11 Major Differences Between Real and Fake iPhones

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Owning an Apple iPhone comes with a sense of pride – the reputation and quality that Apple products have in the world are unmatched.

How to Check if Your iPhone is an Original or Fake with these Features

Here are a couple of things you should know if you’re about to purchase an iPhone from an unofficial Apple reseller:
You can guarantee that you have a real iPhone if you purchase it directly from the Apple store, of course. Sometimes, buying it used and saving a few dollars makes sense considering the hefty price tag of an Apple iPhones.
Many dishonest smartphone manufacturing companies regularly create fake iPhone lookalikes after seeing Apple’s phones’ popularity, quality, demand, and design. And the clones are so well-fabricated nowadays that it can be tough to differentiate between real and fake iPhones. With such a huge market for Apple products, the fake iPhone market has become very lucrative for dishonest phone manufacturers.
Many legal attempts to apprehend fake iPhone manufacturers in the market have, unfortunately, failed. The best thing that we can do now is to educate people so they won’t fall victim to these unethical manufacturers.
So, next time whenever you or your friends buy an Apple product, this article should help you identify the difference between real and fake iPhones. And this includes all models of iPhones, including up to the iPhone 12 Pro.

Packaging Box Of Apple iPhone

Real and fake iPhones packaging

First and foremost, a clear difference between real and knockoff iPhones lies in the box. Both boxes’ build and quality can be very similar, but there will always be a slight difference in the box sizes. The real package is compact, whereas the fake one will tend to be larger. You can also check for the Apple logo on the box, and the color should be uniform.

Hide sensitive Photos and videos in your iPhone, with these simple methods.

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Serial Number

Every iPhone has a serial number that identifies it. Locate the serial number on the iPhone by tapping “Settings > General > About > Serial Number.” This number must be verified by the Apple official website, “https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do.”

Search the apple website to confirm if it’s an original iPhone.

iPhone Serial Number

Check the iPhone’s warranty period by entering the serial number. If you receive the message “We’re sorry, this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again,” then it is a fake iPhone.

iTunes Connectivity and Syncing

A remarkable feature of an iPhone is its ability to entertain its users with iTunes. You can check if your iPhone is fake or original by trying to connect it to iTunes. If it does not connect, or iTunes does not recognize it, it’s not an actual iPhone. Before coming to this conclusion, ensure that your iTunes and iOS software are both up to date.

Suppose you cannot sync information between your iPhone and your computer. If not, attempt to restore your iPhone through iTunes. Any iPhone that doesn’t connect to iTunes or the App Store after being restored is either fake or damaged.

When syncing your iPhone and computer through wifi, make sure that your devices are protected with premium VPN and privacy protection. You can check out McAfee’s Total Protection to subscribe to all your devices in just one cost.

Applications

iPhone Applications

The iPhone arrives with native or built-in Apple-branded apps. Unless an iPhone is jailbroken, these apps cannot be removed. Some examples of built-in applications include “Contacts,” “Compass,” “Settings,” “Calculator,” “Music,” and “Photos.” If any of these applications are missing, the phone is either jailbroken or fake. You can restore the original firmware by entering DFU mode and reinstalling the operating system. If native applications are still missing, then your iPhone is likely fake.

3D Touch Feature

The iPhone 6S and later versions’ 3D Touch display is the latest evolution of the multi-touch display, and it is also one of the key improvements we have seen. Apple has improved the display in various ways. Apart from the size and resolution details, there is a new feature dubbed “3D Touch.”

So, you can spot a fake iPhone 6S or above phone by trying to use the 3D Touch feature. If this is not present or doesn’t work, the iPhone is not real.

Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider

Authorize Apple Service Provider

If your iPhone has passed several of these steps, but you still suspect that it’s fake, bring it to your closest Apple Store or Apple-authorized service provider. A store technician can run diagnostic tests on your iPhone to verify its authenticity (or lack thereof). Thus, you can identify whether it’s a fake or a real iPhone.

All about Apple’s Face ID: What you need to know

Check for Siri

Siri in iPhone

The most important feature that would be absent in a fake iPhone is Siri. Siri is your voice-recognizing digital assistant to help you use your iPhone with simple voice commands. If it doesn’t recognize your voice or an error appears, then it is a fake iPhone.

Pentalobe Screws

Pentalobe Screws

To identify a fake iPhone, check its screws. Apple uses the Pentalobe screws in real iPhones, whereas a fake iPhone has standard cross screws. Here is an image of the Pentalobe screws as well as their location on the iPhone. However, make sure you can identify Pentalobe screws to be able to differentiate appropriately. 

Thus, you can check for cross screws and screw heads to tell if your phone is fake or original.

External Memory Card Slot

Apple iPhone 6S or later models have no external memory card slots like their predecessors. If you have an iPhone 6S or any other iPhone model with an external SD Card, then it is a fake iPhone.

Check the Physical Buttons

One of the main aspects that can spot a fake iPhone is the physical button placement. It is essential to check that the charging port and button placement on your iPhone is appropriate. In an original iOS device, the sleep/wake button is on the top right corner, while the volume switch and ringer slider are on the upper left side. If the buttons are placed somewhere else, then it is a guarantee that the device is fake.

Check Using IMEI Number

We’ve talked about the IMEI number in previous articles—and now, this IMEI number can be beneficial in identifying cloned iPhones. Why is this? Well, your IMEI is an International Mobile Equipment Identity number. As iPhone models (and malicious cloning companies) evolve, it can be harder to discern real ones from fake ones going by just appearances alone.

So, the way to check if your phone is genuine is easy using this method:

  • Go to Settings > General >About in your new iPhone.
  • Scroll down until you get to the section with the IMEI number (this should be adjacent to the Serial number).
  • Alternatively, you can go to the dial pad and punch in *#06#, and it will display the number for you.
  • Once you have your IMEI number, ensure that it matches the IMEI number printed on the box your iPhone came in or etched into the SIM tray.

Question: Will Apple ever do more to serve justice to those unethical knock-off iPhone manufacturers? 

It can be incredibly frustrating if you find that your iPhone is fake, and you might be wondering why it seems that nothing is being done! The thing preventing Apple from apprehending predatory manufacturers is that it is not done in the United States. Many companies that make these iPhones operate in China are mostly out of our control here in the U.S.

If one clone manufacturer is taken down, there is no legal process to ensure that every other one will be taken down with it. Thus, for the time being, it’s a futile affair. The only thing we can do now is to be completely careful when purchasing Apple products and to do so from reputable merchants if possible.

A Few Bonus Tips To Check If The iPhone Is Original Or Fake

We’d be thrown if the above tips didn’t work for you. If not, the following are some quick tips that may help you detect your iPhone’s originality.

  • Check the screen: The screen of the original iPhone should be clear and not pixelated.
  • Only iOS: Apple uses only iOS as its official operating system. If you see any application other than iOS, it is 100% fake.
  • No warranty: Sellers of fake iPhones will not give you a warranty to a certified iPhone service center.
  • Low price: If it is sold for cheaper than a regular iPhone’s suggested price, think twice before buying the product.

Also, check out these differences to spot original vs. fake products

Models of iPhone that you can check

This article pertains to all iPhone versions, including the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 11, XE, 8, 7, and lower models.

I hope the tips and checkpoints in the article can help you if you need to tell the difference between real and fake iPhones. Stay tuned and keep updated on the topic, and please let us know if you have ever bought a fake iPhone. If so, share your experience with us in the comments section below.

Bonus: X Reasons to Choose iPhones Over Android

Even though you can’t get the complete Google Play Store on an iPhone there are still other reasons to love it. Moreover, these will convince you to switch to the iOS software 

They Are Swift

If you’re considering purchasing a newer iPhone, believe that the A12 Bionic chip outperforms any Android chip. In Geekbench 4, which evaluates overall performance, the iPhone XS, for example, beat the Snapdragon 855 CPU in the Galaxy S10 Plus. 

The gap between the iPhone XS and the Snapdragon 855-powered Galaxy S10 Plus is smaller than in the past, owing to the Snapdragon 855 processor that will influence this year’s top Android phones, but the iPhone XS scored 11,420 to the 855-powered Galaxy S10 Plus’ 10,732.

The editing test indicated that the newest iPhones could convert video quicker, with the iPhone XS requiring just 39 seconds against over 2.5 minutes for the Galaxy S10. This performance differential also makes it easier to appreciate demanding augmented-reality apps.

Better Hardware and Software

There have been several examples of Apple’s advantage of controlling the entire widget throughout the years. This implies that there are some things that only it can accomplish. Or, at the very least, pull off well ahead of the competition.

Face ID is the most recent example, which uses a TrueDepth sensor to take a 3D scan of your face to log you into your iPhone securely. Several firms have attempted face ID, but none have succeeded.

Animoji and Memoji are other illustrations of Apple operating systems functioning effortlessly together. By comparison, Samsung’s AR Emoji appears to be a half-baked attempt.

Easy Usage 

Despite Android phone makers’ pledges to simplify their skins, the iPhone stays the most user-friendly device. Some may bemoan the lack of modification in the appearance and feel of iOS over time, but it’s a good thing that it still functions the same way it did in 2007. So pick it up, switch it on, and launch the app with your finger.

Apple has, of course, incorporated improvements throughout time, such as Siri and Control Center. In addition, Apple added the option to transfer payments to pals through the Messages app and organize files via a dedicated Files app with iOS 11

Users will also benefit from Siri Shortcuts and Recommendations, as well as improved performance, Group Facetime, and other features in iOS 12. The enhancements are expected to continue with iOS 13 this autumn.

OS Updates According to You 

 According to Apple, iOS 12 was present in 83 percent of all iOS gadgets released in the past four years as of 2019. Moreover, as of April 2019, Google hasn’t yet released adoption rate statistics for Android Pie. And it took almost a year for Android Oreo to reach just 19 percent of the market.

The issue is that, excluding pure Android devices like the Pixel 3, the Samsungs and LGs of the world must jump through additional hoops to offer you the most recent version of Google’s operating system. 

Plus, phone manufacturers are notorious for dragging their heels to upgrade older models. The situation is improving, but not quickly enough.

If you have a compatible iPhone, you can get the newest version of iOS on the day it’s published (or as close to it as Apple’s servers can handle the load). This relationship is unlikely to change shortly.

Which iPhone do you use now?

 

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