Is my Galaxy S3 a fake ?

[Jones2020]

So guys I buyed my Galaxy S3 months ago... Yesterday my LCD screen broke and decided to take to the shop... But the shopkeeper said that my smartphone is not original or at least doesn't look like it..


He compared it with another S3, my battery says "Made by vietnam BY SAMSUNG" while his said "Made by SAMSUNG" and my LED indicator is on the left side like this picture

http://phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Samsung-Galaxy-S3-white-blue.jpeg

And his

http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/samsung-galaxy-s3-hands-on-9.jpg

EDIT: I see that all LED indicators are on the left side... It just isn't visible.. So I mean, should it be visible the LED Indicator ?


1) Is mine fake ? Whats the difference ?

2) Can the screen be replaced with a screen like this http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/samsung-galaxy-s3-hands-on-9.jpg

 

[dezymond]

You can check to see if it's real by registering it at Samsung.

 

[Jones2020]

"This IMEI number seems to be correct, but we do not have any information on this specific handset. Please add the missing information below."


Correct me I am wrong. Is it because the Led indicator on specific color models are not visible ? Such as gray titanium and white Galaxy S3 ? And on the black version the LED indicator is visible ?

 

[dezymond]

"This IMEI number seems to be correct, but we do not have any information on this specific handset. Please add the missing information below."


Correct me I am wrong. Is it because the Led indicator on specific color models are not visible ? Such as gray titanium and white Galaxy S3 ? And on the black version the LED indicator is visible ?

It can be difficult to tell just by looks alone, some fakes are really good at copying the real thing.

The best way is to register your device at Samsung's website and that'll tell you if it's real or not.

 

[Jones2020]

I live in belgium so I can't seem to register my product at the US Samsung..


But I am already registered at the "find my mobile" feature of samsung

Find My Mobile | Samsung Content & Services


I can log in and see my device and use all sorts of features as tracking my cellphone or blocking it , etc..

 

[FoxKat]

International Numbering Plans, © 2001-2013

Use the link above to check the IMEI number. Each IMEI number is 100% unique to the individual device and is also unique to the manufacturer. These numbers are assigned in blocks to the manufacturer so that there can be no two devices with the same IMEI number on any cellular network at the same time.

When you check yours it will tell you who the manufacturer is, or it may tell you nothing. If you get no results, it is definitely a fake. If you don't get Samsung and all the expected results, it's a fake. If you get the expected results, it still may be a fake. Only the best knockoffs will pass this test.

Here's a good collection of videos showing fakes and also comparing them to the real ones.

Samsung galaxy S3 fake on Veengle

Also, it's been said that in almost every instance of the fake SG3, the sim card adapter is different than the original. Google Samsung S3 Sim Card slot and compare the pics with yours.

Still another way to know for sure is to follow the G3 Teardown at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=D4hSprkUYELaZR0rworARQ&bvm=bv.49784469,d.dmg.

There you'll see the most intimate view of the S3 in all its glory. If you notice anything unusual about the teardown as compared to yours, then yours is a fake. There are also Youtube teardowns as well which show you a video representation of the same.

Finally, the specifications of yours as compared to the original will be one of the best ways to be sure. Make sure your phone reports back the following specifications when you go to the <Menu><System settings><About phone> to check the System version, Model number, Android version (or more current), Baseband version (to identify what radios it contains), Kernel version (to assure you have the same version Kernel), and Build number - http://shimworld.wordpress.com/2012...droid-4-1-1-jelly-bean-interface-screenshots/ (second image down on the left).


Some of the main differences between the genuine S3 and the knockoffs are the processor, RAM, and Radios. If your phone has a different processor, has either a faster or slower processor speed, has more or less RAM (most likely less), and has different radios than those manufactured for your market by Samsung itself, then it's very probable that it's a knockoff.

There are some REALLY good knockoffs, but none that have higher specifications than the S3 that I am aware of. There are some knockoffs that even I wouldn't mind owning, except for the fact that they damage the manufacturer and wind up costing the consumer more for the real thing due to all the lost revenue from the fakes. Not to mention that they are illegally produced and most likely by child labor which is severely underpaid and abused in many ways by their superiors. For those reasons I will never own a knockoff of any product.

Good luck in your investigation.

 

[Jones2020]

International Numbering Plans, © 2001-2013

Use the link above to check the IMEI number. Each IMEI number is 100% unique to the individual device and is also unique to the manufacturer. These numbers are assigned in blocks to the manufacturer so that there can be no two devices with the same IMEI number on any cellular network at the same time.

When you check yours it will tell you who the manufacturer is, or it may tell you nothing. If you get no results, it is definitely a fake. If you don't get Samsung and all the expected results, it's a fake. If you get the expected results, it still may be a fake. Only the best knockoffs will pass this test.

Here's a good collection of videos showing fakes and also comparing them to the real ones.

Samsung galaxy S3 fake on Veengle

Also, it's been said that in almost every instance of the fake SG3, the sim card adapter is different than the original. Google Samsung S3 Sim Card slot and compare the pics with yours.

Still another way to know for sure is to follow the G3 Teardown at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=D4hSprkUYELaZR0rworARQ&bvm=bv.49784469,d.dmg.

There you'll see the most intimate view of the S3 in all its glory. If you notice anything unusual about the teardown as compared to yours, then yours is a fake. There are also Youtube teardowns as well which show you a video representation of the same.

Finally, the specifications of yours as compared to the original will be one of the best ways to be sure. Make sure your phone reports back the following specifications when you go to the <Menu><System settings><About phone> to check the System version, Model number, Android version (or more current), Baseband version (to identify what radios it contains), Kernel version (to assure you have the same version Kernel), and Build number - Samsung Galaxy S3 Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Interface Screenshots | shimworld (second image down on the left).


Some of the main differences between the genuine S3 and the knockoffs are the processor, RAM, and Radios. If your phone has a different processor, has either a faster or slower processor speed, has more or less RAM (most likely less), and has different radios than those manufactured for your market by Samsung itself, then it's very probable that it's a knockoff.

There are some REALLY good knockoffs, but none that have higher specifications than the S3 that I am aware of. There are some knockoffs that even I wouldn't mind owning, except for the fact that they damage the manufacturer and wind up costing the consumer more for the real thing due to all the lost revenue from the fakes. Not to mention that they are illegally produced and most likely by child labor which is severely underpaid and abused in many ways by their superiors. For those reasons I will never own a knockoff of any product.

Good luck in your investigation.

There is no any kind of difference except the "Made by Vietnam by Samsung" on the battery and letters are smaller than normal.. Rest is completly the same.

And I get this when Imei check

"This IMEI number seems to be correct, but we do not have any information on this specific handset. Please add the missing information below."

 

[FoxKat]

Based on that information from the IMEI check, I would wager that it is a knockoff, as it should pop up with a very clear identification of Samsung and the model number, and even if it's carrier-specific, the carrier name.

What network do you have it activated on?

 

[Jones2020]

Based on that information from the IMEI check, I would wager that it is a knockoff, as it should pop up with a very clear identification of Samsung and the model number, and even if it's carrier-specific, the carrier name.

What network do you have it activated on?

I think it's because it's the international version ? I live in Belgium, I assume that website only recognises US versions at bes.. GT-I9300