Fake Apple iPod Players Discovered

The success of Apple Computer with its iPod digital music players is indisputable, but having shipped over 50 million of its players, the company has discovered that there are not only Creative Labs or Sony Corp. trying to steal its profits, but also makers of counterfeit “iPod” gadgets that look similar to iPod nano and iPod shuffle.

AppleInsider reported based on information that Apple supplied to its server partners that two of the most commonly counterfeited iPods appear to be the iPod nano and the iPod shuffle.

The fake iPod nano players, reportedly often sport non-standard headphone jacks and lack a dock connector, counterfeit iPod nanos also ship without a standard USB cable and pack a screen that is slightly longer than the nano’s. The fake iPod nano players run dissimilar operating system software and have also been known to include a Play/Pause symbol on the center select button, which the original iPod nano does not.

Forged iPod shuffle devices a reported to include an on/off switch that lacks a repeat option. The players, which look similar to the iPod shuffle, also fail to include a battery or status indicator light. Counterfeiters have been packaging the players in fake iPod shuffle retail boxes that include the words “Digital Music Player” on the top.