China is leading in making counterfeit tech and other products. People in developing countries are being robbed off their money. On Sunday, a posting on Chinese social media site Weibo revealed that a raid sometimes back resulted in the seizure of some 41,000 fake iPhones, valued at over $19.7 million. The Beijing-based supplier employed hundreds of people, and shipped their goods all over the world, including to the United States.
The people running the illegal business were a married couple whose names are Yu and Xie. According to reports, the couple took advantage of China’s status as the wasteland of tech electronics and bought these used components along with fake parts bearing the Apple logo to create seemingly new and legitimate iPhones across six assembly lines. Both Yu and Xie are from Shenzhen, a city known for its ties to hardware manufacturing.
Apple has faced a number of cases and scandals relating to product imitation. “The case of the Beijing-based firm is exceptional both for its scale and its overseas reach.” Wall Street Journal noted. Currently it’s unclear where the phones were sold or the specific countries that allowed the phones in their markets. Reports have it that the company produced many phones capable of being exported around the globe.
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The fake iPhones are in many countries and people with less know-how about the features that constitute an iPhone are left to criticize the Apple products which is totally unfair to the company. The fake products are dangerous and can harm users. A good example is the unfortunate event that took place in June where an iPhone started releasing sparks when the owner was making a phone call and then became too hot. He took the phone and threw it through the car window and exploded like a grenade immediately it touched the ground.
Digital Trends reports that the Chinese government has recently placed efforts against intellectual property theft as well as counterfeit goods, attempting to chip away at its unfortunate reputation as a nation of copycats rather than innovators. While this may not be an overnight transformation, the continued growth of the Chinese economy and the large number of successful businesses in the nation are certainly doing their part to help.
iPhones are currently sold everywhere in Nairobi and it’s hard to trust the agents or retailers who sell them. In case you wish to buy the original devices my advice is visit Safaricom shops or the designated iPhone dealers in town.
Also read: The text that crushes iPhones doing rounds
