Differences between iPhones and Chinese counterfeits. How to distinguish an original iPhone from a fake

Apple technology lately is increasingly used by deceivers as a powerful trademark for making money. The thing is that almost every second person has dreamed or dreams of getting a beautiful and multifunctional iPhone for themselves in order to show off with it in front of friends and create beautiful photos in selfie style. But such gadgets in Russia are too expensive due to the high exchange rate of the ruble, and therefore desperate “dreamers” are trying to buy used versions on the Internet, for example, in Avito.

Due to the fact that even those users who have already used an iPhone are often deceived, there is no point in talking about newcomers at all. This article was written specifically so that anyone who wants to buy an iPhone can thoroughly check it and personally see that it is original. This procedure can be compared to buying a car, but since some iPhone models are sometimes more expensive than the Russian auto industry, you need to be very careful. We have described all the methods iPhone checks for originality.

The first thing you need to start checking is an external inspection of the iPhone. If the user has never previously owned Apple technology, we recommend that before purchasing you look at several reviews of the model you decide to buy. This will help you understand how closely the device being sold matches the original in appearance.

Apple takes the security and protection of its smartphones seriously trademark, therefore, it tries in every possible way to label the products it produces.

The first step is to inspect the device visually. On the back there should be a logo with an apple core, and under it at the bottom of the smartphone there will be inscriptions like this:

• Designed to be Apple in California;
• Assembled in China.

Yes, many craftsmen have been counterfeiting such markings for a long time, but sometimes you come across very lazy scammers who rely only on the buyer’s inattention.

It is also necessary to inspect the device body. All Apple products are famous for their quality, so in most cases on the iPhone all edges will be smooth, without any gaps or unevenness, roughness.

Another important advice- This is to look on the Internet in what colors this or that model was produced. If the seller shows a device of a completely different color, it is 100% fake. Apple does not release any separate batches with other colors; it does not change panels to other colors for specific users.

Particular attention should be paid to inspecting the camera, the side dividers, the latch for silent mode. All these details have their own clear colors, boundaries, shapes, so in many cases they may differ from the original.

It is also worth trying to remove the back cover of the phone. If it is removed, it is 100% not original. U iPhone batteries You can’t just take it out, the flash card can’t be inserted, so you can’t open the cover with one click, but you need to unscrew it with special small screwdrivers.

Also, all devices up to the iPhone X have only 1 slot for inserting a SIM card and are opened with a special needle, which is provided with the gadget.

Reconciliation of iPhone data and packaging

When purchasing iPhones, you must ask the seller and original packaging, in which it originally lay. If the seller was the first to purchase a given iPhone, in most cases the box will be kept.

The information on the packaging must be compared with the information on the phone itself. To do this, just turn the box over and find information such as:

• Part No—batch number;
• Serial No - serial number;
• IMEI/MEID - unique phone identifier.

The same information will be provided on the smartphone. If it matches the data on the box, you can move on to the next step. To view this data on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps:

If all the data agrees, move on to the next point. If the information does not match what is on the box, it means the packaging is from another smartphone or the data in the device is simply corrupted.

iPhone authentication on Apple website

On the official Apple website you can check any smartphone and get information about it if the data is correct, no matter how new model at the user. Data is available for all versions, and this is history from 2007!

To once again make sure that you are purchasing an original device, we recommend going to the website and entering the serial number iPhone number, which will be in the purchased gadget.

1. To find the serial number, go to Settings, go to the About device tab and scroll down;
2. Find the “Serial number” item and enter this data on the website, confirming the operation by entering a captcha.

If the iPhone is original, a photo of it will appear, and information will also be provided about what services are still active for it, for example, providing technical support, the right to maintenance or repair.

Sometimes when checking it asks you to enter the date of purchase. This indicates that the phone is new and has not yet been activated. The fact is that after activation, all iPhones connect to the Internet and transmit information to official Apple servers, where the activation date is assigned to them. If an error appears, but the serial number was entered correctly, you can say with complete confidence that the seller is being disingenuous and trying to sell a fake.

Attention! We recommend checking any purchased iPhone through official service Apple to view restored this device or not. Sometimes retail outlets after returning and repairing smartphones, they sell them at the same price as new ones, although refurbished iPhones should be sold at a price several times lower.

Checking your phone by IMEI

Verification is possible not only by serial number, but also IMEI. This is a unique identifier that is assigned to each smartphone. That is, there are no identical IMEIs in the world different phones, and their history dates back to the 90s, when popular Nokia models, Siemens and other phones.

Look Phone IMEI, which needs to be checked. There are several ways to do this:

Check service No. 1

Now you need to check it on the official website of all unique identifiers. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Follow the link;
2. Enter IMEI in the field, enter the captcha and click Check.

If the data is correct, the system will show the device model and brand to which this IMEI belongs. For example, in our example, the site showed that the ID belongs to an iPhone 8.

If the data is not displayed, we can assume that the specified IMEI was simply specified randomly, so you should not purchase such a smartphone, since it is a fake.

Service for verification No. 2

Can’t get information through the service mentioned above, but the owner claims that this is an original device? You can use another site that will show all the information.

1. Go to the website;
2. Enter the serial number or IMEI of the device in the field and click “Check”.

It will also be provided here detailed information by iPhone. Moreover, if it turns out to be stolen, and the owner has entered data about this, a special tab will be displayed on the site, which signals the theft of the device.

You can also request additional information, for example, whether the phone is locked, activation date, SIM status, etc., but it is paid and will cost about 2-3 dollars.

Checking through the Apple Store

Almost everything fake iPhone, even if they have identical appearance, a semblance of iOS, qualitatively copied under current version, however they do not know how to connect to Apple service Store. And in principle, this will be impossible, since the service identifies each smartphone in the database, and only after authorization allows you to download applications.

To check your phone, follow these steps:

1. On the iPhone that you decided to check, go to Apple Store and try using the search;
2. If it doesn’t give any results, go to any category to try to find any application and download it;
3. Also go to Safari, enter any request with an application from the Apple Store in the search and follow the link that will lead to this service.

If the phone is not original, then in all cases you will not be able to download the application from the service, and the system will not even allow you to connect to the Apple Store.

If the iPhone is original, then no matter what method you use to switch to the download service, it will be successful, resulting in specific information about the application from the search results or the main page of the Apple Store being displayed.

Checking via iTunes

You can also check the authenticity of your iPhone through iTunes. This is a universal assistant for working with all Apple devices, which helps not only with restoring or transferring music and files, but also allows you to check whether the iPhone you connected to the computer is original or not.

To check, just follow these steps:

1. Connect your smartphone using a USB cable to your computer;
2. If a notification appears on your phone asking whether to trust this PC, click “Trust”;
3. Open to computer iTunes. It is advisable to use the latest version;
4. The system will automatically detect the new device and display it in the list;
5. If the phone was not detected, first check whether your Windows or Mac can see it at all by going to the list of all connected devices.

In almost 99% of cases, connecting original Apple devices happens correctly and no problems arise. If the iPhone is not detected by iTunes, this may already indicate that this is a fake.

In general, the entire range of methods that we have listed will help determine with 100% probability original iPhone whether you hold it in your hands or not. Remember that most fakes are sold with an identical appearance, similar to an operating room iOS systems, in which most of the tabs are the same as in the original one. Follow all the steps carefully and you can protect yourself from unwanted purchases.

Do you want to have a brand new iPhone that works well, but is cheap? Unfortunately, for such requests the phone number Apple almost impossible to find. Fraudsters often sell not only models that are no longer new, but generally counterfeit or stolen ones. To avoid becoming a victim in the same situation, find out how to check the authenticity of an iPhone.

Data on the box

Proven methods.

The more popular Apple devices become, the more often you can see cheap Chinese counterfeits on original smartphones. And if a few years ago a fake could be identified by the characteristic crack of the case or a poor-quality picture on the display, now craftsmen are churning out almost perfect copies of the iPhone. So how can you avoid falling for scammers and buying “leftist”?

The easiest way out is to buy an iPhone from official dealer. The method is obvious, but it’s not suitable for everyone, because sometimes you want to buy a gadget, but you only have enough money for a used model. But in any case, if the situation persists, then it is better to save up and take an original and legally “clean” (I think there is no need to remind you about the frequent theft of phones) iPhone in a specialized store - this is the official Apple reseller in Russia.

However, if you have your eye on a model on an ad website, a la Avito, and have seriously decided to purchase the model second-hand, then you need to know several distinctive features.

Checking the serial number

Whether you go to buy an iPhone alone or with a friend, be sure to arm yourself with a smartphone or tablet (you can even use it Android control) with the ability to access the Internet. This is necessary for an absolutely accurate check of the originality of the purchased device. What should be done?

Step 1. Go to the iPhone menu " Settings» → « Basic» →« About this device" and find the item " Serial number».

Step 2. From your device, follow this link. The link leads to the official Apple website in the section for checking serial numbers.

Step 3. In the window under the inscription “ Enter the hardware serial number"Indicate the serial number of the device being tested and click " Continue» .

Step 4: If the iPhone is not Chinese, you will see its model and other information, such as whether you can get Apple phone support. Otherwise, you will see the message “ Unfortunately, this serial number is not correct. Please check your data and try again.", which means it’s better to bypass this would-be seller.

Be careful when entering the serial number of the device, because due to an error in one character, you may think badly of the person and be left without a brand new (or used) iPhone.

Opening our eyes wider

No matter how high-quality the iPhone replica is, make everything exactly like it Apple creators technically they can’t clones. Therefore, even with a quick glance, without resorting to checking the serial number of the device, you can identify a fake. You need to pay attention to the following details:

• There should not be any hieroglyphs, misspelled words or other calligraphic errors in the system.
• On back cover devices must have the following inscriptions: iPhone, Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China, model number, certification marks (as in the picture).
• An iPhone cannot have an antenna.
• The iPhone also cannot have two SIM cards, a built-in memory card and charging from USB and mini-USB.
• Back cover iPhone any The model cannot be removed until the fastening screws are unscrewed.

Another quick way to identify a fake

Very simple and easy method- taking the iPhone in your hands, go to standard application App Store . Any, even the coolest Chinese iPhone will be forced to throw you into Google Play, an application store for Android devices.

This is what the App Store should look like:

This is what Google Play looks like:

In addition, you will not be able to find most Apple branded applications on Google Play. Try to find applications such as Keynote, iMovie, Pages, Numbers, Apple Store through the search - if they are not in the store, then this means that this is a fake, not original iPhone.

Another sure way to identify a Chinese iPhone

Well, I’d like to end this article with one more thing: the right way, which will reveal even the most inveterate Chinese geniuses. To do this you will need a laptop or personal computer(if the seller came to sell the iPhone directly to your home) with installed iTunes. You can download iTunes from the official Apple website.

The whole point is that when iPhone connection to your computer and turn on iTunes, the program should detect the device and try to sync it. If iTunes is silent like a guerrilla, most likely they are trying to slip you a fake, be careful.

Read more about how to distinguish a real iPhone from a fake on our forum topic.

The iPhone is a mass device, used by all segments of the population, including children, old people and women, most of whom handle technology at the level of an insecure user. These are the people who often become victims of scammers who sell counterfeit apple smartphones via the Internet or by hand. In this article we will tell you how to 100% distinguish an original iPhone from a fake.

Taking advantage of the lack of fundamental differences in the design of some iPhone generations(5/5s/SE, for example), scammers often try to pass off one model as another, or at least sell a device with a memory capacity that does not match the declared one. In this case, a thorough check, which we talked about, will be required.

However, often attackers act even more brazenly, offering people under the guise iPhone Chinese(mostly) Android fakes, different from the original like a tank from a slingshot. Naturally, an experienced user will easily detect a fake, but a person who does not understand the technical intricacies may well purchase a “fake”, especially if the deal is concluded at a meeting - a trained fraudster has a strong psychological impact on the buyer. However, it is quite easy to expose the seller to clean water; this can be done using the recommendations described below.

How to distinguish an original iPhone from a Chinese counterfeit

Currently, Chinese craftsmen have reached incredible heights in the production of high-precision copies of Apple smartphones. We will not describe in detail the external distinguishing features between the original and the fake, because... There are very high-quality fakes, but we will focus on the main verification methods, which should not be neglected in any case.

Appearance and accessories

Often, a cheap replica can be identified “by eye” - it will be identified by a plastic case, a box made of “toilet paper” instead of the high-quality cardboard that Apple uses, a connector and, accordingly, a MicroUSB connector instead of Lightning, etc. In addition, some large manufacturers avoid confrontation with the lawyers of the apple confrontation and indicate on their replicas the names with a mistake (lPhone, iPhone, Spacve Gray, etc.) or draw Apple logo with an apple bitten on the wrong side.

But we repeat, the market is full of very high-quality fakes that look very similar to the original iPhone. Here is an example of a high-quality Android copy of the iPhone 6.

Please note that externally (design, materials, buttons, GUI) the smartphone looks exactly like an Apple product. Even the menu About this device V Settings looks like the real thing.

Even the settings are faked

There is a special page on the Apple website where you can enter the serial number and check the warranty for the original iPhone, while the system, of course, will not accept a fake one. However, you should be careful here - scammers may provide documents and a box from a real iPhone with the correct serial number. It can also be viewed in the phone settings, but even there it can be faked.

Specified Serial number on the above-mentioned fake refers to a real iPhone 6. As you can see, Asian craftsmen very competently use original devices Apple to create a fake.

However, even on the above page with Settings, an experienced user would have discovered a catch. Pay attention to the line Capacity- 64 GB and Available - 63.98 GB. The difference between these values ​​is only 20 MB, which is impossible to achieve in practice.

In other words, on real iPhone The difference between the declared and actual storage capacity indicated in the settings will always differ significantly. We explained in detail why this happens.

Actually, here we come to the description of the necessary actions that must be performed without fail.

Apple ID is a universal account for many services Apple. You can create an Apple ID even without having a availability of iPhone, iPad and Mac. The thing is that fake iPhones work on the basis operating system Android, carefully disguised as iOS - the graphical interface will not allow an inexperienced user to detect deception. However, the Chinese device does not have the functionality of the original.

On how to create an Apple ID without Apple devices (you need any computer with installed), we in more detail told and shown on video.

Having your own Apple ID, you are 100% guaranteed to detect a fake, for this:

1 . Launch the application Settings and go to the section .

2 . If such a section is present and no one’s account is indicated in it (button Login), enter your details. If you enter your account nothing interfered - that means this is an original iPhone. It should be like this:

3 . To be more sure, go to app Store and search for iMovie or Garage Band. This Apple apps, which are not available on Android. It is logical that if such applications are available in search results, that means the iPhone is original.