With such a huge market share, the "fake iPhone" market has become very lucrative for unscrupulous phone manufacturers. Some of the earlier iPhone knock-offs are so poorly done that it is easy to differentiate a fake iPhone from a genuine one.
However, over time, some fake iPhones cloned so well that they are physically very similar to a genuine iPhone. From the size of the device, the buttons placement, the Apple logo, and other physical indicators of an original iPhone, some fake iPhones are really good imitations.
This article will show you the difference between a fake iPhone and a genuine iPhone. Fake iPhone manufacturers often go a long way just to make their victims believe that what they are selling is the authenticated one. Attempts by police to eradicate fake iPhones from the market have failed.
So the only thing that can be done is to educate people so they won't fall victim and purchase an iPhone from these unethical manufacturers. If you are buying an iPhone from the used market, a classified ad, or some other dealer that is not an Apple dealer, use this guide to determine if the phone you are buying is, in fact, a real iPhone.
How to Find Out if Your iPhone is Genuine
There are three basic ways of checking if your iPhone is a genuine or a fake one. We have grouped them into three indicators - physical, performance, and system indicators.
Physical Indicators
You need to check on these physical signs to ensure that your iPhone is the real one:
1. Check for the screws. The original iPhone uses the pentalobe security screw while the fake one uses the normal cross screws. The pentalobe security screw, from its name, has five lobes that provide a tamper-proof system for the iPhone. This is a good indicator for the consumer to ensure that they are buying the original iPhone.
2. Check the physical buttons. Another physical quality to note is that on the real iPhone, the sleep/wake button is on the top right corner, while the volume switch and ringer switch are on the upper left side. If the switch or buttons are not where they should be, then the phone you are looking at is a fake one. Some fake iPhones have the buttons in the right positions, however, feel the buttons by running your fingers on them. Press the buttons repeatedly to check if they are not loose and are improperly fitted. Clone iPhones have poor button quality.
3. Check the screen. The screen of the original iPhone should be clear and not pixelated. iPhone's screen uses a retina display that has a higher pixel density making the screen look crispier, livelier, and full of colors. Fake iPhones have dull-colored screens due to the low-cost of their parts.
4. Check for the Apple logo. On the back of the phone, you must see an iPhone logo. If you can't find the logo, then it is not a real iPhone. Some clone iPhones are so good in imitating the original ones that they also have the logo at their back. However, you can rub your finger over the logo. You will feel a transition from the phone cover to the Apple logo if you are having the fake one.
5. Check the welcome screen. This is also a must, especially if you can't distinguish the fake one to the original by looking at the physical features. Try to turn off then turn on the iPhone. A fake iPhone will have a welcome screen, like the word "Welcome," while the original one will show you the logo of the iPhone. On the home screen, you will find an iPhone store icon. Try to click on it. If it takes you to the Google store, then you know what to think.
6. Check the font. Another thing that makes a fake iPhone really funny is when you try to check for the font on your messages, it gives you a Chinese character, so you have to configure your phone to enable English settings.
7. Ask how many SIM cards can be used. When you check how many SIM cards run on an iPhone, a dealer of the fake one may proudly tell you that you can use two SIM cards running at the same time. Then you will know you are getting an authenticated fake dual SIM iPhone. The iPhone can only use one SIM card. The original iPhone should bear a label that says it's designed by Apple California and assembled in China. Without this kind of mark, your phone is a clone.
Performance Indicators
The main reason why fake iPhones exist is that people want to get an iPhone at a cheaper price. With the cheaper price of the device comes the obvious poor performance of the phone. These are the obvious red flags:
1. Camera quality. Real iPhones have superior camera quality while the fake ones take bad and blurry photos. A physically convincing iPhone with bad photos, regardless of the lighting conditions, is a possible fake iPhone. Try the other camera modes including video recording and see how bad does a fake iPhone take pictures and videos.
2. Multi-tasking capabilities. Open the Music app then play it in the background. Open another application and check how the phone performs. Fake iPhones have a hard time supporting two applications at a time. iPhones run smoothly even if multiple applications are opened.
3. Quickly scroll between application screens. Do a quick scroll to the left and right of the home screens. The fake iPhone will obviously lag down and won't be able to keep up with your quick scrolls.
System Indicators
You can check these system indicators to distinguish a real iPhone from a fake one:
1. Look for the serial number. You can dial the code "*#06#" on your dialer to display your iPhone's serial number. On the phone, go to "Settings," choose "General," and then click on "About." This will give you the serial number. You can then access the Apple website, where you can enter your iPhone serial number to see if it is a real iPhone. On the website, enter your hardware serial number. If the site says that the code is invalid, then your iPhone is a clone.
2. Check the memory capacity. The original iPhone has a fixed storage capacity and cannot be expanded. The fake iPhones require a memory card to expand its memory capacity. If you find a memory card slot at the back or the side of the phone, then start backing out because you are looking at the fake one.
3. Check for Siri. The Siri application can only be launched on an original iPhone. Siri does not work at all on a fake iPhone.
4. Try to check the operating system. If you see any application other than iOS, it is 100 percent fake. Apple uses proprietary iOS as its official operating system.
5. Try to connect to iTunes. Connect your phone to a computer and try to run it with iTunes. If you are receiving an error, then it means iTunes does not recognize your phone; thus it is undetectable and fake.
6. Check the built-in applications. The original iPhone should have built-in Apple applications, such as Compact, Compass, Settings, Calculator, Music, and Photos. If one of those is missing, the phone might be jailbroken. To be sure you have the original phone, try to restore the original firmware. If some built-in application is still missing after restoring the original firmware, then you know what it is -- a clone iPhone.
Source: VisiHow
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