There have been numerous incidents involving fake iPhone 4s from China, such as the “SoPhone” in 2010.
According to the video that reviews the SoPhone, the Apple logo looks identical, the buttons, app folders, multi-task function are all flawless. The only difference that I could tell by the video was that the movement was less smooth, only by a bit. Unless you have used the real iPhone and know it from a-z, it seems like you would not be able to tell the difference. Looking at the interior, the back cover of the SoPhone actually comes out and you are able to remove the battery, and add a Sim card. These are the only differences that are noticeable, and other than this, it is just like an iPhone 4. If you type “SoPhone” in the search bar of Youtube, you will see numerous comparison videos of the SoPhone and the real iPhone.
The manufacturers of the SoPhone claim to dedicate it “as a salute to Steve Jobs,” which really doesn’t change the fact that they’re producing a knock-off product, stealing Apple’s idea.
Here are the more detailed comparisons between the iPhone 4 and the SoPhone, which are pretty much undetectable unless examined closely.
Apple iPhone 4:
Size: 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm
Weight: 137 grams
SIM card: micro SIM
Battery: Non removable
Internet: 3G and wifi
Camera: 5 megapixel
SoPhone:
Size: 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm
Weight: 133 grams
SIM card: normal SIM
Battery: removable
Internet: wifi
Camera: 2 megapixel
As you can see, it is difficult to tell the differences of the two phones, but I have not found any information on what Apple has done to deal with this issue. Apple has sued manufacturers all over the world such as Samsung, HTC, Amazon, etc. for stealing ideas. In this case, the manufacturers of the SoPhone seem to have literally copied the whole thing. What do you think this says about the future of technology? What can major companies do to prevent issues like this? Would you buy a SoPhone if it was much cheaper than the iPhone (the iPhone is around $200, and the SoPhone costs around $150)
http://micgadget.com/10605/2010s-best-iphone-4-knockoff-the-sophone/
http://micgadget.com/10759/the-greatest-fake-iphone-4-changes-everything-again/
After looking through the pictures and videos, I can barely distinguish between the two phones – it seems that the SoPhone has literally copied the aesthetics of the iPhone. In fact, the SoPhone could technically be considered by some to be a counterfeit good, and I am surprised that Apple has not done anything about this issue, especially since it is known to take action against other manufacturers for stealing ideas, which seems to be what the SoPhone has done. I also found the price difference between the two phones to be quite interesting. I expected the price of the SoPhone to be much lower, since the main purpose of knock-offs and counterfeits is to provide consumers with similar or copied products for much lower prices, but the iPhone is only $50 more than the SoPhone. Wouldn’t that put the SoPhone at a disadvantage? Why not just pay $50 and get the real thing instead of a copy with the same exterior but an interior of lower quality?
To limit “intellectual property” theft, only manufacture in countries that protect “intellectual property”.