Fake handset producers take a huge bite out of mobile manufacturers' profits.
Their rarity in the West might make them something of a novelty news item for us, but according to Nokia - the world's top producer of mobile phones - unlicensed Chinese tinkerers are robbing legitimate mobile makers of a whopping fifth of the world market with their counterfeit handsets.
"It is mostly China-originated [sic]", said a Nokia executive, "but it is global. It is not only in Asia, but also Latin America and even in some parts of Europe".
The 20% market share now held by the producers of the cheap knock-offs is in no small part down to their ability to rush a fake lookalike product to market sometimes just weeks after the genuine article's announcement. If this is left uncontrolled then I am sure we will begin to see ever more convincing and cheap mobile phones around.
www.customdesktops.moonfruit.com
