continues to work. Each such sensor is tied to the processor and motherboard. If it breaks, then the situation can only be corrected by completely replacing both the motherboard and the sensor - and this costs as much as half an iPhone.

In the fall of 2012, Apple released the iPhone 5. The long-awaited new product gained popularity all over the world. However, even earlier, Chinese craftsmen launched their “iPhone 5” into production. The Novaya Gazeta publication provides detailed instructions on how to distinguish a fake Apple smartphone from the original.

Frame

The fake is made of plastic and weighs 146 grams, while the case of a real iPhone is made of aluminum and weighs 112 grams;
The back panel of the fake is a uniform color, currently sold in three color variations - black, red and white. The real iPhone 5 is sold only in two colors - white and black and the back panel is made in a two-tone design;
The cover of a real iPhone is tightly screwed on and cannot be removed;
The thickness of the fake is 7 mm, while the real iPhone 5 is 7.6 mm;
The screen size of the fake is 3.5 inches, while the original iPhone 5 is 4 inches.

USB connector and built-in TV

Fake people like to boast about the USB connector. Remember: the original iPhone of any version does not have USB, it uses a special 30-pin or 8-pin connector;
The iPhone does not have a retractable antenna or TV tuner; in the original, this functionality is implemented using software;
Apple phones don't come with styluses;
A real iPhone doesn't have memory cards;
The original iPhone does not support multiple SIM cards. If you are offered a phone with support for two SIM cards, then this is anything but an Apple phone!

Inscriptions

On the back cover of the original there should be an Apple logo, where the apple is bitten on the right side. On Chinese phones it is either not there at all or the apple is bitten on the left side;
At the bottom of the back cover there should be:

iPhone inscription;
Below in the rectangle - memory capacity (for example 16 GB);
even lower is the inscription Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China;
model number FCC ID, IC device serial number;
certification marks and FOXCONN plant logo.

Fakes either do not have these inscriptions, or they are arranged in a different order. Instead of iPhone, it may be written iPhone, eyePhone, etc. Where they write memory capacity, anything can be possible, for example Wi-Fi or 3G.

Operating system etc.

The real iPhone 5 has the iOS 6 operating system installed, while the fakes have Android at best;
In Chinese phones, menu names often do not fit completely into a line, for example, the word “calendar...” instead of “Calendar”; this can never happen in a real iPhone!
In the original iOS 6, a bunch of applications are immediately available to you, whereas on a Chinese phone you will get a sluggish system;
Try to find a fake Apple Store service.

Frame

The fake is made of plastic and weighs 146 grams, while the case of a real iPhone is made of aluminum and weighs 112 grams;
The back panel of the fake is a uniform color, currently sold in three color variations - black, red and white. The real iPhone 5 is sold only in two colors - white and black and the back panel is made in a two-tone design;
The cover of a real iPhone is tightly screwed on and cannot be removed;
The thickness of the fake is 7 mm, while the real iPhone 5 is 7.6 mm;
The screen size of the fake is 3.5 inches, while the original iPhone 5 is 4 inches.

USB connector and built-in TV

Fake people like to boast about the USB connector. Remember: the original iPhone of any version does not have USB, it uses a special 30-pin or 8-pin connector;
The iPhone does not have a retractable antenna or TV tuner; in the original, this functionality is implemented using software;
Apple phones don't come with styluses;
A real iPhone doesn't have memory cards;
The original iPhone does not support multiple SIM cards. If you are offered a phone with support for two SIM cards, then this is anything but an Apple phone!

Inscriptions

On the back cover of the original there should be an Apple logo, where the apple is bitten on the right side. On Chinese phones it is either not there at all or the apple is bitten on the left side;
At the bottom of the back cover there should be:

iPhone inscription;
Below in the rectangle - memory capacity (for example 16 GB);
even lower is the inscription Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China;
model number FCC ID, IC device serial number;
certification marks and FOXCONN plant logo.

Operating system etc.

The real iPhone 5 has the iOS 6 operating system installed, while the fakes have Android at best;
In Chinese phones, menu names often do not fit completely into a line, for example, the word “calendar...” instead of “Calendar”; this can never happen in a real iPhone!
In the original iOS 6, a bunch of applications are immediately available to you, whereas on a Chinese phone you will get a sluggish system;
Try to find a fake Apple Store service.

You can even find out what your mobile phone is packed in. The box in which the original version comes is always on thick cardboard, shiny, it is coated, all the corners are smooth, not beveled. There are logos and serial number. As soon as you notice the serial number of the manufacturer, try to get it through the official website and you will be given all the information on the model. The manufacturer has a rather sensitive attitude to all the little things, and the box is no exception.

Pay attention to the components and contents of the phone itself. It should already cause concern if instead of 2 slots for SIM cards you have 3 of them; in principle, this has not yet been put on sale. It has a cast battery and cannot be removed. The same applies to the body; it has no gaps and fits snugly. All side buttons immediately respond smoothly to your touch and do not glitch.

The original version of the phone is made of metal, and if holding it in your hands you feel light weight, then it is the plastic of a cheap copy of the smartphone.

The clone does not have a valid database number. The package comes with a special protective sticker with your model's logo. Everything is securely sealed everywhere. There is a seal on the case, so you won't be able to open it if you want to.

An outright fake can be distinguished even externally. The Chinese still cannot navigate the body properly. The true sample has a noble and non-vanilla, cheap color. A fake will be given out with giblets of parts that simply cannot be in a real iPhone. The headphones are included and they completely match the socket on the cover. Try to insert it right away, if it is not tight and dangles, scrolls like a carousel, sometimes the sound disappears, then it is not original.

Go to the sound settings. There should be a lot of them, turn on the screen and the official factory inscription with a greeting will immediately appear. The sound does not squeak and it is not sharp, loud, or dull. The menu has all the basic applications and a couple of native games, if there are more than 10 of them, then it’s not the same.

There should be no built-in TV, especially without Internet access, and even with an antenna. In the true version, all programs are updated through access to Internet resources. It has its own memory. If you notice that under the cover and battery there is a slot for an additional memory card, this is a clone.

Fake features include: a removable back cover and a battery. All this is still fixed at the factory. There is protection against penetration of water and dust. The speaker on the front cover is at the very top and it is thin, not wide.

It only works on 1 operator card; if there is support for two or more SIM cards, it’s a scam. Look at the camera. It is located clearly on the back panel and not in the center, but on the side. Can't be 16 MP.

The original does not have a microUSB connector. It does not download anything from programs via the network, only version updates are possible.

The clone has a special telescopic antenna.

Pay attention to the shades and pixels in the menu. In the original everything is clear, rich, but not acidic. The picture has good pixels and in the sun the screen displays all the information, everything is visible. The screen itself is not made of plastic, it is thick glass. There is a protective film pasted on it. It is mandatory to have an apple logo on the back panel. The thickness of the phone is not too thin. The case is matte and does not slip in the hand. There is an inscription below. The screen is large. Switching between programs and tasks occurs instantly without delay. It does not turn off the screen and backlight on its own, only after pressing the side key.