iFixit Tears Down Counterfeit Apple Devices Bought in Shenzhen [Video]

iFixit has completed a teardown of several counterfeit Apple products purchased in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei district, revealing the corner-cutting techniques used to mimic premium devices. The repair site acquired fake versions of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Max 2, and AirPods Pro 3 for under $100, providing a detailed look at how these grey-market replicas compare to the real hardware.

The fake Apple Watch Ultra 3 features a convincing exterior complete with a working band release mechanism, but the illusion quickly fades upon closer inspection. The software is a simplified imitation of watchOS preloaded with third-party payment apps, and the haptics feel noticeably different from Apple's Taptic Engine. Inside, the device ultimately requires a screen-first teardown similar to Apple's design, despite initially appearing to allow access through the rear sensor assembly. The rear sensor array is largely cosmetic, featuring faux components painted onto a plastic shell. It houses a small 260 mAh battery soldered directly to the mainboard, compared to the genuine model's 542 mAh battery.


The counterfeit AirPods Max 2 substitute Apple's aluminum construction and premium mesh materials with plastic components and lower-quality ear cushions that were already showing loose fibers out of the box. Although the manufacturer used Pentalobe screws to mimic Apple's fasteners, the internal assembly features soldered audio connections that detached during disassembly, along with a dangling antenna wire. iFixit was unable to find the MEMS microphones normally used for active noise cancellation, and the replica relies on a basic C-clip for the headband hinge rather than a complex articulating mechanism. To match the heft of the authentic model, the manufacturer glued metal ballast weights inside the ear cups, a detail exposed by CT scans.

A similar strategy was used for the imitation AirPods Pro 3. While the external shell closely mirrors the genuine design, the internal components are drastically different. The earbuds appear to use a clipped-in driver and a basic lithium polymer pouch battery instead of the button cells found in the real product. Inside the charging case, iFixit discovered standard soldered wires replacing Apple's flex cables and a much simpler internal design than the genuine product.

iFixit provides a closer look at all three counterfeit products in the teardown video below.