How to check whether your smartphone is fake or real in Pakistan

Smartphones nowadays have become a basic necessity for millions of people around the world and this is the reason why smartphones sale have been on the boom from last a few years all around the globe. The sad part of the mobile world is with the launching of each new smartphone comes lots of fake and replica mobile sets in the market.

Surprisingly, these smartphones are being sold in the market as original or even with branded tags that seems to exhibit the features of the original phone. It is true that the vast majority of these fake mobile devices stem from across Asia and largely from China.

However, the main advantage of these clone phones is the price. Yes, these phones are available at a considerably low price as compared to original ones. It is wise to be prudent but Chinese copies bring some problems that shouldn’t be overlooked, and if you may be winning on the price point of the devices, you may also be compromising on its quality and performance.

Some of the problems associated with fake and replica smartphones are,

• Cameras are usually much worse than the official devices, with the megapixel count often being lower than claimed.
• Processors are 50 times slower than the real phones.
• RAM is small as compared to original phones.
• Make sure the smartphone is type-approved by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

These are some easy steps to check whether your smartphone is fake or real

• IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is a 15 digits number and found on the box of your mobile phone. You can also find it by removing back cover and battery, another way of finding IMEI is dial *#06# and your IMEI will pop up. You can also find your IMEI by going in settings->about phone→status. If IMEI number is same both on your smartphone box and software then your phone is original and vice versa.
• You can find the product specification on the back of the box of the phone. Compare it with your handset by going to Settings > About phone. If the specifications don’t match, it’s possible your phone is a clone.
• The quality of the fake phone will never be same as the real one, so do hold the smartphone in your hands before buying it.
• Never buy from shops that seem odd, buy the smartphone from the company outlet even if it’s expensive, that way you will be confident that the device you have bought is original.

So, the next time when you go to the market to buy a new smartphone, do check whether it is original or fake by following the above simple steps.

Have you ever bought a fake smartphone by mistake? Share your story with us in the comments below.