How to distinguish an iPhone 5s from a fake. How to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original

Demand creates supply. Chinese manufacturers have long established production famous brands. Apple devices were no exception. I was prompted to write this article by a couple of cases when, when faced with a fake, I could not clearly determine iPhone authenticity. You turn the phone in your hands, and everything seems to be in place, but something is not right. Let's try to determine what you should immediately pay attention to when buying a phone second-hand. There is no point in analyzing in detail the difference between the original iPhone and its Chinese counterparts. There are quite a few similar “leftist” manufacturers, and everyone tries in their own way. In addition, counterfeits are found in all previously produced and released generations of smartphones. And it will probably be the same in the future.

I would like to immediately warn you against unnecessary fears. On the back iPhone covers there is an inscription "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China." This is the honest truth, and you shouldn’t be afraid of it. All original iPhones are assembled in China on special Apple factories. Non-original iPhones are also assembled in the same country.

It is worth noting that checking the authenticity of a phone using the IMEI number through the SNDeepInfo service may not lead to anything. I came across a fake iPhone, where in the paragraph about this device the real IMEM and current version firmware. This data corresponded to a real Apple phone.

Let's try to identify the main differences, first external.

It will be difficult for a person who has never held his own iPhone in his hands to determine the originality of the device. Moreover, even experienced user It won't be easy for Apple products to understand what's wrong. At first glance, the fake iPhone looks quite believable. The differences are in the little things. In general, the ideal way is to have original iPhone with yourself for comparison.

1. In all existing iPhones to date no memory card slot, no retractable antenna. These improvements from Chinese manufacturers have never been used in native devices.

2. The SIM card slot for iPhone5, iPhone 4 (4S) is located on the side. They are designed for nano-SIM for iPhone 5 or micro-SIM for iPhone 4(4S), respectively. For first generation devices and 3G, 3GS it is on top. Phones only have one SIM!

3. The back cover of a real iPhone cannot be removed, and there is no access to the smartphone’s battery. No removable covers!

But the main differences are determined in the work. You need to turn on the device.

The native iPhone runs on the iOS operating system. Fake iPhone uses other firmware. In this regard, programs from App store Store cannot be installed on this device.

4. Open the "Settings" - "General" application. pay attention to Russian menu. Russian is one of the most difficult languages and correctly translating the menu is not an easy job. If there's something wrong with cases or abbreviations like "Return", then it's not an iPhone.
The menu items here differ from the original. Usually fakes do not have "Software Update" and "Siri".

5. Click on the icon App Store. See what the content store offers you. All programs on iPhone are installed from this store. If, when you click on the App Store icon, you will be transferred to Google Play it means your phone is not original.

6. If possible, connect the device to your computer. At iPhone connection to the computer iTunes program recognizes him. The fake phone will not sync with iTunes at all.

The smartphone from the Cupertino company iPhone 5 is one of the most famous and beloved mobile phones in the world. At the same time, his popularity plays into his hands Chinese manufacturers fake copies of smartphones. Quite a long time ago it became a custom to produce counterfeits of phones from popular brands.

iPhone smartphones are no exception, and with each appearance of a new model, underground manufacturers immediately release their copies of the new product. On the wave of popularity, dishonest sellers mobile devices They make good money by selling counterfeits to inexperienced users.

The fake is very different from the original low quality, the phones themselves are not certified, and numerous violations of product and trademark licensing rules have led to a ban on the sale of non-original devices.

Buying such a counterfeit harms both the user and the manufacturing company. The buyer forms the wrong opinion about the smartphone, and as a result, he may decide not to purchase the company’s products anymore.
To avoid such deceptions when buying an iPhone 5, we will describe how to distinguish original smartphone from a copy.

Differences in connectors and interfaces

It is very easy to distinguish a genuine device by visually checking the presence or absence of certain connectors in the phone. Here are some interface options that can be found that reveal counterfeiting::

The original iPhone does not have any TV tuner. Therefore, if you notice an antenna on your phone, it’s a fake. IN real iPhone 5 you can watch TV using certain programs;
The original mobile phone may not have a stylus;
It is easy to distinguish a fake from a real phone by the presence of a USB connector. The original iPhone 5 is equipped with its own unique Lightning connector, which is almost impossible to confuse with USB;
A counterfeit device often has a built-in slot for reading memory cards. The original phone does not have such an interface;
A real iPhone only supports one SIM card. Therefore, if you are offered a phone that supports 2 or more SIM cards, then it will not be a real iPhone 5.

Marking

Fake copies can also be distinguished by inscriptions printed on the device body. First of all, you should check the iPhone itself. Often it is distorted or replaced consonant word. Also, instead of the amount of memory, a fake may have the inscription Wi-Fi, 3G and more.

Secondly, inspect the logo on back cover smartphone. There must be an original symbol Apple- bitten with right side apple. In fakes, the logo may be changed or absent altogether.

Among the other inscriptions and markings on the back cover of the original iPhone there should be:

under the iPhone inscription in a small rectangle is the total amount of phone memory;
further - the standard inscription for all models of Apple smartphones - “Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China”;
under the previous inscription - an identification number FCC ID and serial number smartphone;
at the very bottom of the cover are various certification marks and the FOXCONN logo.

Design differences

A fake can be distinguished from an original by its higher weight, which is quite easy to feel if you hold the device in your hand. The original body is made of aluminum, and Chinese copy- made of cheap plastic. The back cover of the real one iPhone smartphone It will not be possible to remove it, since it is rigidly fixed. Sometimes the screen diagonal size may differ slightly (usually larger).

The thickness of the case may also vary slightly. For the original iPhone 5 it is 7 mm. The color of the back cover of the phone can also distinguish a fake, since the original can only have 2 colors - white and black.

Software features

Any iPhone model Available with the iOS operating system installed. It is impossible to install such a system in a fake, therefore, at best, with a copy of the iPhone the user will not receive the fastest Android OS.

At any iOS versions preinstalled a large number of useful and unique applications from Apple, but the most main way to distinguish a fake is the absence of an AppStore, which a fake cannot have. You can also pay attention to the names and signatures of applications.

A person who prefers Apple products to other brands will be able to easily distinguish an original smartphone from a Chinese counterfeit. But if you decide to buy an iPhone for the first time, you need to know how to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original in order to avoid problems in the future. Such ignorance, as a rule, is expensive, since the cost of a fake in this case is equal to the cost of a real phone. By the way, price is the first criterion that you should pay attention to when purchasing. does not happen, remember this, so if you are offered to buy a phone latest model from Apple for a symbolic amount, do not rush to make a “profitable” purchase. Make sure that what you get is not a Chinese copy of the iPhone.

Where to buy?

If you want to become the owner of an iPhone, we advise you to consider only well-known stores as places to buy. They should specialize in selling such equipment, and ideally be an official dealer of Apple products. Even if you are well aware of the characteristics of the iPhone 5S, the chance of getting the original from your hands is minimal. Of course, now you can find advertisements for the sale of used iPhones from their previous owners, but latest models It is almost impossible to buy this way. Suspicious street stalls, as well as dubious personalities offering here and now to buy a new original phone “for only 10 thousand rubles” are ways with a high degree of probability to give away your money for cheap fake. Dishonest sellers take advantage of your ignorance in the question of how to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original. Have you ever compared these devices? We will tell you how to distinguish an iPhone from a fake, and we hope this information will help you avoid mistakes.

Apple has become a global brand for a reason. The company’s specialists produce their products of deliberately high quality, and this makes any “Apple” product stand out on store shelves. Moreover, this feature is visible in everything, and smartphone packaging is no exception. Firstly, the box should not have any defects (dents, torn corners, uneven seams, scratches, signs of tampering, etc.). Secondly, take it in your hands and evaluate the sensations. Original packaging gives the impression of plastic, it is so neatly and pleasantly made, although, naturally, the material used is ordinary. And thirdly, pay attention to such details as stickers and inscriptions on the box in which the IPhone 5S lies. How to distinguish a fake with their help? All names of the device, as well as the logo of the manufacturer, must be embossed according to the rules, and they must be located on the sides of the box. In addition, check for additional vacuum transparent plastic packaging.

Now we turn the box upside down and see if there is a sticker with the model name. If you have an original iPhone in your hands, this part will also contain information about the device’s memory capacity, IMEI number, batch number and product series. And even a bitten apple - the traditional Apple logo - should be carefully examined. A cheap Chinese copy may be identified by an apple with a notch on the left, which is incorrect.

How to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original: external differences

The next stage of recognizing a copy is inspecting the smartphone itself and working with it. Also, first of all, let's evaluate it. We have already mentioned highest quality assemblies original technology Apple. If you remember this, then all sorts of defects on the phone body, even subtle ones, will indicate to you what is in front of you Chinese fake. The original is different impeccable quality fit of all panels, absence of backlashes, gaps, chips, creaks or recesses. The front panel should have the factory one. As a rule, the original one has a perforated tongue at the bottom. It is needed to quickly and easily remove protection from the display.

And the most main feature, which the original Apple phone cannot have - removable back panel! Real iPhone It is a monolithic device that cannot be disassembled manually. If you have a known original iPhone, we can advise you to put the two devices side by side and compare them visually. The “Chinese” will stand out with a more elongated body format.

First impression: let's look at the menu

Next, for testing purposes, turn on the phone. When you turn on the original iPhone for the first time, a logo will appear on the display, and then a prompt will appear to activate the device. True, this point does not always help to correctly determine the originality of the device; the fact is that many real iPhones go through the activation procedure in the store before hitting the counter. This is also associated with premature opening of packaging - at some points they are required to check for serviceability. If you are still in doubt, look at the display, listen system sounds and music - the colors should be bright, the sound should be clear. We hope it is clear that a high-quality iPhone is distinguished only by a menu in Russian and a high-quality built-in camera. Here I would like to tell you how to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original in the most in a fast way. The secret is that the original device only supports a specific operating system - iOS, updates of which are available through the iTunes service. So, if you connect the device to a computer, this application will automatically recognize the original device and send a corresponding notification to its owner! Unfortunately, such a quick and high-quality check is only possible after purchasing the phone.

Differences between menu items and operating features

So, we turned on the phone and are thinking about how to distinguish an iPhone from a fake. It should be remembered that there are differences between them in the Settings menu. For a non-original version it will be incomplete, or rather, it will not be possible to see the “Phone Model” and “Serial Number” items there.

Keyboard

Do you doubt that this is an iPhone 5S? How to distinguish a fake? Go from the settings, for example, to the “Messages” menu and try typing any text. The appearance of the visual keyboard that appears is another method of recognizing Chinese production. The latter has a keyboard design similar to the keyboard design of the series phones Samsung Galaxy, consists of separate touch buttons with letters and the ability to switch characters. Often these keyboards also support the Swype function.

Slow work as a clear sign of “Chineseness”

But, probably, the first thing that will catch your eye when you turn on the Chinese copy is the braking. Sometimes this gets to such an extent that the phone can only unlock the keys the fifth time! A high-quality iPhone instantly responds to the touch of your fingers (and only your fingers!), and unlocking it won’t take even two seconds.

Includes original Apple device

List additional devices, included with the phone, has remained unchanged since the first day of iPhone production. Thanks to this, the equipment of the original device, which we present below, has become a kind of standard. If you don’t know other ways to understand whether you are being offered to buy an iPhone 5 or how to distinguish a fake, it will be enough to remember this list and compare the availability of all the parts. In addition to the device in the box you will also always find:

An envelope containing color instructions. It, in turn, is produced in printing and has a high-quality appearance, there will be no tears, cuts, dents, stains, crumpled corners or blurry text, indicating a low print level, and other defects. On the cover you can see two Apple logos pasted on.
Soft flexible headphones.
Data cable.
Original Charger(its standard weight is 60 grams).

All these things are done in white color scheme. Cables should be folded as neatly as possible, have wide transparent ties (to prevent unwinding) and placed in additional plastic packaging. Headphones from the original iPhone are always pleasant to hold in your hands; they have a soft, flexible rubberized wire. Their plastic parts must not have defects (chips, scratches, sharp corners, protruding areas of material, burrs, etc.).

How to distinguish an iPhone from a fake the first time?

The following signs that we list are characteristic only of non-original products! If you find at least one of them when buying an iPhone, rest assured that this is a Chinese handicraft product:

Finally

Chinese engineers, of course, are becoming more and more creative from year to year, and one can only envy their hard work. Therefore, counterfeits are increasingly taking over the features of original products and flooding the equipment market. We told you how to distinguish an iPhone from its Chinese counterpart, but the conclusions suggest themselves. Alas, a similar Chinese design does not at all mean the completeness of functions that is inherent in high-quality products. Therefore, before you decide to buy a phone from Apple, remember this material and ignore suspiciously “profitable” offers from unverified sellers. Forewarned is forearmed!

In the fall of 2012, Apple released the iPhone 5. The long-awaited new product gained popularity all over the world. However, even earlier, Chinese craftsmen launched their “iPhone 5” into production. Publication "Novaya Gazeta" detailed instructions how to spot a fake one Apple smartphone from the original.

Frame

The fake is made of plastic and weighs 146 grams, while the case of a real iPhone is made of aluminum and weighs 112 grams;
The back panel is fake of a uniform color, on this moment Sold in three color variations - black, red and white. The real iPhone 5 is sold only in two colors - white and black and the back panel is made in a two-tone design;
The cover of a real iPhone is tightly screwed on and cannot be removed;
The thickness of the fake is 7 mm, while the real iPhone 5 is 7.6 mm;
The fake screen size is 3.5 inches, while the original iPhone 5 is 4 inches.

USB connector and built-in TV

Fake people like to boast about the USB connector. Remember: in the original iPhone any there is no USB version, it uses a special 30-pin or 8-pin connector;
The iPhone does not have a retractable antenna or TV tuner; in the original, this functionality is implemented using software;
Apple phones don't come with styluses;
A real iPhone doesn't have memory cards;
The original iPhone does not support multiple SIM cards. If you are offered a phone with support for two SIM cards, then it is anything but an Apple phone!

Inscriptions

On the back cover of the original there should be Apple logo, where the apple is bitten on the right side. On Chinese phones it is either not there at all or the apple is bitten on the left side;
At the bottom of the back cover there should be:

iPhone inscription;
Below in the rectangle - memory capacity (for example 16 GB);
even lower is the inscription Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China;
model number FCC ID, IC device serial number;
certification marks and FOXCONN plant logo.

Fakes either do not have these inscriptions, or they are arranged in a different order. Instead of iPhone, it may be written iPhone, eyePhone, etc. Where they write memory capacity, anything can be possible, for example Wi-Fi or 3G.

Operating system etc.

A real iPhone 5 has operating system iOS 6, in fakes at best Android;
In Chinese phones, menu names often do not fit completely into a line, for example, the word “calendar...” instead of “Calendar”; this can never happen in a real iPhone!
In the original iOS 6, a bunch of applications are immediately available to you, whereas Chinese phone you will get a braked system;
Try to find Apple service Store in fake.

Smartphones iPhone 5 and the even more modern 5S have become very popular and best-selling Apple gadgets. “Fives” are very similar to each other, but there are a number of differences that we will now consider.

Color and design

To distinguish the iPhone 5 from the 5S externally, you need to pay attention to two things:

Home key
Product color

Touchpad differences

The 5S has a built-in scanner - Touch ID, which reads your fingerprint. With this feature, you spend less time unlocking and have special protection from intruders. There is no such thing in the simple 5, the key is a regular one, with a square.

If the iPhone 5 was only released black and white , then 5S diversified the palette with gold. Apple also replaced the black color with dark gray. It is not easy to distinguish the color schemes externally, but upon examination it becomes clear that the S model is lighter.

Dimensions and weight

The iPhone 5S model is exactly the same in size as its predecessor - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm. Weight – 112g. There is also no point in comparing smartphone displays, since they are absolutely identical. Diagonal, pixel density, resolution - everything is the same.