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2014-06-25, 06:22
We see a lot of the same questions being asked again-and-again regarding clones. This thread aims to address some of those issues up front. If there's anything you'd like to contribute or questions you feel should be addressed, please post. All inputs and criticisms are welcomed. Thanks all.
What is a China clone phone?
China phones come in many variants. On the upper end of this spectrum, phone variants range from high quality reputable name brands to well-established budget contenders. On the lower end of this spectrum – perhaps even the very bottom of the barrel – we find ourselves looking at the unknown clones. A China clone phone is typically an unknown brand that’s made only to outwardly imitate some of the leading models of smart phones. From 20 feet away, it looks like the newest and hottest phone on the market. In actuality…. it simply is not.
Brand-Name Clone vs No-Name Clone
In general there are two types of clone phones:
1. Brand-Name Clone Phones
2. No-Name Clone Phones
Brand-Name Clone Phones: Some China Clones do come from reputable and well-known brands, such as Goophone, Jiake, and Star. If you have or are considering buying one of these phones, try to search for reviews and data for that specific phone or brand. Likewise, search and post in those sections of this forum when possible.
No-Name Clone Phones: Some China Clones do NOT come from reputable or well-known brands. These phones usually advertise themselves as actual clones, and make very little mention of the real manufacturer. The majority of this FAQ is geared towards the "No-Name Clone Phones".
What do I need to know before buying a China clone phone?
First and foremost, it’s important to know that a clone phone is NOT the phone it’s imitating. Besides looks, a clone has little to do with the phone it’s imitating. It does not use the same hardware. It does not use the same software. It doesn’t even use the same case.
Accordingly:
1. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
2. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
3. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
Paying attention? If you were, you noticed that all three of those rules are exactly the same. If you weren’t, please read the list again. This is a common misconception and it often leads to inexperienced users suffering avoidable consequences. Flashing an incorrect ROM for your phone will likely result in a soft-bricked phone and a lot of frustrated cursing. Don’t do it. Consider yourself warned.
Additionally:
1. Do not expect a China clone to perform identically to the name-brand phone it is imitating. It won’t.
2. Do not expect a clone to even perform identically to other well-known China brands of phones. It won’t.
“No-Name Clone Phone” manufacturers have no stake in producing a quality product. They have no reason to. They have no reputation to defend. They aren’t even selling phones based on their own reputation in the first place. As stated above, they are selling phones that outwardly look like other, more popular phones.
Are you trying to say I should not buy a clone phone?
Frankly, yes.
In my experience, phones that are strictly no-name clones are inferior to the better-known counterparts on the market. If at all possible, I implore you to buy a better known brand of China phone. If you don’t know the difference, search around the forums and learn. Better yet, ! The community here can be hugely helpful in guiding your decision before buying. They prevented me from making some costly and frustrating mistakes. The community here can be very helpful in doing the same for you.
Likewise, if you find what seems to be an undisputed fantastic phone on the cheap, others on the forum would probably be stoked to know that as well! It’s a two-way street. We are all here to learn and help one another.
I already have a China clone. Now what?
See post #2
How do I determine what this China clone phone really is?
Start with the seller. If it's a reputable seller, any information/specs they provided regarding the phone and its specs might be helpful. Unfortunately (and especially in the no-name clone world), not all sellers are reputable. It is possible for a manufacturer or seller to fake the specs of a phone.
If you are suspect the hardware specs might be faked, one good place to start is with MTK Droid Tools. Install this on your PC, install the ADB drivers for your phone, and fire up MTK Droid Tools. Look specifically at the data on the "Phone Information" tab. Does this match what you expected to see? If not, be aware!
In all, determining the true brand, model, and hardware set of a clone phone can be a tremendous challenge. Any information you can get from anywhere that might help you will be useful. But if you cannot determine these things, I strongly caution you not to try to flash any firmware to your phone without first making and verifying a full backup of your stock ROM.
How do I root my China clone phone?
Rooting a clone is no different than rooting any other Android phone. Because many of the clone phones use the same processors and versions of Android as one another and of China Phones in general, many of the same techniques that are currently most used are likely to work with your clone. At this forum, we have a whole section dedicated to rooting devices. Head his sub-forum and begin by reading the sticky threads:
In addition, it's important to realize that rooting a phone is essentially just exploiting a loophole that exists on a particular hardware/software set. Therefore, I'd recommend starting with methods that have been verified to work on your particular version of Android, and with your particular processor if possible.
How do I find ROMs for my China clone phone?
See post #4
In addition to searching the web and on the websites listed in Post #4, the most important thing you need to know is to find a ROM that is made for your specific phone. If you flash your phone with a ROM that is not made for your specific phone, you have a HUGE risk of bricking your phone. So most importantly:
DO NOT FLASH A ROM THAT IS NOT MADE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC PHONE!
Second to that, PLEASE make a backup of your specific phone. Trying to find a stock ROM for your specific generic clone phone is going to be a difficult task and you'll likely have no support from the original company who made your phone in the first place (if you can even find out who that is).
I cannot emphasize this enough. If you do not know with 110% certainty that a ROM is made for your specific phone, MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR SPECIFIC PHONE BEFORE DOING ANYTHING! In the highly probable case that something goes wrong, it will be the difference between having a phone that works and one that does not.
What is a China clone phone?
China phones come in many variants. On the upper end of this spectrum, phone variants range from high quality reputable name brands to well-established budget contenders. On the lower end of this spectrum – perhaps even the very bottom of the barrel – we find ourselves looking at the unknown clones. A China clone phone is typically an unknown brand that’s made only to outwardly imitate some of the leading models of smart phones. From 20 feet away, it looks like the newest and hottest phone on the market. In actuality…. it simply is not.
Brand-Name Clone vs No-Name Clone
In general there are two types of clone phones:
1. Brand-Name Clone Phones
2. No-Name Clone Phones
Brand-Name Clone Phones: Some China Clones do come from reputable and well-known brands, such as Goophone, Jiake, and Star. If you have or are considering buying one of these phones, try to search for reviews and data for that specific phone or brand. Likewise, search and post in those sections of this forum when possible.
No-Name Clone Phones: Some China Clones do NOT come from reputable or well-known brands. These phones usually advertise themselves as actual clones, and make very little mention of the real manufacturer. The majority of this FAQ is geared towards the "No-Name Clone Phones".
What do I need to know before buying a China clone phone?
First and foremost, it’s important to know that a clone phone is NOT the phone it’s imitating. Besides looks, a clone has little to do with the phone it’s imitating. It does not use the same hardware. It does not use the same software. It doesn’t even use the same case.
Accordingly:
1. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
2. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
3. Do NOT expect firmware for a brand-name phone to work on a clone phone. It won’t.
Paying attention? If you were, you noticed that all three of those rules are exactly the same. If you weren’t, please read the list again. This is a common misconception and it often leads to inexperienced users suffering avoidable consequences. Flashing an incorrect ROM for your phone will likely result in a soft-bricked phone and a lot of frustrated cursing. Don’t do it. Consider yourself warned.
Additionally:
1. Do not expect a China clone to perform identically to the name-brand phone it is imitating. It won’t.
2. Do not expect a clone to even perform identically to other well-known China brands of phones. It won’t.
“No-Name Clone Phone” manufacturers have no stake in producing a quality product. They have no reason to. They have no reputation to defend. They aren’t even selling phones based on their own reputation in the first place. As stated above, they are selling phones that outwardly look like other, more popular phones.
Are you trying to say I should not buy a clone phone?
Frankly, yes.
In my experience, phones that are strictly no-name clones are inferior to the better-known counterparts on the market. If at all possible, I implore you to buy a better known brand of China phone. If you don’t know the difference, search around the forums and learn. Better yet, ! The community here can be hugely helpful in guiding your decision before buying. They prevented me from making some costly and frustrating mistakes. The community here can be very helpful in doing the same for you.
Likewise, if you find what seems to be an undisputed fantastic phone on the cheap, others on the forum would probably be stoked to know that as well! It’s a two-way street. We are all here to learn and help one another.
I already have a China clone. Now what?
See post #2
How do I determine what this China clone phone really is?
Start with the seller. If it's a reputable seller, any information/specs they provided regarding the phone and its specs might be helpful. Unfortunately (and especially in the no-name clone world), not all sellers are reputable. It is possible for a manufacturer or seller to fake the specs of a phone.
If you are suspect the hardware specs might be faked, one good place to start is with MTK Droid Tools. Install this on your PC, install the ADB drivers for your phone, and fire up MTK Droid Tools. Look specifically at the data on the "Phone Information" tab. Does this match what you expected to see? If not, be aware!
In all, determining the true brand, model, and hardware set of a clone phone can be a tremendous challenge. Any information you can get from anywhere that might help you will be useful. But if you cannot determine these things, I strongly caution you not to try to flash any firmware to your phone without first making and verifying a full backup of your stock ROM.
How do I root my China clone phone?
Rooting a clone is no different than rooting any other Android phone. Because many of the clone phones use the same processors and versions of Android as one another and of China Phones in general, many of the same techniques that are currently most used are likely to work with your clone. At this forum, we have a whole section dedicated to rooting devices. Head his sub-forum and begin by reading the sticky threads:
In addition, it's important to realize that rooting a phone is essentially just exploiting a loophole that exists on a particular hardware/software set. Therefore, I'd recommend starting with methods that have been verified to work on your particular version of Android, and with your particular processor if possible.
How do I find ROMs for my China clone phone?
See post #4
In addition to searching the web and on the websites listed in Post #4, the most important thing you need to know is to find a ROM that is made for your specific phone. If you flash your phone with a ROM that is not made for your specific phone, you have a HUGE risk of bricking your phone. So most importantly:
DO NOT FLASH A ROM THAT IS NOT MADE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC PHONE!
Second to that, PLEASE make a backup of your specific phone. Trying to find a stock ROM for your specific generic clone phone is going to be a difficult task and you'll likely have no support from the original company who made your phone in the first place (if you can even find out who that is).
I cannot emphasize this enough. If you do not know with 110% certainty that a ROM is made for your specific phone, MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR SPECIFIC PHONE BEFORE DOING ANYTHING! In the highly probable case that something goes wrong, it will be the difference between having a phone that works and one that does not.
LG Nexus 4 | APQ8064 | 2GB / 16GB | 4.7"
Star S7589 | MTK6589 | 1GB / 8GB | 5.8"
THL T200C | MTK6592W | 2GB / 16GB | 6.0"
Mlais M52 | MTK6752 | 2GB / 16GB | 5.5"
innos D6000 | MSM8939 | 3GB / 32GB | 5.2"
Asus Zenfone 2 | Z2560 | 2GB / 16GB | 5.5"
Star S7589 | MTK6589 | 1GB / 8GB | 5.8"
THL T200C | MTK6592W | 2GB / 16GB | 6.0"
Mlais M52 | MTK6752 | 2GB / 16GB | 5.5"
innos D6000 | MSM8939 | 3GB / 32GB | 5.2"
Asus Zenfone 2 | Z2560 | 2GB / 16GB | 5.5"
