The products released by Apple in the last few years have been hailed for their innovation. They have also proven to be big sellers at retail. The iPhone is a great example of a highly prized and much admired Apple release. It was inevitable that other manufacturers would seek to emulate the success of the device. While some companies add similar features to their own ranges there are also companies who attempt to make products that look and work just like the real thing. Join us as we enter the world of the iPhone clone.

You may be wondering why anyone would ever buy a clone of an iPhone instead of the real thing. Well there is one obvious reason and it is the same reason that knock off versions of anything sell, they are invariably cheaper than the original. Many direct clones of iPhones are actually manufactured in China beyond the reach of copyright laws. They are designed to look exactly like the real thing but the build quality and functionality won’t necessarily match.

This TV iPhone A520 is an example of an iPhone clone. It is a GSM quad band cell phone with a 3.2 inch LCD screen. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera and it will play MP4 videos. However it only supports up to 2GB memory and it comes with 512MB. A fully charged battery gives you around 3 hours of talk time. It may only cost $139.99 but it lacks many of the features that make the iPhone so great.

The same website also offers this Apple iPhone 3G replica and it looks even more like the real deal. It may be closer to the real thing than the majority of clones out there but the functionality is lacking once again. There is support for audio and video, a 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability and 2GB of memory. It supports Bluetooth and comes in a selection of three colours. This one costs $177.99.

There is no doubt you are taking a risk with these devices. The build quality, the features and the look cannot live up to the real thing. If you buy a really cheap iPhone clone you will likely end up regretting it. There are some better quality options if you can stretch your budget further.

One of the best manufacturers of iPhone clones is a company called CECT. They have various models which ape the visual design and they manage to pack in loads of features for a much reduced price. The CECT A380i looks like an iPhone and it features a high resolution display, a shake and tilt sensor, a 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability and support for audio and video files. It also supports Bluetooth and comes with a free 1GB MicroSD memory card and a spare battery. It is a decent package for just $299.99.

Another Chinese clone which emulates the iPhone is the HiPhone. It is chunkier than the real iPhone but it has the same size touch screen and similar functionality. It supports video and audio files, it has Bluetooth functionality and it comes unlocked and should work on any network. The memory is 2GB and it can record phone calls. You can order one for just $169.

The truth is there is no alternative for the real thing. None of the clones will look, feel or work as well. However if you compare the prices above with the price of a new iPhone from Apple you can see why people are tempted. Just remember you get what you pay for.