They say it's getting harder to spot a fake these days, but when it comes to the iPhone, it's usually pretty easy to know if you've got the real deal from Apple or the eyeFone from Banana.
There are more fake iPhones out there than you think, and while it's not just unwilling shoppers being duped, some might actually be tempted to buy them instead of stumping up the $800 for a new iPhone 16.
As long as it looks like an iPhone and acts like an iPhone, who's really going to know the difference?
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For those lured in by all those ads for iPhone fakes, a hilarious TikTok shows why you shouldn't line the pockets of scammers.
The video from abbymacdonald22 has her claiming that her partner was sold a fake iPhone. At first glance, it looks like an iPhone, and when she opens it up, it even has an iPhone-esque background with apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok.
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Things soon start falling apart, and with the phone being more than a bit sluggish, she says: "It's the fact how long it takes to open things." She then goes to open Twitter (which yes, is still called Twitter on the fake iPhone).
Considering the social media platform has been X since July 2023, alarm bells should've been ringing that this wasn't an official Apple product.
You can hear her partner in the background saying: "Maybe it needs updating, Abby."Sorry to break it to you, but that's not the problem here.
She continues to show how close but how far this phone is from the real deal, and scrolling through the emojis, she cant help but laugh at these 'when you order emojis from Wish knockoffs'.
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The comments equally cooked the poor guy, with one person writing: "10 frames per sometimes."
Someone else suggested it was half Android and half iPhone. Have those two been secretly hooking up behind our backs?
As one pointed out: "That's an iOS theme for an Android, but damn the attention to detail is actually pretty impressive." Here, the OP admitted: "Honestly NGL it took us a good 10 minutes to spot it 😂"
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YouTuber Dantic has already shown how some of these dupes can be pretty impressive, taking to AliExpress to test out some of the fakes on offer. However, if you want to get the genuine article at a knockdown price, you'll have to hope that Niko Omilana reopens his 'Not Apple' Apple store.
If you come down on Christmas day and find a fake iPhone under the tree from your grandma, just nod politely and ask if she kept the receipt. While it might cost you a lot more, it's always best to go straight to Apple or other reputable retaillers if you want the real McCoy.