Review of a $100 (counterfeit) iPhone X

[OneMoreB]

Jason Koebler wrote an article over on Vice about a $100 counterfeit iPhone X from Shenzhen, China. Interested in the legitimacy of it, and what makes it so cheap, he bought one, and did some research about what makes it tick. His first impressions were quite good, a well-made box, similar form factor, boot screen, lock screen, and home screen. The phone included all of the default apps as a standard iPhone, with most of them looking identical.

 

However, there was more than meets the eye once you look a bit closer. The device was "sluggish and underpowered while switching apps. The camera is [also] kinda blurry." The faceID system was more of a face detection system instead of a face recognition system, allowing anyone's face to unlock the device once set up. The App Store looked the same, however upon crashing, it claimed it was called the "Google Play Store". Other app oddities were also discovered, such as:

Quote

The “Weather” app is just Yahoo! Weather. The Health App is a third party thing that asked me to click cartoon avatars selecting whether I was a “boy or girl.” The “Podcasts” app just opens YouTube. Apple Maps opens Google Maps.

At this point, it's becoming quite evident that this is just a reskinned Android phone. However, Koebler still wanted to know more. So he brought it to a security firm in New York City. They discovered that "the phone is also loaded with backdoors and malicious apps". The fake stock apps such as Compass, Stocks, and Clock request permissions such as reading text messages, although it is unclear if the developers were trying to be terrible people, or just awful at their jobs. They also discovered that the "iOS" was actually Android Marshmallow.

 

Opening up the phone, it is clear why the phone is so cheap. There's no haptic engine, no faceID sensor bar, and a standard battery, rather than the dual cell found in the X. All of the components are secured with rivets, and there is quite a bit of empty space compared to the original iPhone (see below).

Inside an iPhone X (left), inside the fake iPhone (right) images: vice.com

 

This device is certainly interesting, however neither Koebler or myself would recommend buying this device for the intent of using it as a phone. And I think most people with half a brain would also agree. However, it is a marvel of modern technology, and an interesting case about how much brand recognition and product identity that apple users place in their products.

 

Source: Vice.com

https://motherboard.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/qvmkdd/counterfeit-iphone-x-review-and-teardown

[bcredeur97]

this is nothing new. there's knockoffs like this for every new iphone that comes out pretty much...

[Dabombinable]

My retired $50 phone is better. Yay?

[Shreyas1]

2 minutes ago, James Evens said:

one question: why is this tech news?

- no news

- no hardcore click bait

 

I mean the section used to be called Tech News and Reviews, so maybe OP didn't notice the change

[Speed Weed]

Ebay.........

[captain_to_fire]

I thought this subforum is no longer "Tech News & Reviews" but renamed as "Tech News" only?

[dizmo]

I'd be interested if it was actually a knock off of an iPhone X....but the phone doesn't even remotely look like one.

[Christophe Corazza]

Considering the proliferation of aftermarket repair parts in China, and one vlogger's successful attempt to build his own iPhone from those parts, it actually surprises me that we aren't seeing a truly counterfeit iPhone running iOS yet.

[maartendc]

Haha this is actually quite funny. It has a "notch" in the screen like the iPhone X, but it also has bezels top and bottom, making the notch useless or at least unnecessary.

 

The more interesting question is: what is the market for these phones? I mean, it is not a good enough fake of the software  or hardware to fool anyone. So what is the market for these items? People wanting to use a cheap phone that just looks like an iPhone for bragging rights? Or are they really trying to scam people and hoping to get away with it?

[Dissitesuxba11s]

Reminds me of this Top Gear episode:

 

[kokakolia]

6 hours ago, maartendc said:

Haha this is actually quite funny. It has a "notch" in the screen like the iPhone X, but it also has bezels top and bottom, making the notch useless or at least unnecessary.

 

The more interesting question is: what is the market for these phones? I mean, it is not a good enough fake of the software  or hardware to fool anyone. So what is the market for these items? People wanting to use a cheap phone that just looks like an iPhone for bragging rights? Or are they really trying to scam people and hoping to get away with it?

You’d be surprised how easy it is to scam sales people at big stores like Wal*Mart, Staples or Best Buy. The personnel there isn’t very trained and doesn’t care that much due to low wages. Returns are done so fast without much thought. Buy an iPhone X, return (fake) iPhone X. Profit. 

 

However, the iPhone X is a very expensive item so it is protocol for store managers who get payed more and really care to carefully inspect returns worth several hundreds of dollars or more. 

 

So...it’s very unlikely that you’ll get away with it. But if the inspection of the phone takes a few seconds there’s a chance. It takes guts to pull that scam off. 

[79wjd]

6 minutes ago, kokakolia said:

You’d be surprised how easy it is to scam sales people at big stores like Wal*Mart, Staples or Best Buy. The personnel there isn’t very trained and doesn’t care that much due to low wages. Returns are done so fast without much thought. Buy an iPhone X, return (fake) iPhone X. Profit. 

 

However, the iPhone X is a very expensive item so it is protocol for store managers who get payed more and really care to carefully inspect returns worth several hundreds of dollars or more. 

 

So...it’s very unlikely that you’ll get away with it. But if the inspection of the phone takes a few seconds there’s a chance. It takes guts to pull that scam off. 

Most retailers are usually quite strict with Apple stuff -- e.g. unopened or with a receipt (and if with a receipt, then often with a matching serial number).

[kokakolia]

2 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

Most retailers are usually quite strict with Apple stuff -- e.g. unopened or with a receipt (and if with a receipt, then often with a matching serial number).

So the chance is essentially 0. Using serial numbers is very smart. I didn’t consider that.

[Christophe Corazza]

On 21-7-2018 at 3:07 AM, kokakolia said:

It takes guts to pull that scam off. 

 

You'd be surprised what people are capable of when there is money involved.

[asus killer]

28 minutes ago, Christophe Corazza said:

 

You'd be surprised what people are capable of when there is money involved.

do tell 

[wasab]

On 7/19/2018 at 10:28 PM, OneMoreB said:

Jason Koebler wrote an article over on Vice about a $100 counterfeit iPhone X from Shenzhen, China. Interested in the legitimacy of it, and what makes it so cheap, he bought one, and did some research about what makes it tick. His first impressions were quite good, a well-made box, similar form factor, boot screen, lock screen, and home screen. The phone included all of the default apps as a standard iPhone, with most of them looking identical.

 

However, there was more than meets the eye once you look a bit closer. The device was "sluggish and underpowered while switching apps. The camera is [also] kinda blurry." The faceID system was more of a face detection system instead of a face recognition system, allowing anyone's face to unlock the device once set up. The App Store looked the same, however upon crashing, it claimed it was called the "Google Play Store". Other app oddities were also discovered, such as:

At this point, it's becoming quite evident that this is just a reskinned Android phone. However, Koebler still wanted to know more. So he brought it to a security firm in New York City. They discovered that "the phone is also loaded with backdoors and malicious apps". The fake stock apps such as Compass, Stocks, and Clock request permissions such as reading text messages, although it is unclear if the developers were trying to be terrible people, or just awful at their jobs. They also discovered that the "iOS" was actually Android Marshmallow.

 

Opening up the phone, it is clear why the phone is so cheap. There's no haptic engine, no faceID sensor bar, and a standard battery, rather than the dual cell found in the X. All of the components are secured with rivets, and there is quite a bit of empty space compared to the original iPhone (see below).

Inside an iPhone X (left), inside the fake iPhone (right) images: vice.com

 

This device is certainly interesting, however neither Koebler or myself would recommend buying this device for the intent of using it as a phone. And I think most people with half a brain would also agree. However, it is a marvel of modern technology, and an interesting case about how much brand recognition and product identity that apple users place in their products.

 

Source: Vice.com

https://motherboard.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/qvmkdd/counterfeit-iphone-x-review-and-teardown

Chinese counterfeits just about anything, from baby powder, eggs, watches, shoes, to American McDonalds.

[wasab]

2 hours ago, James Evens said:

With the little difference that the knock off McDonalds is cheaper and better then the genuine. As for eggs i am not aware of fakes. How do you could even fake a egg cheaper then just producing it with a chicken?

The baby milk problem was straight up stupidity. They forgot to check for impurities.

They are very innovative when creating counterfeits. I wonder why they can't put those scientific and busssiness ingenuity to proper use and actually create products that consumers want. This is what happens when society is too materistic and greedy, combined with lax regulations and corruptions can do.