The iPhone 17 Pro lookalikes sold for under R2 000

An iPhone 17 Pro costs more than R24 000 to buy in cash.

You can get the phone on contract for roughly R1 500 a month.

But rising inflation and unemployment mean South Africans are finding cheaper alternatives.

Brands are exploiting this and selling nearly identical phones for a fraction of the cost.

iPhone 17 Pro Lookalikes are Everywhere

Takealot and Cash Crusaders are selling lookalike iPhones that cost 90% less than the original.

Cash Crusaders sells several iPhone 17 Pro lookalikes. These range from R1599.90 to R1999.90. These phones are sold under several brand names, including Hotwav and Doogee.

Then, there's Takealot. Third-party sellers are allowed to sell to consumers, with Takealot facilitating the transaction.

On Takealot, you'll find brands like Spectra and ZTE selling iPhone 17 Pro lookalikes for R1699.

There are also some dropshippers selling no-review phones under titles like "Factory Sealed New Android Smartphone" with shipping in 14 to 16 working days.

Then, some sellers are exploiting the hype by selling mini iPhone lookalikes.

Soyes sells a 3.88-inch (9.7 cm) phone that looks similar to the iPhone, but is half the size.

Phone Specs

These phones look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but they won't have the same features.

RAM

Lookalikes have between 3 gigabytes (GB) of Random Access Memory (RAM) and 128 GB when extended.  

The iPhone 17 Pro features 12 GB of RAM and at least 128 GB of memory.

Camera

The iPhone 17 Pro has a 48-megapixel main camera and an 18-megapixel front-facing camera.

That isn't the case for these lookalikes.

Knock-offs feature 8- and 13-megapixel rear cameras, with either a 5-megapixel or 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

Lookalikes also don't have the same technology as an iPhone camera.

Size

The average size for a lookalike is 6.75 inches (17 cm). Some lookalikes feature a more realistic size comparison of 6.56 inches (16.53 cm).

The iPhone 17 Pro has a 6.3-inch (15.8 cm) display.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch (17.25 cm) display.

Ethics of Buying Knock-Offs

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), global revenue from counterfeit and pirated goods reached $467 billion (R7.9 trillion) in 2021.

But these lookalikes wouldn't fall under this illicit trade.

Instead, they're in a separate category. These might be considered replicas, but they aren't illegal.

These manufacturers may rely on suppliers who use child labour and expose workers to dangerous conditions or low wages.

However, major manufacturers, including Apple, aren't immune to this type of unethical manufacturing.

According to The Guardian, in 2013 Apple was found to have child labour in their supply chain.

In 2025, a new lawsuit was filed against the company alleging that mining of minerals used to manufacture phones exploits child labour.

Knock-offs may have similar, if not worse, conditions in their pipeline.

Consumers could avoid supporting this by purchasing an Apple-made product.

Yet no one buying a knock-off intends or has the capital to buy the real phone.

These phones fill a gap in the market, allowing average consumers to participate in trends.