Chinese phone similar to iPhone. Cloning iPhones: reasons and existing analogues
The history of copying (oh, sorry, creative borrowing) in business probably goes back thousands of years. And it is not limited to Chinese companies, as is commonly believed. If you remember where the same Korean (and before them, Japanese) companies started, you will find out many “surprising” facts of such borrowing. In the case of the mobile phone market, iPhone design is an industry standard that is unattainable by everyone. One can argue with this bang your head against the wall, but it’s true - all phone manufacturers dream of making the design of their devices as attractive as possible to buyers. Therefore, even famous global companies act in the spirit of the popular Soviet joke from the time of Perestroika: “let them slander” and blatantly copy (and, of course, “creatively rethink”) the design of the iPhone in their phones.
The history of copying (oh, sorry - creative borrowing) in business probably goes back more than one thousand years. And it is not limited to Chinese companies, as is commonly believed. If you remember where the same Korean (and before them, Japanese) companies started, you will find out many “amazing” facts of such borrowing. In the case of the mobile phone market, iPhone design is an industry standard that is unattainable by everyone. One can argue with this bang your head against the wall, but this is true - all phone manufacturers dream of making the design of their devices as attractive as possible to buyers. Therefore, even famous global companies act in the spirit of the popular Soviet joke from the time of Perestroika: “let them slander” and blatantly copy (and, of course, “creatively rethink”) the design of the iPhone in their phones.
Of course, all these conditional “clones” of the iPhone run Android and, apart from the appearance of the Apple smartphone, do not copy anything else. In practice, it is possible to make an interface that completely copies iOS (with limitations, of course), but well-known manufacturers still do not stoop to such a step. Preferring to distract buyers' attention from the resemblance to the iPhone with all sorts of marketing and advertising moves. But you can’t erase the words from the song - by a funny (albeit logical) coincidence, all the companies that have released such smartphones are of Chinese origin. Is this why, by the way, their successes on the global market have become so significant? - If anyone doesn’t know, the top five largest smartphone manufacturers are now rounded out by Lenovo, Huawei and Xiaomi. Therefore, the word “Chinese” in relation to a telephone manufacturer can be safely classified today as having lost its ironic meaning.
Huawei P6
The first major company to openly borrow Apple's design was Huawei with its Huawei Ascend P6 smartphone. Now it’s easier to find its successor on sale - the Huawei Ascend P7 model. Their design also resembles the iPhone 5. And although the device does not have a recognizable button on the front panel, its design is difficult to confuse with something else.
Lenovo S90
Looking at all this, Lenovo also did not stay away from the important design trend and released its Lenovo S90 smartphone, which is similar to the brand new iPhone 6. Ironically (I am far from thinking of connecting these two facts directly), simultaneously with the release of this model, Lenovo took third place in the world ranking of smartphone manufacturers.
Xiaomi Mi4
At first glance, an inexperienced eye may not be able to draw a parallel between the design of the iPhone Xiaomi Mi4, but you can’t fool us - just look at the ends of the device to discover not just similarities, but the very borrowing of the design. Of course, we have nothing against such a “designer find,” but you can’t hide an sew in a bag.
Meizu MX4
If in previous cases we can still talk about some “accidents”, “creative rethinking” (or I also like the win-win option - I didn’t figure it out and “it seemed to me”), then Meizu acted like handsome guys by making the front panel of their Meizu MX4 is as similar as possible (down to the exact copying of the color scheme) to the iPhone 6. Even the hardware key was made round. And look at the sidewalls - well, isn’t this worthy of some kind of order named Ctrl C + Ctrl V? Or at least a diploma named after two designers with a pencil and a piece of paper?
Fly Tornado Slim
Speaking about Fly Tornado Slim, we, of course, mean its Chinese manufacturer - the Gionee Elife S5.1 model, which ended up in the Guinness Book of Records due to its record-breaking thinness. And although the back panel may also not evoke associations with Apple products, the ends of the device unmistakably indicate where the designers of this device drew inspiration.
Texet iX-maxi
But the device that came closest to the original was one sold in Russia under the name Texet iX-maxi. On the manufacturer/distributor’s website, its design is simply and bluntly called “trendy.” There is a suspicion that from a distance of a couple of meters (especially if you use a case or cover the Texet logo with your hand), an inexperienced person will easily confuse the device with the iPhone 6. This is what buyers will shamelessly use on the eve of February 14th. This turned out to be a good “anti-crisis” proposal for the market.
P.S. Instead of an epilogue and morality, I propose to discuss in the comments the similarities of the upcoming Nokia N1 tablet with the latest iPad Mini 3.
The perfect design of the iPhone, created by Jony Ive, delights customers and inspires manufacturers of other smartphone brands. We want to show you smartphones on the market today that reflect and even copy the aesthetics of the iPhone.
1. Meizu MX5
The smartphone is a thin device with a 5.5-inch screen that looks like the “sibling” of the iPhone. The design of the Chinese flagship even retains the stripes on the back panel and the traditional colors of Apple devices: black, gold, silver.
2.Huawei P8
The smartphone borrows the glass insert and stripe from the iPhone 6 from the iPhone 5s. The colors of the device are similar to the color palette of the latest Apple flagships
3.Lenovo S60
The smartphone in a bright plastic case is strikingly reminiscent of the iPhone 5c.
4. Galaxy Alpha
The smartphone, recognized as the most beautiful device in the Galaxy line, came out earlier than the iPhone 6, but is surprisingly similar to the gadget from Apple. Samsung designers probably used information from leaks to create the Galaxy Alpha. However, apart from design, the Korean flagship has nothing else to compare with the apple six
5.Lenovo S90
The smartphone surpassed all of the listed models in copying the design of the iPhone 6. Lenovo designers did a great job with information from leaks, even presenting duplicate renders of the iPhone in pink, which Apple is just planning to release. Pay attention to the Lenovo S90 wallpaper copied from the iPhone.
Apple has repeatedly and proudly emphasized that it created the iPhone X in a short time. Why there was such a rush is not very clear, but they clearly tried to make the device unique in appearance so that it could be easily recognized in comparison with previous iPhones. I think that Apple did not think about how Chinese manufacturers could copy the design of this device and how much time it would take.
The fact is that it took a matter of weeks, and the number of different iPhone X clones is already in the dozens. The only thing these models have in common is that they all somehow use the unibrow, that very stupid and non-functional cutout around the speaker. This is of no use to the user; it does not add uniqueness to the use of the device; it only gives a deterioration in the user experience in iOS in the form of fewer indicators. But fans of the company considered this a unique and inimitable feature. For several years, Samsung has been thinking that the appearance of their devices is unique and cannot be repeated, since there are no similar curved screens. Many Chinese are trying to do this, but without success, they do not have the technology to do this. But Apple’s solution is not just copied, it is replicated without any difficulty. Therefore, if you find a Galaxy S8/S9 clone, it only looks like the original in pictures, but in real life it is flat as a board. It’s extremely difficult to find differences with the iPhone X; from afar, the models are confusingly similar. Conventionally, all clones can be divided into two large groups - exact copies of the iPhone X and devices created based on the unibrow. Let's look at a partial list of what Chinese manufacturers offer and evaluate their efforts to clone Apple's flagship.
Leagoo S9
- Price in China: $150
- On sale: from April 2018
Leagoo diligently produces inexpensive Android smartphones that are similar to the iPhone and other popular models. The motto of these guys is “cheap and recognizable.” Externally, there are no complaints about the Leagoo S9; in pictures or even on a store shelf it will look good, but in real life the inexpensive materials are noticeable, just pick up the device. A counterfeit of the original, typical of Chinese wrecks and with a pretense of quality. The fingerprint sensor is located on the back panel, perhaps this is the only difference from the original. The cameras are not the same, there is face unlock from Android, the version of Android itself is 8.1 at the time of release. Inside is a chipset from MediaTek – MT6750, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory plus memory cards, a screen with 18.5:9 geometry, 5.85 inches and, of course, regular IPS.
You can and should buy this phone only in one case - if you are ready to get a purebred Chinese phone for little money, which is very similar to the iPhone. But exactly until the first time you give it to someone. Then the deception will be recognized, and it is possible that they will look at you with surprise. Still, using counterfeits of the original is a remarkable skill; you need to wear Adibas sneakers, a Zeggna suit and the like with dignity. With such a phone you will be recognized as a connoisseur of such brands.
Doogee V
- Price in China: from 300 dollars
- On sale: from April 2018
Let's take a look at a higher-class device, namely the flagship from Doogee. The appearance is similar to the iPhone, but there is no fingerprint sensor on the back panel; it was built into the screen - something that many expected from Samsung or Apple. These companies abandoned the in-screen fingerprint sensor for one simple reason: it works through the roof, more often it doesn’t work than it works. And he's very slow. Doogee didn’t think much about it, the main thing was to shout that they had such a thing. And she is! How it works is the tenth thing. At MWC my fingerprint worked every other time, or even twice.
This shortcoming was compensated for by face unlocking, which is no different from what we see in budget Android smartphones. But Doogee did their best in terms of filling, here you have 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of internal memory, and the Helio P60 chipset from MediaTek, but the main thing is an AMOLED screen with a diagonal of 6.21 inches and QHD resolution. Impressive? Maybe yes. But, knowing Doogee, everything will be ruined by unoptimized software, which must be compensated for by a large amount of memory. It’s like big American cars, they have engines installed in them to compensate for the lack of well-thought-out mechanics: the slipper hits the floor, and this power presses you into your seat. And let the frugal comrades think about how much fuel it takes, the main thing for car owners is the feeling. So it is with Doogee, the proud owner of this device will be able to ask any owner of the current flagships: “How much RAM do you have? 6 GB? Oh well. I have 8 GB, and I paid half as much as you.” And if you count from the iPhone X with its 3 GB of RAM, then it turns out to be some kind of Tsushima. Checkmate, flagship owners, feel the power of the Chinese.
Noa N10
- Price in China: from 300 dollars, for Europe from 300 euros
- On sale: from April 2018
Another flagship of the Chinese smartphone industry, but here they charge more for the design than for the filling. The NOA company is known for being able to copy cases well, this is exactly the case, although in Barcelona they did not give the device in hand, they only showed it behind glass. Screen 18:9, but IPS with a diagonal of 6.2 inches, mid-level processor – MediaTek MT6763 (Helio P23), 4 GB of RAM, 128 GB of internal memory. The company splurged on a dual camera, these are Sony IMX499 sensors, that is, the latest generation with a resolution of 16 megapixels. Even the front camera is the same, albeit single, but with face unlocking.
Considering that the presence of a sensor does not at all equal the quality of photographs, I would be careful not to draw any conclusions in absentia; I don’t think that we will see any breakthrough. In terms of filling, the model is not worth its price, and the “unique” design does not save it at all. Please note that here the originality of the body color removes the direct resemblance to the iPhone X, which many will perceive as a drawback. In a word, it’s expensive and it’s unclear why they deviated so much from the design of the original; this is rather a minus for the device.
Blackview A30
- Price in China: from 50 dollars
- On sale: third quarter of 2018
I love the Chinese, they know how to show off their product. Blackview (in fact, this is Shenzhen Doke Electronics from Hong Kong, which is also China, no matter how anyone thinks otherwise) “released” an analogue of the iPhone X at the lowest price - $50. Well, they released it... They showed it, announced it, even put it on a stand. This is an Android Go device, it has only 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory (memory cards are present), a 5.5-inch screen, and a MediaTek MT6580 chipset. What can I say? The company is not sure when it will be released - sometime in the third quarter. They confidently quoted a price of 40-50 dollars. But this is the Chinese approach - first scare them with a great price, then release them at a completely different price. This product can only be discussed as a hypothetical; it will not be possible to hold it in your hands, nor will it be possible to buy it in the coming months. Therefore, this clone can be safely ignored, but even if it comes out even in the fall for that kind of money, and there will be a holiday at all sorts of air sellers, they will start selling “real” iPhone X in car parks for 100-150 dollars.
Oukitel U18/U19 (older U18 model)
- Price in China: from 200 dollars for U18
- On sale: for sale
I love the Chinese that they are not shy about proving that they have more. In this case, the screen diagonal is larger than the original, and this is an advantage in their worldview system. These guys, however, have a problem with their logic; the U18 model is older and has better characteristics than the U19. Logics? No, they haven't heard about it.
The screen in the U18 is 5.85 inches, 19:9, HD+, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal memory and a MediaTek MT6750T chipset. The dual camera is quite sad - 16 and 2 megapixels. In a word, a typical example of the Chinese approach, in which the main thing is appearance. In real life, the device looks like a terrible fake of the iPhone X; the differences are too great. I can't recommend this model.
Ulefone T2 Pro
- Price in China: from $380 for U18
- On sale: summer 2018
At MWC they showed a dead prototype of this model, the body was cracked, nothing worked. A sort of demonstration of what could once be and at a fairly high price. We even have material about this device; I see no point in talking about it again, since it de facto does not exist yet. This is a kind of message of intentions, but that’s all. My attitude towards the Ulefone brand is simple and coincides with how their phones looked at the stand: dead, dead devices. And for some reason they are expensive.
Wiko View 2 Pro
- Price: from 300 dollars
- On sale: end of March
This is a mid-level model, it has a Snapdragon 450, 4/64 GB of memory, a resolution of a 6-inch HD+ screen, and a 16-megapixel camera with f/1.75; it takes decent pictures for its price. This is a mid-level device that looks very good and may even be popular. This is not a complete clone of the iPhone X, but rather a model based on it, which makes the device more interesting against the background of identical clones, which are somewhat tiring.
Asus Zenfone 5/5z
- Price: 480 euros for the older model
- On sale: spring 2018
The layout is similar to the iPhone X, the appearance is also similar, and at the presentation they compared it with some kind of iFruit, which for some reason they were afraid to name. Expensive devices that will not become widespread, for that kind of money it’s strange to buy Asus and not something else. However, we wrote about the devices separately, perhaps someone will like them. As for me, the similarity to the iPhone X in this price group is more of a minus than a plus.
Above you read about those devices that have at least some name and are noticeable on the market; you may come across them. There is no point in listing basement copies of the iPhone X of varying degrees of similarity; there are several dozen of them. If we take the cutout, or that same unibrow, as a point of similarity with the iPhone X, then in the near future many high-cost smartphones will be announced that have such screens. For example, this is OPPO R15 in two versions (previously called R13), LG G7 (it was rumored to be canceled and then brought back to life), OnePlus 6, Huawei P20 and many others. How similar will each of these models be to the iPhone X? This is a matter of your perception, but I think that the cutout is definitely associated with this device, although it appeared long before that. Among recent examples, we can recall the Essential smartphone, which also has a screen cutout, but no one remembers it. Although it was created before the iPhone X, and before it there were other models that are simply not very well known to the general public.
I will say a seditious thought that many will not like, perhaps it will cause negative emotions. A counterfeit of the original is always bad, especially for those who use such a counterfeit and demonstrate it to others. The list of smartphones above contains complete copies of the iPhone X in design, and I definitely would not buy such devices. For what?
But there are models that simply use similar solutions, that’s another story, although to some they will seem like clones of the iPhone X. Our people are hot-blooded and like to treat everyone with the same brush. I’m interested to know how you feel about clones or solutions similar to the iPhone X and what might personally make you buy such a device. Is there some reason for this?
While prices for the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus exceed the cosmic boundaries of 55,000 rubles, and in some places even 70,000 rubles, users are increasingly looking at smartphones with a more reasonable price. The Internet project site has compiled a rating of affordable, but no less functional alternatives to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
The times when Apple-branded smartphones were the standards of advanced technology are gone. Many functional devices have appeared on the market at the lowest prices. Now almost every second smartphone costing over 20,000 rubles can do the same thing as the latest iPhone 7 model.
A high-quality screen, a dual camera, a fingerprint scanner, excellent sound, a metal body and a long battery life - all this can be found among smartphones with a price three times cheaper than Apple gadgets. The question arises, why overpay? So users are increasingly giving preference to affordable gadgets with maximum functionality.
Current prices for iPhone 7
id="sub0">The Internet project site decided to simplify the selection of a new smartphone, and offers 10 alternatives that can be bought instead of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The selection includes 2016 models with the best technical characteristics and prices ranging from 16,000 to 30,000 rubles. All of them have been checked and tested.
1. Samsung Galaxy S6
id="sub1">Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop, TouchWiz shell
Screen: Super AMOLED, 5.1-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels (557 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core Exynos 7420, up to 2.1 GHz, Mali-T760 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32/64/128 GB of internal memory, UFS 2.0, memory cards are not supported
Camera: main 16 MP, f/1.9, sensor size 1/2.8, optical image stabilization, LED flash, white balance detection using an IR sensor, Pro shooting mode, video resolution 3840 x 2160, Front camera - 5 MP
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (LTE Cat. 6), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, IR port for controlling household appliances, 3 ,5 mm audio jack, USB 2.0, two nano-SIM slots
Battery: 2550 mAh, support fast charging in 1 hour, wireless charging
Dimensions, weight: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, weight - 138 grams
A year later, the flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S6 has not lost its relevance. But the price dropped below 30,000 rubles, which made this device a very interesting purchase compared to other models.
Samsung Galaxy S6 looks great. The body construction uses steel and glass. The device is compact in size, light weight and lasts about 3 days from charge to charge. In extreme mode, the battery lasts consistently for 1.5 or even 2 days of operation.
The Samsung smartphone has a 5.1-inch screen with a resolution of 2560×1440. In our selection, besides the Galaxy S6, only the Alcatel IDOL 4S 6070K, which will be discussed below, has such high performance. Higher resolution, and therefore pixel density, makes the picture much clearer, and takes screen reading to a whole new level.
The hardware of the smartphone is also excellent. The Galaxy S6 can play 4K video and you can play the most graphically advanced games on it. 32/64/128 GB of flash memory is allocated for storage. The device works with two nano-sized SIM cards. Among the communication services, it is worth noting LTE Cat. 6 with support for all Russian frequencies, dual-band Wi-Fi, infrared, NFC, support for the Samsung Pay payment service, a fingerprint scanner that works like a clock, and much more. Overall, a great set of features for the money.
2. Meizu Pro 6
id="sub2">Screen: Super AMOLED, 5.2 inches diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (424 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Chip, processor: 64-bit 10-core MediaTek Helio X25, up to 2.5 GHz, Mali T880 GPU
Memory: RAM - 4 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB built-in (26 GB available to the user) or 64 GB, memory cards are not supported
Camera: main 21 megapixel, f/2.2, sensor size 1/2.4”, 6-element lens, optical image stabilization), LED flash, Front camera - 5 megapixel
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (no LTE800 support), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two nano-SIM slot
Battery: 2560 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 147.7x70.8x7.25 mm, weight - 160 grams
Case materials: aluminum, glass, plastic inserts
The appearance of Meizu Pro 6 seems to hint that this is nothing less than an iPhone 7. A thin metal body, rounded corners, the location of the main controls - all this creates the illusion that this is a real Apple smartphone. And this device costs twice as much as the original one.
The device has an excellent 5.2-inch screen and extremely high performance. The device runs on a new 10-core Helio X25 processor with a frequency of 2.5 GHz. Cortex-A72 cores and Mali-T880 GPU in tandem provide excellent performance and provide more than 100,000 points in Antutu. With 4 GB of RAM, Meizu PRO 6 has enough performance even for heavy video games. 32 or 64 GB are allocated for storing files, depending on the version. This volume cannot be expanded. User interface - Meizu Flyme 5.6. This is a proprietary shell developed based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Despite the thin body with a thickness of 7.25 mm, the smartphone has an excellent camera with a resolution of 21 megapixels. The unique ring flash has improved the performance of the Meizu PRO 6 camera in low light conditions.
The Meizu PRO 6 screen allows you to recognize the pressing force in real time and launch the corresponding functions and applications. This technology not only improved the efficiency of the system, but also made possible a closer connection between person and device.
The Cirrus Logic CS43L36 DAC is responsible for processing the sound in the smartphone. Advanced circuit design provides excellent dynamic performance. The sound is clear and powerful. The audio processor helps reproduce music the way it should sound.
The shortcomings of Meizu Pro 6 include the lack of LTE800 support and an average battery capacity. The rest of the device is good.
3. Xiaomi Mi5
id="sub3">Screen: IPS, 5.15-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (428 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Chip, processor: 64-bit 4-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820, up to 1.8 GHz, Adreno 530 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB or 64 GB, memory cards are not supported
Camera: main 16 MP, f/2.0, sensor size 1/2.8, optical image stabilization, LED flash, video resolution 3840 x 2160, Front camera - 5 MP
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (no LTE800 support), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two nano-SIM slot
Battery: 3000 mAh, supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging
Dimensions, weight: 144.6x69.2x7.3 mm, weight - 129 grams
Case materials: aluminum, glass
Experts call Xiaomi Mi5 one of the most stylish smartphones of the year. This is largely due to the small dimensions of the device and the materials used - metal and glass. The gadget feels like a cross between the Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7, but costs half as much.
The slim metal and tempered glass body with elegantly curved edges not only looks good, but also feels great in your hands. At the same time, the device with a 5.15-inch screen weighs only 129 g. The main thing is to handle the device carefully - breaking it is not difficult. Now is the time to stock up on an elastic case, a protective screen or a transparent case.
A powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 3 gigs of RAM, the latest graphics core - all this allows the smartphone to smoothly play FullHD videos, run productive games and applications.
Also worth noting is the 16-megapixel camera from Sony, a set of 6 optical lenses and a sapphire protective glass lens. This set allows Xiaomi Mi5 to take clear, bright, beautiful photos and videos in any conditions. The smartphone's camera also uses a 4-axis optical image stabilizer to improve picture quality.
The device supports the Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging function, which allows you to quickly replenish the energy reserves in the battery to always be in touch. On average, the battery charge of Xiaomi Mi5 lasts for 2 days. With extreme load - one day. It is worth noting the lack of support for LTE800. Otherwise, the gadget has no problems - dual-band Wi-Fi, 4G (frequencies 1800 and 2600 MHz), support for two nanoSIM-sized SIM cards, USB Type C port.
4.Huawei Honor 8
id="sub4">Screen: IPS, 5.2-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (423 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 950, up to 2.3 GHz, Mali T880 GPU
Memory: RAM - 4 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB or 64 GB, support for microSD memory cards
Camera: main 12 + 12 (dual), f/2.2, optical image stabilization, LED flash, video resolution 60 frames per second, Front camera - 8 megapixels
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (LTE Cat. 6), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two nano-SIM slots (one combined with a microSD memory card slot)
Battery: 3000 mAh, support fast charging
Dimensions, weight: 145.5x71x7.45 mm, weight - 153 grams
Housing materials: metal, glass, plastic inserts
Huawei Honor 8 occupies a special place in our selection. We tried to make the device as interesting as possible for all categories of consumers. The new product looks great, has flagship functionality, supports all the most advanced features and at the same time costs adequate money.
The developers placed special emphasis on the appearance of the new product. The smartphone has a metal body with smooth contours. The front and back surfaces are decorated with 2.5D glass (the glass is rounded on the sides). This technique is used in the iPhone 7. The frame is made of brushed aluminum, which has the same color as the main part of the body.
In technical terms, Honor 8 is a representative of the middle class. There is a 64-bit eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 950 with a clock frequency of 2.3 GHz, 4 gigabytes of RAM, a capacious battery, a Type C USB port, and a fingerprint scanner.
Huawei Honor 8 uses a dual camera. Image resolution - 12 megapixels. One camera captures the colors of the image being captured, while the second one reads monochrome information. The resulting data is then programmatically combined and written to the resulting files. The main camera lenses have an equivalent focal length of 27 mm and a maximum aperture of f/2.2. Paired with the main camera is a dual LED flash, capable of illuminating the subject in both pulsed and continuous flash modes. The front camera uses an 8 megapixel sensor and a fixed focus lens.
The advantages include support for LTE of all Russian bands, the presence of two radio modules for SIM cards. Battery life is comparable to iPhone 7.
5. Alcatel IDOL 4S 6070K
id="sub5">Screen: IPS, 5.5-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1440x2560 pixels (534 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core Qualcomm MSM8976 Snapdragon 652, up to 1.8 GHz, Adreno 510 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB built-in, support for microSD memory cards up to 512 GB
Camera: main 16 megapixel, f/2.0, LED flash, optical image stabilization, front camera - 8 megapixel
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G, GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, microUSB connector, one nano-SIM slot
Battery: 3000 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 153.9x75.4x6.99 mm, weight - 149 grams
Case materials: metal, plastic, glass
In our selection of smartphone replacements for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, we included the Alcatel IDOL 4S 6070K. This smartphone has an ultra-clear 5.5-inch screen and a resolution of 1440x2560 pixels (534 ppi), which makes it stand out from its competitors. Thanks to the position sensor, the device's screen automatically rotates the smartphone's image even if you take the device upside down. The left and right audio channels are easily swapped when you rotate the device around its axis. And even if you put IDOL 4S with the display down, the sound will still remain impeccably clear and loud.
The body of the device is made of metal, glass and plastic inserts. The whole thing looks very organic and stylish. Alcatel IDOL 4S is equipped with a high-quality sound system, which consists of two powerful stereo speakers, a JBL Hi-Fi headset and Waves professional audio technology. With the Onetouch Music app - an integrated music ecosystem - IDOL 4S offers a unique audio experience.
The phablet is equipped with a high-quality 16 megapixel camera, which is capable of taking detailed photos even in difficult lighting. Ultra-fast focusing for instant photos, interactive images, natural color reproduction with dual-tone flash, bright night selfies with front-facing flash - all this applies to Alcatel IDOL 4S.
The hardware is handled by an 8-core Qualcomm MSM8976 Snapdragon 652, 3 gigs of RAM. Built-in memory 32 GB, which can be expanded using microSD memory cards. The smartphone supports all modern wireless technologies, including dual-band Wi-Fi and 4G on Russian frequencies, as well as GPS and GLONASS navigation.
6. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
id="sub6">Operating system: Android 7.0, TouchWiz shell
Screen: Super AMOLED, 5.2-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (424 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4 with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 8-core Exynos 7880, frequency up to 1.9 GHz, Mali-T830MP3 graphics coprocessor
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB of internal memory, support for microSD memory cards
Camera: main 16 megapixel (f/1.9) with autofocus, flash, Full HD video, front camera 16 megapixel (f/1.9)
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (LTE Cat. 6), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two nano-SIM slots
Battery: 3000mAh, support fast charging in 1 hour
Dimensions, weight: 146.1x71.4x7.9 mm, 159 grams
Case materials: metal, glass
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) is a mid-range smartphone. Externally, it is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7: the same body materials, the same screen diagonal, fingerprint scanner, controls. The hardware is different.
The device runs on a 64-bit Exynos 7880 chip from Samsung with an eight-core processor clocked at 1.9 GHz per core. Mali-T830MP3 graphics are used. RAM 3 GB. The device has 32 GB of internal memory (26.7 GB available to the user), supports microSD removable media up to 128 GB. The performance of the smartphone is good. The interface works smoothly, the browser works without stuttering even when opening a dozen pages.
The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G/3G and 4G cat. 6 on Russian frequencies, confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. The device can use 2 SIM cards at once.
Galaxy A5 (2017) is capable of battery life from 2 to 3 days. In terms of autonomy, the device differs from the vast majority of Android smartphones for the better.
7. Meizu MX6
id="sub7">Screen: TDDI, 5.5-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (403 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 64-bit 10-core MediaTek Helio X20, up to 2.3 GHz, Mali T880 GPU
Memory: RAM - 4 GB, built-in flash - 16/32 GB built-in, memory cards are not supported
Camera: main 12 MP, f/2.0, 6-element lens, optical image stabilization, LED flash, Front camera - 5 MP
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G (no support for LTE800), GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two nano-SIM slot
Battery: 3060 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 153.6x75.2x7.25 mm, weight - 155 grams
Housing materials: aluminum, glass, plastic inserts
The next representative of our selection is Meizu MX6 with a 5.5-inch screen. It belongs to the class of tablet phones (phablets) and is a high-quality alternative to the iPhone 7 Plus. The device has a thin body made of cast aluminum. The front part is protected by glass with a 2.5D effect.
Meizu MX6 received two slots for SIM cards (no microSD). There is support for LTE Cat.6, but the smartphone will not work with LTE800. The hardware of the smartphone is a ten-core MediaTek Helio X20 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of ROM and a 3060 mAh battery. The charge lasts for 2 days on average. Thanks to mCharge technology, the battery charges much faster: 65% in half an hour. A full charge takes 75 minutes.
The smartphone also has a fingerprint scanner built into the mTouch mechanical key. In addition, the gadget received a 12 megapixel IMX386 camera with a pixel size of 1.25 microns, f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus and six-lens optics.
Meizu MX6 is controlled by the proprietary Meizu Flyme shell, based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
8. Sony Xperia M5
id="sub8">Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
Screen: IPS, 5-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (424 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core MediaTek Helio X10, up to 2.0 GHz, IMG Rogue G6200 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 16 GB built-in, support for microSD memory cards up to 512 GB
Camera: main 21.5 megapixel, f/2.0, LED flash, optical image stabilization, front camera - 13 megapixel
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G, GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, microUSB connector, two nano-SIM slots
Battery: 2600 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 145x72x7.6 mm, weight - 143 grams
Case materials: metal, plastic, glass, dust and water protection IP68, IP65
One of the best smartphones to buy is the Sony Xperia M5. This model boasts compact dimensions, excellent assembly and appearance. The undoubted advantages include protecting the case from dust and water.
In technical terms, the device is also strong. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The hardware is powered by a powerful 8-core MediaTek Helio X10 chip. There is 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in flash memory, which can be expanded using microSD memory cards up to 512 GB.
The high-quality 5-inch screen deserves special mention. The picture on it looks juicy and bright. Thanks to Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, images look amazingly sharp and contrasty. Among the advantages of the Sony Xperia M5 is a built-in 21 megapixel camera with hybrid autofocus, 5x Clear Image zoom, automatic recognition of shooting conditions and support for video in 4K resolution.
Sony Xperia M5 has support for dual-band Wi-Fi, fourth generation networks with data transfer speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s. Versions with one or two SIM cards are available for sale. A 2600 mAh battery is enough for 1.5 days of active work.
9. ASUS ZenFone 3 ZE520KL
id="sub9">Screen: IPS+, 5.2-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (424 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625, up to 2.0 GHz, Adreno 506 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB built-in, support for memory cards up to 2 TB
Camera:
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G, GPS/GLONASS navigation, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, two slots: microSIM, nano -SIM combined with a slot for a microSD memory card
Battery: 2650 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 147x74x7.7 mm, weight - 144 grams
Case materials: metal, glass
ASUS ZenFone 3 ZE520KL is a stylish and functional smartphone, the body of which is lined with protective glass on both sides. On the back of the device you can see an original pattern of concentric circles; there is also a pattern on the metal buttons. Looks interesting. The build of ZenFone 3, by the way, is very high quality.
The device has a 5.2-inch display with Full HD resolution, increased brightness to 500 cd/m2 and wide viewing angles, which provides high-quality images even in bright sunlight. Moreover, thanks to the ultra-thin frame (2.1 mm) and large area (more than 77% of the size of the front panel), the screen does not at all affect the compactness of the smartphone.
ZenFone 3 is equipped with a 16-megapixel main camera with a fast f/2.0 lens and a triple tracking autofocus system. There is an optical and electronic image stabilization system, as well as a color correction sensor. The smartphone records video in FullHD format at 30 frames per second.
The 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3 GB of RAM are responsible for the performance. 32 GB of flash memory is allocated for data storage, which can be expanded using microSD memory cards up to 2 TB. The device supports the 4G/LTE mobile standard with data transfer speeds of up to 300 Mbps and uses a reversible USB Type-C connector.
The built-in battery with a capacity of 2650 mAh is enough for a full day in extreme mode. Well, with an average load, ASUS ZenFone 3 will have to be charged every 2-2.5 days.
10. ZTE Axon 7 mini
id="sub10">Screen: IPS, 5.2-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, protective glass with 2.5D effect
Chip, processor: 64-bit 8-core Qualcomm MSM8952 Snapdragon 617, up to 1.5 GHz, Adreno 405 GPU
Memory: RAM - 3 GB, built-in flash - 32 GB built-in, support for memory cards up to 200 GB
Camera: main 16 megapixel, f/2.0, optical image stabilization, LED flash, front camera - 8 megapixel
Communications: mobile networks 2G/3G/4G, GPS/GLONASS navigation, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB Type C, NFC, two nano-SIM slots, one combined with microSD memory card slot
Battery: 2800 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 147.5x71x7.8 mm, weight - 153 grams
Case materials: aluminum, glass, plastic inserts
ZTE Axon 7 mini is the most affordable iPhone 7 replacement smartphone in our selection. The model has a body with an aluminum frame. Thanks to the rounded corners, the device does not seem bulky and fits comfortably in the hand. The smartphone is equipped with an eight-core processor with high-speed and energy-saving crystals, 3 GB RAM and a modern graphics accelerator. Thanks to this, the device can boast of high system performance.
The device is equipped with a 4G module, which provides greater throughput and does not require connection to fixed equipment. The use of the NFC module ensures instant synchronization with various gadgets and allows you to make fast, secure payments.
The ZTE Axon 7 mini takes good pictures. The device has a 16 megapixel Sony Exmor photosensitive matrix, autofocus and large aperture optics. The sapphire lens prevents scratches and other defects from appearing on the lens. The front 8-megapixel camera is capable of creating high-quality selfies in any light level.
The ZTE Axon 7 mini battery ensures uninterrupted operation of the smartphone throughout the day. If you use your smartphone less actively, the operating time can increase to 2 days.
I would like to draw the attention of readers of our resource that the above smartphones are suitable as a cheaper replacement not only for the iPhone 7, but also for the Samsung Galaxy S7, the cost of which also cannot be called low. Explore our selections, share your impressions and make smart purchases! Buying a quality smartphone is easy!
id="sub12">Before making your final choice in favor of this or that smartphone, we strongly recommend going to an offline store and trying to “play” with the device. It is better if there is not one, but several. In this case, you will be able to evaluate whether a particular device is suitable for you, how well it meets your expectations and whether it is worth buying. Only then should you make a purchase.
An interesting design is a subjective thing, and given the fact that most users hide their smartphones in protective bumpers or book covers, this point is useless.
Ease of use - what does it mean? For example, for me personally, this is the control of contact and non-contact gestures. For example, I swiped with two fingers, from top to bottom, across the switched off screen, started music, drew > the next track. There are two dozen gestures, I won’t describe them further, I’ll only add that on each of them you can hang what you need. Contactless means turning pages without touching the screen; to answer a call, bring the phone to your ear, turn it over and put it down for speakerphone, etc. etc.
Versatility - again, what is it? If we compare by such a parameter as playback of any audio or video file downloaded from any source, then the iPhone loses to any, the cheapest, Android phone.
Always up-to-date software - what is it? WhatsApp? Viber? 2Gis? What is useful in iOS that is not on Android?
Manufacturer support - why do you need it if you change your phone once a year, or maybe every two years? I’ll tell you for myself, when mine was updated over the air from Android 4.3 to 5.0, I didn’t see any advantages in it, moreover, I liked 4.3 more. Another example, before the update, the old version of 2Gis suited me more. Fortunately, you can always download the required version of Arc from the Internet and reinstall it, which is impossible to do on an iPhone.
Moisture protection is generally a joke, why is it needed if Apple does not cover it with a warranty?
Top performance - I won’t say anything here, I don’t understand what this is about, someone wrote above about games, I doubt that an Android smartphone costing 30,000 or more will not be able to handle the toys that an iPhone can handle.
Good screen and camera – there’s nothing to argue about the camera, and the screen won’t surprise anyone these days. Apple only started installing fullHD from the sixth, while on Android they were already installing 2K. So in terms of screen, the iPhone was inferior and will continue to be inferior.
Working together with a computer is not even funny. What will you see when you connect your iPhone to a PC that doesn't have iTunes installed? A folder with photos? For example, I copied a video from a WhatsApp folder and sent it by email to a friend who still uses a push-button phone as a matter of principle. You can't do this with an iPhone without iTunes installed.
Reasonable battery life – there are a lot of manufacturers here, each with their own. You need to compare it with a specific model; I don’t think that the iPhone is ahead of the rest in this indicator. I’ll add on my own that the battery life on my phone is terrible, the 2K screen makes itself felt. But it charges at the same time, from zero to one hundred in just over an hour, which is not the case and is not expected in the near future for the iPhone.
