How to understand that the iphone is real. How to tell an original iPhone display from a copy

The Chinese have learned how to make fake iPhones at the highest level, and what was previously determined visually (the presence of antennas, dual SIM cards, a plastic case, an android operating system) can no longer be determined without certain knowledge. In addition, many people buy used phones. And here the primary signs (packaging, completeness, the first inclusion of the iPhone) will no longer help in determining originality. In our article, we looked at 100 percent ways to identify a fake. Whether you're buying a new, used or refurbished iPhone 5s, follow our improved guide to identifying your original phone.

Package

Packaging - the face of the goods, which preserves the goods from damage during transportation, but also carries information about the device lying inside. Packaging should be mandatory for new and refurbished phones. When choosing a used iPhone, see options with a box.

• On the back of the box there is a sticker with IMEI, serial number, model, and built-in memory.

• The box is made of coated cardboard (smooth, matte surface) without irregularities and flaws. The printing on coated cardboard is of excellent quality, the shape of the box does not change over the years.
• The iPhone 5s lettering and the phone's face are embossed.

The iPhone 5s came in two types of boxes: one that came with the new device and one that came later to pack refurbished phones.

Accessories

• Headphones - the holes of the original are covered with a metal mesh, there are no slots on the control buttons, the body is one-piece (there are no visible recesses, there are no bulges on the headphone body).
• Charger - for phones sold in our market, the charger looks like the photo below.

• Data cable - a fake cable is made of several parts and it is striking, the original seems to be a more solid device. The original cable must be labeled - Designed in California, Made in China. The font is crisp, printed in light gray, slightly visible.

For full articles on the differences between fake Iphone accessories, follow the links:

Appearance

• The body is made of aluminum.
• There is an inscription on the reverse side.

• The SIM card slot for one SIM card, nano size, is on the right.
• The back cover is not removable.

The Chinese have spent a great deal of energy creating cases for fake phones. This item is difficult to verify without holding the original in your hands. Yes, and experienced sellers said that it is now difficult to determine in appearance what is in the hands - a fake or an original.

Software - what does the software shell look like, where to look at the serial number, AppStore

100 percent method, the only negative is that you need a computer to carry out the check.

• Connect your iPhone to your computer / laptop, launch iTunes. If the iphone is original, then the program will see it, determine the model and allow you to work with the phone (upload music, sync, etc.)
• Apps must have an App Store. The application must be up and running.

• Check the availability and functionality of Siri (Siri) - voice assistant. We turn on the Siri application, say a question in a voice. In the original phone, Siri will answer from the speaker.
• In the settings, we are looking for the required items - the serial number and phone model. On the screen we find an icon with the inscription - "Settings", click then click - "General" - "About this device". Model and serial number were not found - 100% fake.

Serial number, service where to check the serial number

Earlier we learned how to look for the serial number in the menu and compare it with the number on the box, now we will check it on the official Apple website. This will give us full information about the device: new, refurbished, warranty period.
Go to the official website of the iPhone manufacturer, find the item - "Support" - "Check the eligibility for service for your product" and enter the number in the check box or use the link - https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/.

Click to continue and there are only two options - get information about an official Apple product - you have an original iPhone phone.

Or an error - meaning that it is a fake:

Video

A couple of videos from Youtube in which they make a visual comparison of the original with a fake. See with your own eyes what the Chinese are "good fellows", how externally and partially programmatically learned to counterfeit Apple phones. Remember all the little nuances.

Although the Chinese counterfeits have acquired the main design features of the original iPhone phones, all that functionality, reliability, software component cannot be found in a fake. Choose an official iPhone wisely and with our instructions.

Make the right choice.

The incredible resemblance of the iPhone SE to the iPhone 5S has spawned an entire counterfeiting industry. It is constantly developing and improving, real specialists work in it. In this article we will tell you how to tell a real iPhone SE from a fake one created from the iPhone 5S.

The first rule of thumb when buying a new compact Apple smartphone is to be calm. If the seller is in a hurry, you better refuse this deal. even if it is very profitable. In general, the excessive difference with other proposals for buying the iPhone SE off-hand should also make you think - the avaricious pays twice.

Examine the packaging carefully, counterfeits often have crooked stickers and blurry fonts. The easiest way is to immediately compare the box from this iPhone SE with those from the Web, fortunately, the Internet is now everywhere, including in cafes, where purchase transactions usually take place. Of course, professional deceivers cannot be exposed like that, their printing and materials do not differ from those used by Apple.

Take the device in hand: on the back there must be an inscription with the name of the smartphone, where “SE” is below “iPhone” and is highlighted in a square with rounded corners. It is very important to pay attention to the chamfers of the device, because in the real one they are matte and do not cut into the hand. Have unpretentious fake iPhone 5S for iPhone SE shiny edges, because in this case the case remains from the original model.

The smartphone should respond to raising by activating the display thanks to the Apple M9 coprocessor. Naturally, the iPhone 5S has this capability and no software hacks can change it. Another sign of counterfeiting is no item with Live Photo recording in the camera app. So far, the creators of the fakes based on the iPhone 5S have not been able to do anything about this, but it is worth keeping an eye out for this issue as well.

Suspicion and attentiveness will not be superfluous, if only because the villains have already thought of installing customized firmware into fake iPhone SE. They contain the correct IMEI, verified through a dedicated Apple website, and even allow the smartphone to be identified as a real iPhone SE in iTunes. This is their latest achievement, before it could be easily identified that way.

So, let's put together in the list all signs of a fake iPhone SE:

• sloppy box;
• mismatched IMEI on the box and on the smartphone;
• glossy sharp bevels;
• the screen is not activated when picked up;
• no Live Photo shooting in the camera application;
• incorrectly detected in iTunes;
• non-final firmware.

If a question arises on at least one point of the smartphone, refuse the deal, because, most likely, this is a fake iPhone SE... Of course, you shouldn't blame the seller indiscriminately, because it may be an ordinary unlucky owner who did not even know that he had only a redesigned iPhone 5S.

The popularity of the iPhone all over the world has led to the fact that more and more counterfeits began to appear on the market. And if a couple of years ago it was not difficult to determine whether it was a real iPhone or not - by a faded screen, poorly assembled body and other external features, today a fake iPhone from certified device can be very difficult to distinguish. How to distinguish an original iPhone from a Chinese one, we will analyze in this article.

not run into a Chinese iPhone: sure ways

The simplest but correct solution is to purchase a gadget from certified seller - hardware store. But if money is running out, and you really want to buy a long-awaited new smartphone from Apple, you have to resort to buying a dubious device or a used device.
However, if the phone is not urgently needed, it’s better to wait — another month — and start choosing a real iPhone in certified store. Better yet, place an order for the device directly on the official website of the Apple company. In this case, you will be sure of the originality of the smartphone, and you will not have to think about how to distinguish an iPhone from a fake.
Nevertheless, there are situations when a gadget is bought from hands or from a dubious Internet store (for example, ordered on a Chinese website). How to check the quality of the device in this case, and how to distinguish a real iPhone from a fake one?

How to tell the difference between a Chinese iPhone: checking the serial number

When going on a deal to purchase an iPhone, regardless of where it will take place - in a store or in person with a seller, be sure to take with you a device that has Internet access. It could be a netbook, etc. you will need access to the network to recognize a fake.
What exactly needs to be done before buying?
one . Go to the main settings of the smartphone menu, select the section that contains information about the device, and then the serial number.
2. Connect to the network on the device that you took with you and go to the official Apple website in the section devoted to checking serial numbers.
3. In a special window, enter the number of the purchased device and agree with the check by clicking on the "Continue" button.
4 . If the iPhone is original, the system will give detailed information about it - a description of the model, terms of technical support, and so on. If the device is fake, made in China, you will receive a message that the number is incorrect and a request to enter a different number again.
Punching a serial number is the easiest way to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from an original and how to find out, when buying a gadget, who its real manufacturer is - an internationally recognized company Apple, whose products are of high quality, or a little-known company from China. The quality of smartphones in these two cases will differ. By purchasing certified product, you will receive the possibility of warranty support and repair of the device in the future. And buying a fake for 100-200 dollars cheaper, you can add to yourself a lot of unnecessary problems along with it, because often such devices fail within 2-3 months after the start of operation. Therefore, the question of how to distinguish an Apple iPhone from a fake is extremely important for all fans of devices from this company.

How to distinguish an original iPhone by its appearance

Careful consideration of the appearance of the device is another sure way to distinguish an iPhone from a fake. Even today, when a Chinese counterfeit is often not much different from the original, it is still possible to identify it.

Ways to distinguish a fake smartphone from an Apple by the appearance of the device:
The system categorically does not allow the presence of this or that error, hieroglyphs, etc.
The back panel of the smartphone must contain the inscription iPhone, Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China, as well as the number of the specific model and certification signs.
If the device has an antenna, then it is a fake phone.
A real gadget also does not have compartments for 2 SIM cards, a USB charger, a built-in memory card.
To remove the back cover of the original device, you need to unscrew the screws - it just won't come off.

How to distinguish a real iPhone using the App Store

This is one of the easiest methods to detect a Chinese counterfeit of a popular smartphone. In order for them take advantage of, you need to enter the App Store from the iPhone model you are going to purchase. After that, even a fake gadget will transfer you to Google Play. Now we need to look more closely.
This is how it looks on the App Store screen:

And like this - Google Play:

Next, in the Google Play search, you need to try to find such popular applications as iMovie, Pages, Numbers, etc. If those are not found, this is definitely a fake, and not the original model of the gadget from Apple.

The safest way to expose a counterfeit: iTunes

The iTunes utility, or rather, checking the iPhone with its help, will help bring even the highest-quality fake to the surface. In order to take advantage of in this way, you will need a laptop or computer with aytyuns installed. As a rule, experienced users of Apple gadgets always have this utility.
The rest is simple. When you connect the device to the computer, it should immediately recognize it. If the program does not react in any way to the connected device, be careful and do not rush to buy, most likely, you have a fake device in front of you.

Tips from seasoned users

Experienced iPhone users have long learned to identify fakes from the original. Here are some sensible tips on how to easily and quickly bring a fraudulent seller to clean water:
The box in which the device is delivered must be durable and of high quality. The inscriptions on it should be clear and bright, no blurry letters and numbers should be present.
External damage is not allowed on a new device. Any visible scratch on the case or inside the device should alert you.
The serial number must be the same both in the settings of the smartphone and on the box. If at least one number is different, you have a “gray” gadget in front of you.
When installing a SIM card, the device should automatically detect the local network, and the test call made from the device should be successful. Just note that the sound during a conversation can be low, i.e. the seller did not have time to remove the protective film from the device.

The iPhone SE, which came out almost a year ago, is easy to confuse with the iPhone 5S. Outwardly, they are the same, the only difference is in the color "rose gold", but these are subtleties. And so, "fives" in the favorite color Space Gray look the same, SE from 5S can not be distinguished. You might say, “What about the small SE on the back of the case? So you can buy another case and replace it, the Chinese offer tons of components.

And if so, then you can make money on it. Scammers deceive people and sell the wrong phones under the guise of iPhone SE. Here is a story from the life that my friend faced.

Avito decided to find an iPhone SE and found a good option: a suitable price, excellent condition (as described), a complete set. Moreover, there are many such proposals.

As a result, after the purchase, it turned out that it was a fake. They sold 5S under the guise of iPhone SE.

How did this come about? The procedure is as follows: jailbreak + refurbished motherboard from iPhone 5S + substitution of system files. The result is a Frankenstein phone: it seems like it's the iPhone SE nominally, but actually the iPhone 5S.

How to protect yourself from scammers? Believe it or not, the box is slightly different for counterfeits, but it is difficult to see the difference when buying a phone in the subway or in a cafe in dim lighting, especially when there is no original one on hand.

The best way to check is to enable recovery mode (DFU) and connect to your computer. In DFU, we enter as follows: turn off the iPhone, hold down the buttons "Home" and "Power" for 10 seconds. Then release the "Power" button while holding the "Home" button pressed. Continue to hold the Home button until the computer sees the iPhone in DFU mode.

But then you have to take your laptop with you, checking the iPhone for fake right on the spot.

Here are some tips that my friends give so as not to run into a fake when buying:

• iPhone SE of any color, but with a capacity of 64GB, is at risk - 16GB models cost significantly less and are not so attractive to hackers;
• sellers with fresh profiles on Avito and will offer to meet somewhere on the raid;
• take a close look at the case: it is assembled from different components, so the color of the SIM card tray, volume and power buttons may slightly differ from the color of the case;
• pay attention to the version of the installed iOS system - there is a suspicion that the fake is not compatible with iOS 10;
• An easy way to check the fact of installing iOS 10: when the phone is activated and locked, put it on your palm, and then just take it from it - the screen should light up without pressing any buttons.

iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones among users and companies that manufacture counterfeit devices. The following will describe in detail the ways how to distinguish the iPhone 5, 6 and newer original versions from a fake.

The price of "apple" gadgets is quite high. Often, in order to have a trendy smartphone model, a person is looking for ways to save money on a purchase. It is for such users that some Chinese firms produce counterfeit devices. They are similar not only visually, but also graphically. In most cases, they work on custom firmware OS Android, which has been redesigned for iOS.

There are so-called " gray sellers”That sell original flagship gadgets at a lower price and, more often than not, are fake. It is best to buy an iPhone in a cell phone store or at the official representative offices of Apple in Russia - re: Store stores. Before buying a device at a low cost, you need to read our recommendations on how to distinguish a fake Chinese device from an original one.

How to distinguish a Chinese iPhone from the original

Difference in appearance

When buying a phone not in brand stores, you must first of all pay attention to appearance of the device... At the moment, Chinese manufacturers of counterfeit equipment have learned how to make the body of the device close to the original. Therefore, it is not always possible to distinguish a fake from a real gadget, even among fans of Apple devices.

The original device must be well-assembled, no gaps between the blocks are allowed. The body should fit snugly in the hand, any crunch or crack is a direct indicator that this is a fake. Another feature is buttonHome, in fakes it is non-functional and does not have a built-in fingerprint scanning sensor, but simply calls up the application menu.

Pay attention to the box

You can distinguish the original iPhone from a fake by the box in which it was packed. The packaging of the original phone looks rather laconic, matte, monochromatic and embossed in the form of the device itself, without imitating a desktop. The embossing is applied high quality print... This feature is common to all iPhone models.

The box itself is packed in a transparent film, it is evenly distributed over its entire surface. There should be no swelling or other deformation. Apple logo and IPhone lettering on the side without specifying the model.

Complete set and accessories

A real iPhone, unlike a fake, has only one sim card, this applies to all versions of the iPhone (except 10). At the same time, no additional parts should be built into the SIM card slot.

As for accessories, then the original kit contains AirPods headphones, packed in a plastic case, a lightning cable neatly laid and intercepted with a white tie, and a power supply. At the same time, as for the power supply unit, its appearance may differ in configurations for different countries.

Lightning cable, when buying from a "gray seller" is almost always unoriginal. A fake can be distinguished by the missing inscription along the entire length of the wire "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China". As a rule, such a cable cannot connect a smartphone to a PC and most functions are not available to the user.

Appearance

Additional ways to distinguish a fake from the original - in appearance:

Software

Another way to check an iPhone for originality is to check the installed operating system. As a rule, a customized version of Android is installed in such devices, which has a similar graphical interface.

To start check the settings menu:

• go to "Settings";
• open the item "Basic";
• then we look for the section "Software update".

In original smartphones it is located under the item "About this device", in a fake it is not.

Is there a voice assistant Siri

You can check the originality of the smartphone by running voice assistantSiri... To do this, just hold down the Home button. In fakes, this button is used to bring up the application menu.

Determine if the real iPhone X

The new gadget from Apple has conquered the world with its design, frameless screen and technologies embedded in it. Main feature is the "bangs" notch at the top of the display. It's not just a dark spot on the screen, besides the speaker, it houses a front-facing camera and a FaceID sensor. The Chinese have not yet learned to fake this feature of this smartphone, despite the fact that there are fakes, they are still of rather low quality.

Pictured above is a low-quality, counterfeit iPhone X.

Checking the AppStore

As a rule, most of the Chinese counterfeits are equipped with the Android platform. You can check the installed operating system by visiting the app store. If at choosing an iconAppStore there is a transition to the Play Market, this is the fact of a fake device.

Online verification

It should be noted that when buying a phone from a "gray seller" carefully examine the box. The IMEI code is printed on a sticker attached to it, on the back cover and in the settings of the device. Do not buy a device that does not have IMEI information on its packaging.

You can check the originality of the iPhone using AppleCare service where you need to enter the serial number of the machine. If it is original, then the user will be granted the right to service.

We use iTunes

This method requires a computer and iTunes installed. When you connect the iPhone to your computer, iTunes will try to recognize it and sync. If the app does not respond to the gadget, then it may be fake.

More information on how to check the IMEI and serial number of an iPhone can be found on our website, in a dedicated article.