iPhone in Brazil Comes with Android Gingerbread, Not Apple
Dec 21, 2012 09:50 AM EDT by
After Gradient S.A. won the legal right to the name ‘iPhone’ in Brazil, they instantly started selling the infamously-named smartphones in their home country, according to an AP report. But most shocking, other than this blatant naming confusion, is that the phone runs Android’s outdated Gingerbread OS.
The smartphone retails for approximately $300, and features a 3.7-inch touch screen. In addition to 3G and dual-SIM support, it offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity and sports a front and rear camera (no word on the megapixels).
By comparison, Apple’s iPhone features 4G LTE support with a 4-inch Retina display and Apple’s handy Siri personal assistant. Due to taxes and tariffs, Brazilian Apple iPhones cost more than anywhere in the world, at rates that are roughly double the cost of an U.S. iPhone.
The Brazilian company filed for use of the iPhone name in 2000, reportedly before Apple requested use of the brand. And, at least in Brazil, Gradient has exclusive right to the name until 2018. According to the AP, Gradient plans to aggressively protect its “intellectual property rights.” There is no word yet on whether Apple will stop selling its iPhone in the Latin American country.
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