iPhone nano knockoffs already on sale in Thailand (photos)
Those eagerly anticipating next month's Macworld and the prospects of a smaller iPhone should beware, as a slew of tiny clones are introducing confusion as they reach store shelves.
While silicone case molds have surfaced that allegedly hint at a smaller iPhone in the works, a rash of similarly-sized dupes made by anonymous southeast Asian firms have added to the confusion.
The devices, spotted here by an AppleInsider reader in Thailand, are almost always designed to mimic Apple's products as closely as possible and share not only the basic design but the branding as well, in some cases directly copying the logo and the "iPhone" labeling on the back.
Their software is also at times familiar and carries a similar layout, down to icons ripped directly from Apple's interface.
Aside from obvious color changes such as splashes of gold or pink, these clones are (when switched off) close enough to the original that they may pass for an iPhone nano to the untrained eye. As such, readers should be on the lookout for such claims in the run-up to January's Macworld Expo.
However fake the Thai examples may be, though, it should be noted that the alleged XSKN case shares a noticeably different design than many of the clones in shops today -- particularly a home button which sits directly on the edge of the touchscreen.
While silicone case molds have surfaced that allegedly hint at a smaller iPhone in the works, a rash of similarly-sized dupes made by anonymous southeast Asian firms have added to the confusion.
The devices, spotted here by an AppleInsider reader in Thailand, are almost always designed to mimic Apple's products as closely as possible and share not only the basic design but the branding as well, in some cases directly copying the logo and the "iPhone" labeling on the back.
Their software is also at times familiar and carries a similar layout, down to icons ripped directly from Apple's interface.
Aside from obvious color changes such as splashes of gold or pink, these clones are (when switched off) close enough to the original that they may pass for an iPhone nano to the untrained eye. As such, readers should be on the lookout for such claims in the run-up to January's Macworld Expo.
However fake the Thai examples may be, though, it should be noted that the alleged XSKN case shares a noticeably different design than many of the clones in shops today -- particularly a home button which sits directly on the edge of the touchscreen.
Comments
As if it's an existing Apple product.
If it isn't a lot of people will be disappointed!
On the otherhand one would have one excellent laugh if no iPhone came in January.
Dave
However, I don't think the skin makers make skins for clones, only the real thing.
They just busted a huge counterfeit ring in Los Angeles and the article stated that most counterfeit goods come from Taiwan.
What I would like to know is how do they get away doing this? I can only assume they do not hold the same copyright laws *if any* there as in the USA and other countries. that just sucks!
The cloners are so fast, their clones come out before the original does? That's crazy!
However, I don't think the skin makers make skins for clones, only the real thing.
I question if XSKN is basing its supposed iPhone nano skins on anything real:
iPhone 3G XSKN skin:
(Supposed) iPhone nano XSKN skin:
Looks like XSKN very slightly horizontally stretched a picture of the iPhone 3G and redesigned the area around the mic as well as moving the the Home button cut-out upward.
To get a better idea, drag both of those pictures to the desktop, select them both, then command-O to open them at the same time in Preview. Now go back and fourth between the two. The differences are even smaller.
In fact, the iPhone nano actually looks larger than the iPhone 3G, not smaller.
Furthermore, the app they have displayed on the (supposed) iPhone nano's display, Urbanspoon, appears to be stretched horizontally too. Looking at the picture below, and then XSKN's rendering, the back arrow icon in the upper-left, labeled Find Me, the book icon in the upper-right, and the spoon logo in the center are all elongated [when compared to the true render below]:
I question if XSKN is basing its supposed iPhone nano skins on anything real:
In fact, the iPhone nano actually looks larger than the iPhone 3G, not smaller.
You are kidding right? In case you aren't, the phones could be identical in thickness and width and the nano could be shorter, couldn't it? In that event the pics that you posted wouldn't show that unless the front views were side by side.
You are kidding right? In case you aren't, the phones could be identical in thickness and width and the nano could be shorter, couldn't it? In that event the pics that you posted wouldn't show that unless the front views were side by side.
Obviously, if you look at the first two pictures in my post, you'll see the (supposed) iPhone nano appears to be ever so slightly wider than the iPhone 3G, yet the headphone and dock-connector views haven't widened correspondingly. And why in the world would an iPhone nano be larger than the full-size iPhone?
Also are you asking me to put the two pictures from XSKN side-by-side? If so, you can do that yourself by following my directions in my original post.
Those eagerly anticipating next month's Macworld and the prospects of a smaller iPhone should beware, as a slew of tiny clones are introducing confusion as they reach store shelves. ...
What I find funny is I talk to people everyday who are always on about how China never gets a "fair deal" in terms of being treated the same as other countries, and recent immigrants who go on about how China is now a real first world country, yet clearly there is no rule of law there at all.
How can China ever be integrated into the world economy, or sit side by side politically with the rest of the world politically and socially when there is not only no basic freedom for the people, but no law either? Why would anyone ever release any intellectual property in China if they are just going to steal it all anyway?
I hope the *real* iPhone never comes to China.
Irrespective of the legal issues there are no standards like CSA or anything over there either. A Chinese "iPhone" is almost as likely to blow up in your hand, as make a call. It's almost certainly full of toxic by-products.
I question if XSKN is basing its supposed iPhone nano skins on anything real:
After examining those pics, the so-called nano iPhone skin looks fake. At least fake because it was made from the original (p'shopped).
What I find funny is I talk to people everyday who are always on about how China never gets a "fair deal" in terms of being treated the same as other countries, and recent immigrants who go on about how China is now a real first world country, yet clearly there is no rule of law there at all.
How can China ever be integrated into the world economy, or sit side by side politically with the rest of the world politically and socially when there is not only no basic freedom for the people, but no law either? Why would anyone ever release any intellectual property in China if they are just going to steal it all anyway?
I hope the *real* iPhone never comes to China.
Irrespective of the legal issues there are no standards like CSA or anything over there either. A Chinese "iPhone" is almost as likely to blow up in your hand, as make a call. It's almost certainly full of toxic by-products.
Quick quiz:
Thailand=China?
True or False.
Quick quiz:
Thailand=China?
True or False.
False (right?)
What I find funny is I talk to people everyday who are always on about how China never gets a "fair deal" in terms of being treated the same as other countries, and recent immigrants who go on about how China is now a real first world country, yet clearly there is no rule of law there at all.
How can China ever be integrated into the world economy, or sit side by side politically with the rest of the world politically and socially when there is not only no basic freedom for the people, but no law either? Why would anyone ever release any intellectual property in China if they are just going to steal it all anyway?
I hope the *real* iPhone never comes to China.
Irrespective of the legal issues there are no standards like CSA or anything over there either. A Chinese "iPhone" is almost as likely to blow up in your hand, as make a call. It's almost certainly full of toxic by-products.
Newsflash, all iPhones are assembled in China. Also FYI it's not that Steve won't introduce the evil China to the glory of iPhone. He have been trying since the beginning of time. Just ChinaMobile with its world largest subscriber base and TDS-CDMA won't yield to him, yet.
man, their quicker at releasing these clones before Apple can create the original. hahaha Maybe they should give Apple pointers to how they do it so fast so we can get our real Apple toys quicker. hehe
What I would like to know is how do they get away doing this? I can only assume they do not hold the same copyright laws *if any* there as in the USA and other countries. that just sucks!
Much of Asia is a polar opposite to the US and the West on this, but there has to be a middle ground. The West and other countries are working on a treaty that appears to give customs the authority to seize citizen's computers without proof of copyright infringement or even any requirement for probable cause, so on top of being charged with security, they're being deputized as agents of movie and music industries. As it is, the governments negotiating it don't want people to know what is being negotiated.
What I find funny is I talk to people everyday who are always on about how China never gets a "fair deal" in terms of being treated the same as other countries, and recent immigrants who go on about how China is now a real first world country, yet clearly there is no rule of law there at all.
How can China ever be integrated into the world economy, or sit side by side politically with the rest of the world politically and socially when there is not only no basic freedom for the people, but no law either? Why would anyone ever release any intellectual property in China if they are just going to steal it all anyway?
I hope the *real* iPhone never comes to China.
Irrespective of the legal issues there are no standards like CSA or anything over there either. A Chinese "iPhone" is almost as likely to blow up in your hand, as make a call. It's almost certainly full of toxic by-products.
Off topic to this story, wrong country. Besides, Asian countries generally aren't going to pay attention to Western IP laws unless it's in their interest to do so. They'll even pass those laws to make westerners happy, but they will be unenforced except for the occasional demonstration bust as a pretend appeasement, once the news cameras are turned off, they will continue to ignore infringement.
False (right?)
Right. But westerners do seem to have the tendency to confuse different Asian countries. Taiwan is considered part of China, but that's more an amusing intellectual, academic and diplomatic exercise than it is reality.
Also, Taiwan is not Thailand (country in this story), and the government is different anyways.
Right. But westerners do seem to have the tendency to confuse different Asian countries. Taiwan is considered part of China, but that's more an amusing intellectual, academic and diplomatic exercise than it is reality.
Also, Taiwan is not Thailand (country in this story), and the government is different anyways.
I know my countries and I know the difference between Thailand, Taiwan, China, etc. and I resent being defined as a "Westerner." You people don't even know me and are just making assumptions.
I was making very general comments that were a bit off-topic, but the fact is regardless of what country they sell in, many of these devices come from mainland China, or Hong Kong which both have the same problems with intellectual property and the rule of law. I was going to put in "Asia" instead of "China" but not all of Asia is engaged in this kind of crap and I didn't want to tar India, Pakistan, etc. with a brush that pretty much exclusively should be used for China/Hong Kong.
To those that mentioned the "real" iPhone is manufactured in China ... so what? That's even more irrelevant than any of my comments were. I'm talking about the people that design and sell the knockoffs, not where the plants are located. To those that basically said this kind of thing is "to be expected," that's a dumber comment than actually coming up with, you know ... an argument.
The fact is, this kind of theft is just plain wrong, and it is both illegal and not tolerated in any country with even a rudimentary legal system. The idea that "people buy them" or "there is a market for them" or any of those other excuses are anything other than justifications for criminal behaviour is also wrong.
People seem to have a much lower moral bar nowadays I guess which is why this kind of crap continues.
I know my countries and I know the difference between Thailand, Taiwan, China, etc. and I resent being defined as a "Westerner." You people don't even know me and are just making assumptions.
Maybe you could learn to deal with it regarding writing tangential rants without properly framing it or providing a context.
The part about tarring unrelated countries is a valid concern, though Japan and South Korea are the only two notable ones I can think of that protect intellectual property rights in a meaningful way. I don't know if it's about morality or a decline of it, but in the context of human civilization, there isn't a long history of the idea that people or organizations can have exclusive ownership of an idea. That concept hasn't been accepted yet because it's a new cultural introduction, that takes time.