Apple iPhone 6 Plus original and fakeThe number of unauthorized or fake Apple iPhones in circulation in Kerala have increased rapidly in recent times. Identifying a genuine iPhone, which is priced around Rs 50,000, is a tough task for the untrained eye.
Customers realize they were being duped only when their phone develops glitches. But the aftermath, when it comes to warranty, can be a tricky issue. They will be denied warranty by AppleCare centers without citing any valid reason.
Read also: Apple iPhone 7 has 'hidden home button' on screen
Apple’s weak sales distribution network and inadequate number of authorized repair centers in India will make life tough for these defrauded customers.
To make matters worse, the company often chooses to plainly ignore such complaints.
Two types of counterfeit iPhones are available in the local market – the ones manufactured by Chinese companies that look exactly the same as Apple's flagship, and refurbished iPhones that were returned by a customer to either Apple or the seller due to technical glitches.
Phones in the first category are the real villains. These fake iPhones are reportedly assembled at the same giant plants in China where the original ones are manufactured.
There are also rumors that these cloned versions are designed and produced at secret factories in Korea. Most importantly, they are sold without a receipt. The fake iPhone 6 (64GB) model comes with a price tag of around Rs 15,000.
These fake phones are quite similar to the original and it will be difficult to identify them by merely looking at physical features. They imitate iPhone's overall look and the entire interface as well.
However, most of the replicas operate on Android instead of iOS, but a commoner may not be able to spot this difference. Moreover, these phones too come with an IMEI number and the Apple serial number just like the original.
Technical specifications of such fake phones can be found in the Apple official website, though the company claims that details of only the original handsets are uploaded on the site.
The company, however, has chose to remain silent to questions pertaining to this large security breach in their network.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that refurbished iPhones are sold by even stores claimed to be Apple’s authorized dealers. They are the ones that have been repackaged by Apple for sale after the product has been returned or exchanged after its initial purchase. In foreign countries, they reenter the market carrying a ‘refurbished’ tag, but it is doubtful whether such norms are strictly enforced in India.
The customer will be in deep trouble if the phone develops issues during the warranty period. The company can easily deny warranty for physical and mechanical damage or glitches developed due to moisture formation inside the phone.
There is a replacement option for customers owning an iPhone 6s, but it will cost them around Rs 25,000. However, there is no way to find out whether the replacement is a new handset or a refurbished one.
The company has not responded to the queries regarding the counterfeit iPhones flooding the local market.
In the existing situation, the customers have no other option, but to try their luck with consumer courts as the last resort. But to make a complaint before a consumer forum, the customer needs to produce original purchase receipt and other supporting documents.
