Apple warns of phony iPods

[AppleInsider]

Apple Computer last month began notifying its service partners that some companies are illegally manufacturing digital music players that look very similar to its various Apple iPod models in an attempt to pawn them off to unsuspecting buyers.

Two of the most commonly counterfeited iPods appear to be the iPod nano and the iPod shuffle. The imitation players, which often sport nonstandard headphone jacks and lack a dock connector, are sometimes stamped with a valid Apple serial number, Apple told its service providers. The company said several of the fakes have been found to use the specific Apple iPod serial number "6U545TK2TJT."

In addition to lacking a dock connector, Apple said counterfeit iPod nanos also ship without a standard USB cable and pack a screen that is slightly longer than the nano's. The players run different operating system software and have also been known to include a Play/Pause symbol on the center select button (which the nano does not).

Meanwhile, forged iPod shuffles are said to include an on and off switch that lacks a repeat option. The players, which are otherwise strikingly similar to the the shuffle, also fail to include a battery or status indicator light. Counterfeiters have been packaging the players in fake iPod shuffle retail boxes that include the words "Digital Music Player" on the top.

Some of the players also ship with documentation that prompts the user to copy their music to a folder on the device instead of using iTunes, another telltale sign the iPod is not genuine.

View gallery of Counterfeit iPods

In a bulletin to its service providers, Apple said it is taking the matter very seriously and any information provided by buyers of the counterfeit players may help the company in dealing with the matter.

Service providers who come across one of the fakes are asked to photograph the device, find out where the customer purchased the item, and escalate this information to Apple's technical support group, along with any serial number included on the player.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[crees!]

If not happening already you'll see people in NYC selling these next to the guy with the Rolex's.

[psychboy]

The company said several of the fakes have been found to use the specific Apple iPod serial number "6U545TK2TJT."

I wonder if this was one of the fakes out in the wild: http://auctions.yahoo.com/auction/98194089

[Louzer]

Gee, you wouldn't think it would be that hard to make sure you got a real iPod shuffle.

Just make sure your box doesn't have the word COUNTERFEIT across the top. Problem solved.

[crees!]

Originally posted by Louzer
Gee, you wouldn't think it would be that hard to make sure you got a real iPod shuffle.

Just make sure your box doesn't have the word COUNTERFEIT across the top. Problem solved.

Photoshop my friend, Photoshop. Just trying to point the obvious out to the reader. Of course these boxes don't have counterfeit printed on them.

[monkeyastronaut]

i think he was being sarcastic.

[minderbinder]

A correction on the article:

The third position on the shuffle power switch is for SHUFFLE, not REPEAT.

[crees!]

Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
i think he was being sarcastic.

It's hard to tell these days. Some people really are just completely DeeDeeDee.

[CosmoNut]

Originally posted by crees!
It's hard to tell these days. Some people really are just completely DeeDeeDee.

Good call, Carlos.

So do these things even work or are they just dummies that have no functionality?

[Gmac]

I never understand counterfeiters. You go to all the trouble to make a fake iPod shuffle and make the packaging look almost perfect but get the wording on the box wrong. - You'd think that would be the easy part.

For the fake Nanos, if it doesn't have a doc connector, how do you charge it or transfer songs to it?

I guess this is the sign that iPod has really made it as a market leading brand.

[Ireland]

"Apple warns of phony iPods"

YES!! The iPhone is here!

[icfireball]

Originally posted by Ireland
"Apple warns of phony iPods"

YES!! The iPhone is here!

That's what I thought too...

[aplnub]

Originally posted by Ireland
"Apple warns of phony iPods"

YES!! The iPhone is here!

I thought the article was talking about Dell's Assiom.

[tonton]

I see those "Fake Nanos" in shops here all the time. They are the exact models in the photo. They are not branded as Apple products. But there are a lot of idiots out there that would think they are the same as the Nano.

[John Clay]

I suppose another thing of interest is that the serial number shown on those boxes (and the Yahoo! auction), has, according to Apple the following:




If I recall correctly, the iPod Nano was released in September of 2005....

[MarcoM.]

check this one out:

http://www.elpais.es/corporativos/el...ais/index.html

[TednDi]

Originally posted by MarcoM.
check this one out:

http://www.elpais.es/corporativos/el...ais/index.html

The iUgly!

[TednDi]

[monkeyastronaut]

i want this one: the iPod niño:

http://www.orangefuel.com/lwop/season03/the-nino.html

[shady104]

i saw one of those when i was down in miami. kinda funny looking.

[NOFEER]

i'm not sure this is a fake ipod, but wasn't the click wheel patented???
take a look at this from LG
http://www.mobiledia.com/phones/lg/lx550.html