The clone Smartphones will try to enthrall you with their dashing appearance. So, don’t buy any Smartphone without proper research. Go to the internet. Choose the best Smartphone that complies with your needs. Next, know the precise specifications of that Smartphone from its official manufacturing website. When your research is done, go to the shop, pick your pre-chosen model and check what features it does offer. If its specifications don’t match with the information provided in its official site, the seller Smartphone is certainly a duplicate.
Check the Phone Exterior
Though clone Smartphones almost replicate the look of the original ones, you can feel the difference looking closer. You can start with the phone’s display. Check whether it is made of standard glass material as mentioned on its official manufacturing website. You can check out some other factors like, screen to body ratio, screen resolution, video quality, brightness, etc.
Another thing to check is the location, size, shape and placement of different buttons. Find the original phone’s image from official manufacturing website and compare. Do they look similar? If not, you are holding a fake phone!
Besides these, before buying any Smartphone, compare its dimensions and weight with the official information. And, navigate to your chosen model’s manufacturing site to check in what colors it is currently available. If the shopper offers you a new color option, which is not mentioned in the official site, don’t buy it!
Check the Branded Logo
When you open any original Smartphone, the screen will initially display its official Logo. If you can’t see the logo at start up, you device is undoubtedly a fake one. Another thing to remember is that each original mobile comes with the branded logo printed on its backside. Touching the logo, it is supposed to feel flat and smooth. In case of a replica mobile, the logo might feel rough and unsmooth.
Check out the Battery
Monitor the battery life of your current Smartphone to check whether it is original or clone. Usually, the fake Smartphones come with less powerful batteries. How to check a seller Smartphone? It’s easy. Just open the backside of that phone. If it is original, the logo must be printed on the battery. For instance, when the seller Smartphone is manufactured by Nokia, the battery must bear Nokia’s official logo. Otherwise, it is a clone device.
Image Credit: AmazensBlog
Check out the Language
The original phones will never come with any spelling error. So, keep an eye on the language. Go to the specification of the seller Smartphone navigating to its settings option. You can also check the language on Phone Box, battery, etc. which comes with that phone. If you can remove the battery, you will find a sticker mentioning some specifications. Look closer. If there is any spelling mistake anywhere, then the seller phone is certainly a fake one.
Test the Camera
Generally, the branded Smartphones offer exciting camera features. Before buying any Smartphone, take snaps with the provided cameras to judge their image quality and resolution. You can post the image on Instagram for taking opinions from friends. You can also compare the quality of image using Internet, where people have shared images taken by the same model phone. Usually, the duplicate Smartphones come with less powerful cameras with limited features. Furthermore, check the look and position of the cameras. Thus you can easily recognize whether the seller Smartphone is original or clone.
Cross Check the IMEI
When you intend to buy a Smartphone, check out the IMEI number, which is printed over the box. Open the battery. There must be a sticker with IMEI number printed on it. To check the IMEI from any phone type “*#06#” using the dial pad. The display will show one or two IMEI numbers depending on SIM slots. If the seller phone shows no IMEI number, then it is a clone one.
However, some duplicate phones might have fake IMEI numbers. Now how to check it? You can either take a screenshot or write down those numbers. Now login to the IMEI website (https://www.imei.info/imei-checker/) and insert the IMEI number properly. If your Smartphone is original, the IMEI website will show you details specs including brand name, RAM, Processor, storage capacity, etc.
Use Special Apps
Before going to the shop take another Smartphone with you and install an app called CPU-Z Application. You can also ask your buddy to install this app on his/her phone and accompany you to the shop. When you enter the shop to buy a Smartphone, don’t hassle. Convince the shopper that you need some time to think, test and decide. Then, tactfully install the CPU-Z application from the old Smartphone to the seller phone through ‘Share It’ or Bluetooth. Now you can see the provided specs of the seller Smartphone and compare it with the information provided on its official manufacturing site. Any mismatch of information questions the originality of the seller phone.
Image Credit: Gadgets Africa
How to Check Brand Specific Smartphones?
The top Smartphone brands usually have some specific codes and tricks to define the originality of their manufactured products. For instance, you can easily check the originality of a Samsung Smartphone. Just go to the type pad and press “*#7353#”. If that phone is original, the system will pop up a menu showing all applications in the listed form. This service code is programmed by the Samsung Engineers, which won’t be available in any fake phone.
When you are willing to buy an Apple Smartphone, try to open the App Store from the seller Smartphone. If it takes you to Google Play Store instead of Apple App Store, then it’s a clear indication that the seller Smartphone is not original. Apple Smartphones are run by iOS instead of android, so it won’t work with Play store.
There is another trick. Before you buy an Apple Smartphone, take a laptop with you and install iTune app on it. Now, connect the seller Smartphone with that laptop. If the seller Apple Smartphone is a clone, it won’t work with iTune.
Bottom Line
Nowadays one in every five smartphones comes as a duplicate. Especially, Smartphones built by the top brands like Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Redmi, Xiaomi, etc. are being cloned by the illegal manufacturers. A clone Smartphone can be distinguished from its exterior look, specs, logo, battery, language, etc. Therefore, it is wise to check a Smartphone thoroughly before buying. While you buy any Smartphone from dealers, small shop, or online, don’t forget to check its originality using our discussed apps and websites.