Appel products are known all over the world. It is widespread everywhere. And all thanks to its high quality of all kinds of gadgets, for example, watches like the Appel Watch. They will be discussed later.
Appel Watch is a watch with a cast stainless metal case, made in an elegant design, suitable for anyone, regardless of age and status. They are quite simple and easy to use, have many useful functions, and are equipped with increased water resistance. They are almost not felt on the hand thanks to the light, soft, adjustable strap.
Not everyone can afford such an accessory, but the costs are fully compensated by the quality of the apple units. Unfortunately, they often try to fake them. Or sell used or even stolen watches. People want to buy everyone's favorite Apple products and, in pursuit of their dreams, can become easy bait for scammers who want to sell copies of smart watches.
This article will tell you how to recognize a counterfeit from an original and check an Apple Watch by serial number, so as not to throw money away when purchasing something second-hand.
Original or copy: checking your Apple Watch upon purchase
The easiest way to distinguish a Chinese copy of the Apple Watch, which unscrupulous sellers can pass off as original products. Smart watch for iPhone Apple Watch original:
- devoid of any connectors;
- Magnetic induction technology is used for charging;
- A slot for a SIM or SD card is an insult to the iWatch.
The products of the famous American brand look completely different: all the details, curves and pixels of the screen are where they should be. Chinese copies are made very roughly: with unevenness and defects in both color and shape.
Even if copies of smart watches are externally indistinguishable from the original Apple Watch, which is almost impossible upon detailed examination, then the internal content of the fakes will certainly put an end to this dispute. Instead of branded iOS with a great design and high-quality language translation, the copies use:
- adapted version of Android;
- Chinese version of unknown firmware.
In addition to the above information, it will be useful to read an article on the topic of the differences between ROSTEST and EUROTEST for Apple Watch at the link provided.
Price. Yes, you save
Everything is fine here: for an iWatch you need to pay about 5 thousand rubles, which is incomparably cheaper than the original Apple Watch. But is this product worth the money?
For that amount you can find a real smartphone with a touch screen, camera and other attributes of a smartphone. Paying 5,000 rubles for a sub-smartphone in the form factor of a wristwatch doesn’t seem like a very smart investment.
The red price for a Chinese counterfeit AW is 1,500 rubles. This is just the maximum, taking into account the materials, cardboard packaging, filling and logistics.
How to check a watch: new or used
But if everything is clear about a fake from the Middle Kingdom, and identifying it is not difficult, then how can you check a smart watch when buying it in a store or from your own hands? You need to be especially careful when purchasing a used Apple Watch from Avito and other sites. Even if you buy a completely new device, there is no guarantee that it is truly new.
The fact is that some Russian businessmen purchase original products not from Tim Cook’s company, but from third parties, from whom the stolen products are reflashed and resealed in the original packaging. Therefore, it is important to check whether the Apple Watch is a replica.
IMEI or serial number of the iPhone and iWatch combination. One way is to check on the website iWatch.ru whether the watch is original.
Visual inspection
So, the first thing you need to do before buying an Apple watch is to inspect the packaging, accessories, and, finally, the smart device itself. The manufacturer supplies it in an oblong white box with the inscription Watch on the top surface. Information with serial and other numbers is located on the side.
In addition to the watch itself, the package includes instructions, a cable with a power adapter, an additional smaller strap and a pencil case. The latter is additionally placed in coated paper. Please keep in mind that the manufacturer takes extreme care in packaging their products. Moreover, this applies not only to the accuracy of installation, but also to the quality of the box itself. It is made of thick, glossy snow-white cardboard, with clear, high-quality printing - no blurry fonts or errors.
The next thing to do is to carefully examine the watch itself. Keep in mind that the gadget is made of aluminum, stainless steel or ceramic, and its screen is covered with protective glass. Recently, the level of counterfeits has increased so much that it is quite difficult to determine the authenticity of an Apple Watch at first glance. And yet, look carefully to see if there is a slot for SIM or microSD on the watch case, as well as a 3.5 mm jack - counterfeits often sin by “upgrading” the design of the original. As for the plastic case with a plastic top panel, one glance is enough to leave this outlet and never return there.
How to find out Apple Watch serial number or IMEI?
You can find out the history of the origin of iWatch without leaving the store checkout. It is enough to find the IMEI and check it on one of the official sites with databases of mobile devices.
Website for checking Apple Watch:
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- https://www.imei.info/;
- https://sndeep.info/ru;
- https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/ (official Apple website).
The serial number is written in the “Settings” of the mobile device. To find it, go to “General” and select the “About this device” section. You may need to scroll down the menu bars to read the information you need.
The IMEI/MEID number may be written on the SIM card tray on the back of the phone. This depends on the device model. Sometimes the serial number is also located in these places. Information can also be found in the instructions for the device or on the box.
Verifying the authenticity of the serial number on the Apple website
You can find out about the activation status of the device by IMEI or check the watch using the number indicated on the packaging on the official website https://www.icloud.com/activationlock/. Checking your Apple Watch by serial number will show information about the activation status:
- not activated;
- activated;
- blocked.
How to check the Apple Watch serial number
Also, by checking the originality of Apple using the serial number, you can find out the exact date and time of blocking or activation of the gadget. If instead of new iWatches the store tries to sell used ones, then:
Checking the Apple Watch activation date
- The line with the exact date will contain the date of early activation of the device.
- If the watch is stolen, the activation status will indicate that the device is blocked. It is almost impossible to bypass it on the latest versions of iOS, just as you cannot access the app store or log in through your profile.
Deactivate iPhone and iWatch
Operating system. Something with something
A mystery shrouded in darkness. There is absolutely no idea what the miracle of Chinese engineering is based on. Something between the “green robot” and Linux, and the colors were taken from the robot, and the icons, unpredictable work, crooked Russification and fonts were taken from Linux.
For most applications, such as the Facebook client, Twitter and WatsApp, in addition to having a flash drive, it is necessary to have a SIM card with Internet access. If there is no SIM card or flash drive in the iWatch, 70% of all functions are deactivated by default.
As a last resort, you can start monitoring sleep or counting steps while jogging. True, these functions still don’t work - sleep monitoring looks like a regular stopwatch, and the pedometer claims that I’ve been standing still for the 2nd day.
Advantages and disadvantages of Chinese smartwatches compared to the original Apple Watch
Some very dubious advantages include:
- Inexpensive cost of the gadget.
- The ability to insert a SIM card and make calls directly from the smartwatch.
- There is no need to worry about the safety of the gadget - you don’t mind breaking or losing it.
Such analogues undoubtedly have more disadvantages:
- The body is cheap plastic.
- The replica is much heavier than the original.
- The straps of Chinese watches are made of leatherette, unlike real iWatches.
- A fastener made of plastic or silumin quickly becomes unusable.
- There is no protection against moisture and dust.
- The screen simply shows no signs of life, completely ignoring the user's touch.
- The service life of an outright fake rarely exceeds 10-12 months.
Apple Watch is the leader in the smartwatch market, as each gadget is distinguished by a premium level of quality. Therefore, even an inexperienced user can distinguish a fake from a genuine iWatch. When choosing such an accessory, you should not compromise in favor of low cost, because a Chinese replica will only bring disappointment.
Materials. China – and in Africa China
Forget about precious metals like aluminum, sapphire crystals and other frills. Chinese iWatches are made of harsh plastic, and it feels like the screen is too.
To prevent the owner from running his finger over the plastic surface, a matte film is prudently glued to the screen out of the box.
A dubious bonus that may only appeal to lovers of rough surfaces.
How to distinguish an original iWatch from a fake?
Even a quick external inspection will allow you to find a number of differences that will leave no doubt that this is a fake:
- Huge frames on the sides of the screen. The screen itself is too small and grainy, and most importantly, the connector for charging the micro-USB device on the side, which clearly gives off a fake. But the most annoying thing is that you have to swipe the screen several times to get the Touchpad to work, which is, frankly, annoying.
- Chinese iWatch replicas are larger and thicker. Having put such a gadget on your hand, you immediately want to take it off. Fakes are frankly heavy, inconvenient and unpleasant in everyday use.
- Chinese iWatches are designed to work autonomously from smartphones, so they have a SIM card slot. If you have an original iPhone + Apple Watch, then separate operation of the watch is impossible.
Filling. Two completely different devices
Chinese masters have managed to cram something unidentifiable into their smartest watches. The settings menu does not contain any information about the internal world of the device, as well as the name of the device itself.
The only plus is that you can insert micro SD and expand the device memory by 32 GB. Wow, this is so great - now I can... What can I do? Yes, nothing that cannot be done without a flash drive.
However, without a flash drive, the lion's share of functions do not work: you cannot enter the gallery, the Twitter client, the Facebook client, and much more. What this is connected with is unclear, given that there is some kind of built-in memory.
But the speaker screams as it should. The only element of Chineseness that I was frankly impressed with.
When a notification about a new message arrives, the watch emits a 64-voice polyphony of such strength that you want to cover your ears and run away. For the loudness of the sound, hats off.
Conclusions on how to check your Apple Watch when purchasing
When purchasing from official dealers, you don’t have to worry about the legal purity of your new smartwatch. When buying second hand, the likelihood of getting into trouble with the law when bundled with a new iWatch is much higher. Checking an Apple Watch smartwatch when buying second-hand is no different from checking a new one, except that after the fraud is discovered, the seller will try to hide.
Roman Vladimirov, Apple product expert, manager of pedant.ru. Consultant for the site appleiwatch.name, co-author of articles. Works with Apple products for more than 10 years.
Apple internal charger
Inside, the original Apple memory is a small chip on which the elements necessary for operation are located. The most important components include the transformer, capacitor and protection diode.
The transformer and capacitor perform the functions of rectifiers, forming the voltage and current indicators necessary for recharging. The elements are made of the highest quality and reliability to eliminate any problems during operation.
An additional protective function is performed by a special diode. It is mounted directly between the board and the soldered USB socket. The diode clearly records current indicators and prevents the reverse flow of electricity. Thus, it is possible to preserve the gadget and charger even with significant voltage drops.
On the back of the board you can see a small microcircuit that generates pulses during the charging process. There is also a diode bridge that performs the function of a full-fledged smoothing filter.
Video
Appel products are known all over the world. It is widespread everywhere. And all thanks to its high quality of all kinds of gadgets, for example, watches like the Appel Watch. They will be discussed later.
Appel Watch is a watch with a cast stainless metal case, made in an elegant design, suitable for anyone, regardless of age and status. They are quite simple and easy to use, have many useful functions, and are equipped with increased water resistance. They are almost not felt on the hand thanks to the light, soft, adjustable strap.
Not everyone can afford such an accessory, but the costs are fully compensated by the quality of the apple units. Unfortunately, they often try to fake them. Or sell used or even stolen watches. People want to buy everyone's favorite Apple products and, in pursuit of their dreams, can become easy bait for scammers who want to sell copies of smart watches.
This article will tell you how to recognize a counterfeit from an original and check an Apple Watch by serial number, so as not to throw money away when purchasing something second-hand.
Principle of operation
A real Apple Watch , for example, just needs to be connected to the iPhone using a specially trained application and the smart watch will become an extension of the smartphone and will notify you of all notifications. You will be able to send and receive messages, make calls directly from the watch, view posts on social networks, measure steps, and fully use the sleep program. Everything works properly and without any complaints.
The same cannot be said about fake IWatch.
In theory, the device should be autonomous from the phone, which is why it is necessary to have an additional SIM card. In theory, this is convenient. For example, when your smartphone is dead, you can make a call from your watch. But in reality it is not so simple. For example, it is impossible to connect cheap IWatches to the iPhone, since there is no special program in the App Store.
Android has programs, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Although you can already receive SMS and set the time, in order to use instant messengers and social networks, you need an additional SIM card and a flash drive. Without them, applications simply won't launch.
Without a memory card, a fake will not launch any application.
Buying a used iPhone. Seller's choice
If this is your first time buying a used product online, know that there are many more scammers on the secondary market than honest sellers
Therefore, be careful when choosing a seller. Advice: don't trust anyone!
The model of a decent and sensible seller of a used iPhone looks something like this:
Face to Face
Open the box and take out the Apple Watch. We study carefully. Here, of course, the quality should also be at its best - if you notice a slight hint of wear or scratch, you can safely refuse the purchase. No, of course, defects do happen at Apple factories, but the quality service works great and will not let defects go on sale.
Does the watch look perfect? Then we inspect for “extra” parts. The fact is that China likes to show originality by adding non-existent elements to devices. For example, the Apple Watch does not have any connectors or slots, but such elements are often found on fakes.
Of course, it is best to have the original with you for comparison when examining a smartwatch, but we understand that in most cases this is not possible. Then we advise you to at least watch video reviews of the Apple Watch to get a detailed idea of what this device looks like.
The week of the semester is encrypted in the fifth character of the number.
| Numerical designations | A week | Letter designations | A week |
| 1 | 1 | C | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | D | 11 |
| 3 | 3 | F | 12 |
| 4 | 4 | G | 13 |
| 5 | 5 | H | 14 |
| 6 | 6 | J | 15 |
| 7 | 7 | K | 16 |
| 8 | 8 | M | 17 |
| 9 | 9 | N | 18 |
| L | 19 | ||
| P | 20 | ||
| Q | 21 | ||
| R | 22 | ||
| T | 23 | ||
| V | 24 | ||
| W | 25 | ||
| X | 26 | ||
| Y | 27 |
The following symbols (seventh to twelfth) are individual for each individual product
A little confusing, right? Let's look at the serial number from the middle of the article using a practical example: DMPMK096FKYC
The fourth sign is M, this is the first half of 2014. The fifth sign is K, we take into account the first half of the year and get the 16th week of 2014.
The release date of a 12-digit number is determined by the fourth character of the number
| Year | Symbol representing the first half of the year | Symbol representing the second half of the year |
| 2010 | C | D |
| 2011 | F | G |
| 2012 | H | J |
| 2013 | K | L |
| 2014 | M | N |
| 2015 | P | Q |
| 2016 | R | S |
| 2017 | T | V |
| 2018 | W | X |
| 2019 | Y | Z |
Features of the adapter plug
On a real charger, the plug is concave into the inner part at an angle of 45 degrees. This is done to ensure that the device is securely fixed in the outlet and does not fall out during use. On fakes, the pins are parallel to each other.
Chamfer on the fork
The original fork tips are made very carefully without any unnecessary elements. Everything is carefully polished just before release for sale. Moreover, the surface does not lose integrity even with intensive use. Counterfeits are easily scratched. Some manufacturers of fake chargers don't even care about the presence of a chamfer.
Charging weight
The actual charger should weigh 27 grams. Copies usually weigh up to 20 grams. Here it is advisable to take two charges and compare them by weight on your palms.
Checking with a magnet
You can also check the authenticity of the charger using a magnet. To do this, simply bring it to the USB connector on the power supply. Counterfeits will be magnetic, while original devices use special non-magnetic materials.
