Chinese company clones iPhone 5 in advance
Staff Reporter
2012-09-03
17:06 (GMT+8)
An advanced prototype of the Goophone i5. (Internet photo)
A Chinese electronics manufacturer is producing a new smartphone based on alleged "leaked" photos and specifications of Apple's upcoming iPhone 5, reports PConline, a web portal owned by China's PC Group.
In recent weeks, photos of a new smartphone called the "Goophone i5" have been circulating on the internet. The phone is reportedly made by Goford Electronics, based in Shenzhen, and appears, at least from the outside, to be virtually identical to the supposed "leaked" photos of the highly anticipated iPhone 5, which is rumored to be scheduled for release later this year.
In line with iPhone 5 specification rumors, the Goford's Goophone features a longer, leaner case than the iPhone 4S and contains a new micro USB port. The headphone socket is also located on the bottom of the phone as opposed to the top, with the back cover split into three sections.
Reporters from PConline contacted Goford and confirmed the existence of the "concept" smartphone. In terms of specifications, however, the Goophone will initially only contain a dual-core MT6577 processor, unlike the quad-processor the iPhone 5 is rumored to have. Goford said the quad-core processor is still being tested and will probably be released at around the same time as the second generation quad-core phone from domestic rival Xiaomi. The Goophone will have a diagional length of four inches, 854x480 resolution and five-point touch screen control, the company added.
Whether the Goophone ends up being a close knock-off of the real iPhone 5 will not be known until Apple's official release, although the one key difference that the two phones will definitely have is that the Goophone will be powered by Google's Android operating system.
