Copy Iphones Are Ok Or Not?

[thailandbluegrass]

Hi. Im just wondering about these copy iphones you can buy everywhere here for 3500 baht. The dealer I talked to was pretty cool and told me that the wifi is pretty slow etc but so is the internet here too.

What I want to do is but my 12 year old daughter and iphone and send it to her in Canada so she can use it on pre-paid phone cards. I googled that you need to use a server that uses GSM service and not the other one (i forget now). So in Canada it seems that both Telus and Fido use the GSM.

She asked me if it was an iphone 4 or 5. Does anyone know about these phones here? Are they 3 or 4 or 5? Any Canadians that know please help.

I would think that these 3500 baht copy iphones are 3G not 4?

[mdechgan]

You get what you pay for.

I think they are cheap pieces of junk.

Good enough to make and receive calls, but that is about it.

Some phones do not work overseas, some do. I don't know why actually.

I bought one to play with for awhile and I gave it away after 2 weeks of usage.

I seriously don't recommend them unless you plan to just make and receive calls solely.

[WilliaminBKK]

Fido and Virgin, I think Telus does prepaid SIM cards in certain Provinces, I don't think it is across the country. The telus call centre is in the Philippines and they know NOTHING, ask your daughter to check with them if that is her carrier of choice.

All the phones should be unlocked there, but double check, I bought a real Nokia and had a heck of a time getting it unlocked in Toronto, she will have to go to Chinatown to find someone willing to do it.

No worries with the charger as most are 110/220.

The Iphone 5 is coming soon, why not wait until that one hits the market so she has the newest version, it is smaller than the Iphone 4.

Be sure to buy her a nice case as well.

[mrclough]

They are ok as mentioned for making calls etc. As far as I'm aware you can't sync with iTunes which your Daughter would probably want to do.

The ones I've seen are a copy of the iPhone 3 series i.e. 3, 3G, 3GS but the dimentions are wrong and the screen is a bit smaller. Some of them only seem to support french language on the menu as well (this may not be a problem in Canada).

If they are a GSM phone they should work anywhere in the world with a GSM network! The only problems you may have is if it is only dual band. This means the phone may work on GSM 900/1800 but I know also in other parts of the world mobile networks also use GSM 1900 or Nextel which is not like GSM at all.

Also look out for the screen sensitivity, the copies are often very un-responsive which is not much use on a touch screen only phone lol

Most of the copies I've seen are from the Mesai (burmese) border crossing and they only cost B1000 up there, the ones in Bangkok may be from somewhere else though.

I do think you could get a much better Samsung or Nokia for the same sort of money or just a little more which will do everything it says on the box

[janverbeem]

So you want to send a cheap chinese copy phone to your daughter and make her believe it is an original iphone that she can show of to her friends who might know better and make her feel like a loser.

You must love your daughter a lot.

[JimShortz]

So you want to send a cheap chinese copy phone to your daughter and make her believe it is an original iphone that she can show of to her friends who might know better and make her feel like a loser.

You must love your daughter a lot.

OR... maybe he will tell her it's a copy... nothing like making assumptions, is there!

[boney]

If you buy a real one in Thailand just ask for it to be unlocked as they all do anyway I believe.

Don't bother with the copies, as said already, you get what you pay for. Its worth the extra to get the original.

[roiethome]

I bought a copy Iphone in Changi duty free a few months back, as I needed a cheap dual sim while I was traveling.

The copy phones cant download any apps from Apple or anywhere else, really it is just a basic phone with a couple of cameras, which was OK for me, but maybe not what the OP is looking for.

Came to try to add email in Philippines and found it was locked to many Chinese service providers and no one in Manila could unlock it.

like the phrase says, Buyer Beware !

[kilt]

The only thing these copies do is LOOK somewhat like an iPhone. The software is not even remotely like the iPhone software. Email and internet functions are very slow and pokey and irritating.

The build of the phone is cheap, lightweight plastic.

Yes, they can make and receive calls and from afar it may even look like you own an iPhone. The sound quality is 2nd rate as well.

Not worth even a thousand baht in my opinion.

The latest copies out there are of the iPhone 4.

[bubba]

If they are true counterfeits that violate Apple's IP and design patents and trademarks, do you think there might be a problem with Canadian Customs should they discover it on your return?

[thailandbluegrass]

So you want to send a cheap chinese copy phone to your daughter and make her believe it is an original iphone that she can show of to her friends who might know better and make her feel like a loser.

You must love your daughter a lot.

Now here is the kind of reply that gives TV posters the bad name of grumpy old men with nothing but time on their hands but to wake up, open TV and scower for ads to reply to with a negative attitude.

Not that your morobic reply needs any justification but for your information my daughter is 12, not 30. She would probably lose it playing niky niky nine door or something. And yes of course if I got good replies about these phones and they seem good then yes I would send her one and of course she would show it off to all her friends. Thats what 12 year olds do Mr. Grump. Also I have already told her I'm not gonna send an $800.00 real iphone and why would I need to lie to her?

And your right, I do love my daugher alot.

Now on to a better post and leave this heathing to scower for other ads to trash.

[thailandbluegrass]

Now. To all of you other people who replied, thank you sooo much for your help. I think I am convinced that it is not worth it to send her one of these. Like you say, they are ok for making and receiving calls but other then that not worth it.

Of course it would have just been a fasion statment for her but still cool and fun however there are a lot of other things I can send here from here.

Actually I last saw her just after she was born and her mother and me just wern't happening but after 12 years her mom let her know who her father is and she actually found me on facebook so to me this is awsome as I do not have any other kids. Since the day I got her friend request I have woken up every day and chatted with her and I am the happiest man on the face of the earth and she is equally as happy.

Not trying to buy her love because that is not necassary but to send her some cool stuff from LOS would make her happy and yes I plan on re-uniting with her when I can.

Anyways folks thank you very much for your feedback on these phones and this site can be very helpful like this (with the exception of some grumpy old men).

PS; Any suggestions of what a 12 year old girl would love from the LOS could help.lol. however I'm good to go. Been here 10 years now.

[roiethome]

Most 12 year old girls love stickers and in Thailand there is a good selection and cheap price too.

I usually get mine from a stall on the Landmark side of Sukhumvit, somewhere between soi 6 and 10, but there are several other places too, and they are not expensive to send home.

[dddave]

Last year, a friend bought four of these copies at the Lao border. Within a month, three were not working at all and the fourth was on the way out. Camera never did work properly, nor did the web browser.

As others have said: junk!

[ragandboneman]

I am surprised that the mods have let this run, as I thought TV rules prevented the discussion on issues relating to copyright infringements/theft.

Anyway, I am with the majority, save your money they are crap. Had a mini dual sim one a few years back, kept it a few months, as they say buy cheap pay dear.

How about buying her a i-pod touch 8GB, okay not a i-phone but still pretty cool for a twelve year old girl and won't break the bank either. I bought my 13 year old Thai step-daughter one last year, she was over the moon with it and still loves it. Gives her bragging rights in her class at school, as nobody else has one.

Regards

[thailandbluegrass]

I am surprised that the mods have let this run, as I thought TV rules prevented the discussion on issues relating to copyright infringements/theft.

Anyway, I am with the majority, save your money they are crap. Had a mini dual sim one a few years back, kept it a few months, as they say buy cheap pay dear.

How about buying her a i-pod touch 8GB, okay not a i-phone but still pretty cool for a twelve year old girl and won't break the bank either. I bought my 13 year old Thai step-daughter one last year, she was over the moon with it and still loves it. Gives her bragging rights in her class at school, as nobody else has one.

Regards

Now an i-pod is actually a great idea !!!!!!!!

No worries, I can think of hundreds of things to buy but just wanted info on these i-phones and have already decided against it.

PS; The reason this thread is allowed to continue I think is because they are being sold EVERYWHERE in Thailand legaly but are just coppies.

[janverbeem]

I am surprised that the mods have let this run, as I thought TV rules prevented the discussion on issues relating to copyright infringements/theft.

Anyway, I am with the majority, save your money they are crap. Had a mini dual sim one a few years back, kept it a few months, as they say buy cheap pay dear.

How about buying her a i-pod touch 8GB, okay not a i-phone but still pretty cool for a twelve year old girl and won't break the bank either. I bought my 13 year old Thai step-daughter one last year, she was over the moon with it and still loves it. Gives her bragging rights in her class at school, as nobody else has one.

Regards

Now an i-pod is actually a great idea !!!!!!!!

No worries, I can think of hundreds of things to buy but just wanted info on these i-phones and have already decided against it.

PS; The reason this thread is allowed to continue I think is because they are being sold EVERYWHERE in Thailand legaly but are just coppies.

Sure they are sold EVERYWHERE legally

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) seized 23,000 pieces of counterfeit iPhones,

Grumpy.

[bangkokcitylimits]

There are different qualities of copies, but the usual ones from Birma are total crap. They have no iphone functions etc.

[WilliaminBKK]

The Ipod is a good idea, keep in mind songs cost .99 cents and knowing most 12 year olds you may have to get a part time job. Any cell is a costly item, remember in Canada they pay for inbound and outbound calls and texts.

How about a camera that is super easy to send pictures so you can really connect. They are cheaper in BKK vs YYZ. Or set her up with Skype with a really good heat set and cam.

Honestly these kids are fashionistas and I know no Father wants to buy clothes LOL but BKK is so far ahead she may really like a monthly gift, jeans etc. Her Mum will be happy saving money heheheheh. In terms of gifts from the LOS, check out Naraya they have a great line of items and the kids seem to go crazy for them.

Best of luck.

[TimeBandit2]

Um...what about an ipod touch? They do everything iphones do except make calls and send and recieve SMSs, they look identical, and they're way cheaper than iphones. That way it could be the newest model instead of an old iphone 3G which it would have to be if it was affordable.

The chinese iphone copies are trash.

[Valentine]

I thought I saw a thread recently about converting iPod Touch to iPhone. I checked the web & found something that may do it but not sure if it really works well or not.

[MrMakMak]

Those copy phones are crap, she would hate it. She could not play games, she could hardly text her friends.

Buying an iphone is easy in canada, you get one of those phone plans and the iphone is yours for 100-150$. The plan is the same price as any other plan, you're just stuck in a 3year contract.

This is coming from someone who has an iphone and has had a laos copy iphone and Chinese copy iphone. both of which i sent to the trash after a single day

[Chalongian]

So you want to send a cheap chinese copy phone to your daughter and make her believe it is an original iphone that she can show of to her friends who might know better and make her feel like a loser.

You must love your daughter a lot.

Now here is the kind of reply that gives TV posters the bad name of grumpy old men with nothing but time on their hands but to wake up, open TV and scower for ads to reply to with a negative attitude.

Not that your morobic reply needs any justification but for your information my daughter is 12, not 30. She would probably lose it playing niky niky nine door or something. And yes of course if I got good replies about these phones and they seem good then yes I would send her one and of course she would show it off to all her friends. Thats what 12 year olds do Mr. Grump. Also I have already told her I'm not gonna send an $800.00 real iphone and why would I need to lie to her?

And your right, I do love my daugher alot.

Now on to a better post and leave this heathing to scower for other ads to trash.

Well as someone who has previously bought a copy iphone (named T iphone, that later became known as the Thaiphone) which looked the same but with an extra feature which was a TV tuner which didn't work outside of Thailand or very well in Thailand. I can tell you with 100% certainty that If you really do love your daughter, just buy her a genuine Nokia or whatever at half the price of the real thing with functions that actually work. A 12 year old is still old enough to know when daddy's offloaded a huge pile of crap onto her and wont thank you for it at all.

[pjclark1]

Electronics is cheaper in Canada.

Why not just buy whatever straight from the Amazon Canada site and have it delivered to her direct.