This phone is not a slice of Apple

Dubai: Fake versions of Apple's much anticipated iPhone are being sold in stores ahead of its official launch, Gulf News has learnt.

A mobile phone store is selling a Chinese-made version of the phone in Bani Yas Square, with vendors telling potential customers that the phone is an original Apple product.

The imitation retails for Dh1,400 and no warranty is on offer. Salespeople also tell customers that no refund or exchange is possible.

The iPhone costs $500 (about Dh1,836) or $600 (about Dh2,203) in the United States, depending on the phone's capacity.

The imitation runs a version of a Linux operating system that is commonly found on Motorola phones. It also has a stylus.

Discrepancies found

Marketing executive Mary Ann Berina only found out that she had been duped when she found grammatical errors, Chinese characters and Nokia ringtones in what she thought was a new pre-release Apple iPhone.

"I noticed that it had a lot of discrepancies compared to an original iPhone in all its features," she said about the Dh1,400 phone. "It looked the same but it wasn't an iPhone."

After hearing from friends that the iPhone was available in Dubai, Berina decided she wanted to be one of the first few to get their hands on the gadget in Dubai.

She immediately sent her assistant to a Baniyas Square mobile phone store to buy the phone, which was retailing at significantly less than its original counterpart in the United States.

To her surprise, Berina found a dancing "Chinese-looking" lady on the welcome screen animation upon turning on the phone. After using the phone for a while, it became clear to her that the new iPhone was not made by Apple.

Refund

"Our excitement to be the first ones to get our hands on this phone was abused by these unscrupulous individuals who are preying on the excited iPhone consumers," she told Gulf News.

Berina then sent the phone back to the store for a refund, which was refused by the manager. "He initially agreed to give me some of the money back but then pointed to a note on the receipt that said refunds would not be given, and refused."

She then decided to sell the phone. "I told a buyer that it was a fake but she insisted that she wanted an iPhone even if it was a fake," she said.

A visit to the Baniyas Square store by Gulf News revealed the phone to be a Chinese-made touch-screen, running a Linux-based operating system.

Turning on the phone, Apple's logo followed by a background image of fish and coral, similar to the one seen in iPhone commercials, popped up. The phone also came with a stylus, which is not available on the Apple iPhone.

Asked if the phone was original, the salesman said: "It's made in China".

When asked again if it was the original Apple product, he said, "of course".

A warranty for the phone was not on offer. "If you buy two, I will give a good discount," said the vendor, adding that he had sold seven units already.

Mohammad Al Muroshedi, director of the compliance division at the Department of Economic Development (DED), told Gulf News the department is keen to protect genuine trademarks and is working on cracking down on those who violate the rules.

Campaign

"We are increasing the number of inspection campaigns to seize fake products," he said, adding that more than 60 campaigns were carried out to crack down on such activities in the first half of this year, confiscating fake watches, hand bags, clothes and perfumes.

"The department is also working with other departments and authorities like Dubai Police, Dubai Customs and the Ministry of Economy, to control the trade in counterfeit goods."

Al Muroshedi urged the public and trademark owners to report vendors who sell counterfeit products by filing a complaint with the department, following which an investigation would be launched.

Consumer protection line:04-2020220

Acts of violation with penalties:

- Import of, buying from unlicensed vendors, or selling of fake/counterfeit goods in Dubai markets seek the following penalties: Dh5,000 (for the first violation); Dh15,000 (second violation); Dh20,000 (third violation).

- Marketing of or fake/counterfeit goods brought from the local market and sold in the local market seek the following penalties: Dh500 (first violation); Dh5,000 (second violation); Dh10,000 (third violation).

- Manufacture/offering for sale, or selling/packaging materials or containers to be used for sale of fake/counterfeit goods/products or goods that are unfit for human/animal use or for sale of fake farm or industrial products seek the penalties: Dh15,000 (first violation); Dh30,000 (second violation); Dh50,000 (third violation).

Source: Department of Economic Development

Have your say
Would you buy an original iPhone or have you already bought one? What is the latest gadget you have bought or are planning on buying?

This is not the only case! There are a lot of companies in the electronics and white goods market who pretend to be Japanese and dump fake Chinese goods with a Japanese name. Are the authorities listening?
Harry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 11:43

I've come across this product in a shop and the price which I was told was Dh580 and it only has a built in memory of 128MB if I recall correctly, with a place to expand it. I asked the sales assistant if I could have a look at the "iPhone" and from what I saw the touch screen face wasn't friendly. I asked the salesman if it's an original product by Apple and he told me that its made in China and not the original product.
Arash
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 10:06

Greed, naivety and the desire to show off to her friends are the reasons for this woman's problems. It's her own fault she's fallen for this scam. I hope she doesn't get her money back and it teaches her a valuable lesson in life.
Simon
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 09:49

I want to, but be the first one? No! In electronics the latest editions are always the best with bugs fixed and other hardware flaws rectified or revised. So far the latest gadget I have is the Sony's PSP. This little angel is rocking my gaming world. Thanks to Sony!
Martenny
Bacolod,Philippines
Posted: August 13, 2007, 08:50

There are many other products out there that are fake, especially in the car accessories shops. More than half of what is sold in these shops are fake imitations made in China, and these shops are in operation for a long time and the products are being sold to unwary customers.
Mohammed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 08:20

As the only registered Apple User Group in the UAE, we want to spread this form of information to our members and to all visitors to our site (www.emiratesmac.com). If Gulf News ever comes across something similar in the future, we'd appreciate it if you would get in touch with us.
Magnus
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 08:19

While reading the news, I was expecting to read somewhere that the shop or dealer selling fake product was penalised or some legal action had already taken place. Some body is cheating people openly in a busy market area and here we read warnings only. Any action taken yet?
Waqar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 08:19

Selling of fake products needs to be stopped. We as buyers do not keep complete information about what an original product looks like or what are the things to be checked when buying electronic items.I myself have been conned by a retailer in Deira. I bought an iPod from that shop and they offered me 1 year warranty. And now my iPod has developed some problems and each time I give them for repair, they keep my iPod for 15-20 days and give me back saying they have repaired it, but when I see it, it seems nobody has even touched it. When I directly go to Apple store for repairing, they tell me my iPod is either stolen or didn't come to UAE through the proper channel. When I bought the iPod, the retailer told me that whenever my iPod stops working, I should give it to the retailer rather than going to Apple Store for repairing. He said that the Apple Store has so many iPods to take care of so they would hold me up for long if I would go directly to them. I have already been conned, but I would like to inform others to be careful when buying things like these.
Hasnain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 13, 2007, 08:14