They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Is that really the intention of the manufacturers responsible for these remarkably similar-looking mobile phones?
Pictured above from left to right are the Apple iPhone, CECT P168, Meizu M8 and LG Prada.
These may look like their original counterpart but, just like in the movies, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The question is, are the iClone gang a mad scientist bodge job or genuinely worthy rivals?
The LG Prada, for example, may look stunning but only scored 6.6/10 from 22 genuine impartial reviews. Some really common problems that Reevoo has picked up on from your reviews are the sticky touchscreen and poor memory, which often results in the phone freezing. The touchscreen is also a bit impractical, as touching it during a call will cut you off. Maybe LG are just trying to encourage people to hold phones away from themselves to reduce exposure to SAR!
Little is known about the Meizu M8 or the CECT P168 (also known as the iFone). The Chinese manufacturer of the iFone is so open about copying Apple that it uses the same clown fish wallpaper. The iFone has nowhere near the same capabilities as the iPhone, running 256MB and an old fashioned WAP browser. It does, however, have 6-speaker surround sound, which may work well with playback of various sound formats. Be warned that the data for the CECT P168 is often contradictory and regardless of whether it has a 2MP sticker, the camera is only 1.3MP.
The Meizu seems to perform a little better on specs, with an HTML browser (just like the iPhone) and 8GB of memory (just like the iPhone). Like the iPhone, it has tilt and movement recognition so the screen automatically orients depending on how you it is being held. The Meizu even has a better camera – two in fact! It boasts a 3MP camera on the back and a 0.3MP camera on the front for video-calling. Apparently, the phone also has better screen resolution on a slightly smaller screen (3.3 inches to the iPhones 3.5). It seems that there actually could be potential for this phone to score quite favourably as an iPhone alternative, but there is only very sketchy information on the rest of its specifications and performance. This and its limited availability mean that most of us would rather spend a bit more to get a more trusted brand. To buy a Meizu or iFone one outside of China you have to go through an ebay
The message here is, if you want something like an iPhone, but are put off by the choice of an O2 contract or paying £270, don’t just go for something because it looks like one!
Reevoo Recommended Alternatives:
The Nokia N95 8GB, for example, matches the iPhone on almost every feature except the Apple badge. In addition, the N95 8GB has an impressive 5MP camera, downloadable games, an FM radio tuner and instant messaging. All this for £200 or a contract with any network.
Perhaps there are one or two things you really love about the iPhone but could really do without some of the extra stuff. If that’s the case, check out our Reevoo Recommended phones to fulfil your wants, such as listening to Music and Surfing the web.
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