A flagship phone for cheap? This LG G4 we’ve spotted in Quezon City has been on sale for Php3,500, and it certainly piqued our interest. Here’s why.
At a flea market I usually pass by on the way home at night come several shops that offer an assortment of gadgets, which I always assume were stolen because they were offered at rock-bottom prices. I stopped by to check them out, and this LG G4 caught our attention. It’s offered for a price a lot less than what it sells in the market, and you would realize that it may be the real deal at first look — that is, until you’ve looked at it closely.
Upon closer inspection, the G4 we’ve seen is rather a well-crafted clone. The device presents itself with 90% of the same look and feel as the original goods, and even copies all the nits and bits inside the software. The only few ways would really notice the differences are once you operate it — the rear buttons have that cheap clicking mechanism feel, and the glass isn’t that smooth enough to navigate well.
This, and other smartphone clones we’ve seen from other brands like Samsung, Sony, and even OPPO, are sold on flea markets like these, and maybe on other parts of the metro for a price that’s significantly lower than the original. Contrary to flagship phones, these devices often bear 1GB of RAM and 8GB of space as mentioned in the settings panel — to believe those indicated numbers are up to those who bought these. Prying open the rear shell also gives you more reasons not to purchase this, as there’s that generic-looking battery.
Gone were the days that we used to see Nokla and Samsong devices in the streets, as artisans have now mastered the art of (almost) perfectly copying devices and making people believe it’s the real deal. At the very least, caution is hereby advised to those who want a piece of this.
Bootleg kings and queens