[NewsPoster]

Chinese rip-off merchants Goophone have released their iPhone 5 clone, the i5S. In addition to looking very much like the iPhone 5 hardware, the company has completed the look with a surprisingly accurate iOS skin layered on top of Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean.' Unlike the Apple iPhone 5, however, the device does not match it for price, shipping for just $149.

To get it down to its asking price, Goophone has incorporated decidedly un-iPhone 5-like specifications. Where the iPhone 5 packs a 4-inch high-res 1136x640 IPS display, the Goophone i5S uses a 4-inch panel with a much lower resolution of 854x480 pixels. While Apple's iPhone 5 uses a high-end custom A6 chip with triple-core PowerVR graphics, the Goophone iS5 uses a low-end 1GHz MediaTek MT6577 dual-core CPU. The Goophone i5S is also only capable of connecting to 3G networks against the iPhone 5's 4G LTE capabilities. The iPhone 5 also packs an 8-megapixel camera with high-end optics, while the Goophone uses a 5-megapixel rear camera. Wi-Fi is similarly limited to 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth at version 2.0, while onboard storage is limited to 8GB. Despite doing a good knock-off of the iOS interface, the Goophone i5S runs Android 4.1.2 'Jelly Bean.' [via Phandroid]

[efithian]

This has the specs of a 3GS but with a higher price. Nice try. You would think that they could make a better duplicate, but I guess the parts are too expensive.

[Spheric Harlot]

how do you figure it a "higher price"?

[pairof9s]

You can get a 3GS w/ the same specs (albeit a 3.5" screen) as this Chinese ripoff for less than $150.

[pairof9s]

Apple has to fork over a few million because a Chinese company got hosed on its poor negotiations for the iPad trademark, but this complete form factor ripoff (sans the OS) by a Chinese company cannot be be sued...Gotta love the face of the new global marketplace!

[Salsa]

That $149 price is unsubsidized. Apple doesn't sell anything that cheap. Maybe you could get a used 3 or 3GS for that price.

[Spheric Harlot]

^ Apple no longer sells the 3GS, so the only way to get it *is* used.

Originally Posted by pairof9s 

You can get a 3GS w/ the same specs (albeit a 3.5" screen) as this Chinese ripoff for less than $150.

…used, vs. new.

What you say is true, but it isn't really relevant.

[pairof9s]

"Apple no longer sells the 3GS, so the only way to get it *is* used." ---- Well I'm sure "used" has a very subjective definition in China!!