IPhone Tech: The Easy 7 Point Plan To Avoid The Fake IPhone Marketers

The Apple iPhone is a brilliant phone. The first generation cell phones found their way into the market place back in 2007. Latest offerings come in the guise of the 5s and 5c and are sure to help Apple to regain some lost ground from main competitor, Samsung.

Such a strong following leaves Apple and its products open to being copied. Many customers find themselves being duped by less than authentic models. Often, leaving buyers less than satisfied with their new phones.

Losing your heard-earned cash to less than reputable sellers can be difficult to stomach. Here are some tips to help you avoid being fleeced by the fake iPhone sellers.

Tip #1: Amazingly Cheap Prices

Apple is a premium seller, simple as that. Even when they take the decision to discontinue a model the price point still remains relatively high.

If you are offered an Apple iPhone at a price which seems too good to be true, be wary. In fact, it is sensible to steer well clear.

Of course, prices for Apple products tend to vary a little around the world. This is mainly due to currency fluctuations. Initial price points for a non-contract 5c with 16GB memory is $549, with the 5s version $649. Anything significantly less than this and alarm bells should definitely be ringing.

Tip #2: Dual-Sim Feature

Apple only produces cell phones which accept a single Nano-Sim card.

The thought of having a mult-sim handset could be appealing; however, this is another easy way to tell the handset isn’t genuine.

Tip #3: Superb Packaging

Apple isn’t satisfied by producing some of the best cell phones. Even their packaging is spot on.

Take a closer look at the box your new handset came in. Look at the instruction manual and accessories. Everything should have a quality feel about it.

This is one area the clone handset makers often fall down in. They focus heavily on producing a cell phone which can pass by as the real thing; however, the packaging normally takes a secondary role.

Tip #4: Screen Quality

One characteristic of Apple phones is their crystal clear screens.

The latest offerings feature a 4” diagonal Retina display. Anything more, or less than this means your one isn’t the real deal. Other important statistics are the 1136-by-640 resolution, which translates to 326 Pixels per Inch.

It could be hard to tell the fake one from the real one, unless both units are side by side. However, choosing the non-genuine unit will almost certainly be a bad option. Not only will the screen be inferior, it could also be more susceptible to damage.

If in doubt, take along someone who has experience in dealing with iPhone screens. Walking away from a purchase if you are not 100% sure is probably the best option.

Tip #5: Custom Operating Systems

Some fakers can get the external cosmetics of their phones to come very close to an original iPhone. However, the issues lay in what’s inside the unit.

Since day one, Apple’s sole operating system has been its own version. The current version of being shipped with the newer handsets is iOS7.

The fake phones will use a custom made Android system to come close in replicating the Apple offering. However, there will be plenty of differences. To test this theory, simply press the App store icon from the main home screen. If it sends you to “Google Play” then your cell phone is a fake.

Further information on what to expect from the Apple iOS7 can be found on the official Apple website.

Tip #6: Check the Serial Number

Accepting physical design can nearly always be copied, it is essential to check the phones serial number.

Don’t just accept the one shown on the packaging supplied with your phone is correct. This is relatively easy for the fakers to produce. Instead, you should go online to double check the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.

Thankfully, Apple makes this task very easy to complete. Simply, head over to their support site and enter your IMEI number. If the system doesn’t detect your unit then it is a fake.

Tip #7: Expandable Memory Slot

Yet another distinct feature of Apple products is they always have fixed storage capacities. Put simply, on the latest 5c and 5s devices users can opt for 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB.

The bottom line here is, once the unit is produced, the memory cannot be upgraded.

Cloned handsets will feature a much smaller on-board memory; usually this is limited to either 4 GB or 8 GB. As a result of this virtually unusable memory, fakers will nearly always offer an expandable memory slot.

Remember, fake devices aren’t always sold via the internet. There are many physical stores who want to enjoy the proceeds of selling these cloned units. Put this to the test by asking the shop assistant about the upgradable memory, any response other than “you can’t” means it’s a fake.

Conclusion: Avoiding Buying a Fake iPhone

When purchase an Apple iPhone you should always buy from reputable outlets. We are not saying; however, every purchase must only come direct from Apple.

By following the advice shown here you will be able to make sure your next purchase is a genuine one. Take a close look at the screen quality and check out for added features which shouldn’t be there, and always double-check the IMEI number.

Your author (Troy Barclay) is a keen technology writer, who enjoys covering Apple products and services. He strongly recommends choosing a genuine Apple product, as repairs to the screen as well as other components are much easier to get done.

Featured images:

• License: Creative Commons image source 
• License: Creative Commons image source 
• License: Creative Commons image source 
• License: Creative Commons image source