China Has Replicated Apple Watch, Cheap Knockoffs Already On Sale Online Via Alibaba

Yet to be officially launch in April but Apple Watches are already being sold in China, at a price as low as $45--one-eighth of the price for a basic Apple Watch model, which is set to be $349.

As Alibaba's Taobao.com posted: "Airwatch A8 smart wearable watch." It is a lookalike of the Apple Watch. It also claims that the product is more "functional" and diverse in nature than its genuine versions.

While some tried to hide their merchandise under a different code or name, others blatantly used the words Apple Watch as they openly advertised the Apple clones. “Apple Smart Watch with Bluetooth Bracelet,” one vendor said. Another said "Knockoff Apple watches have hit the market!"

Listings at a Chinese e-commerce website states the AW08 or the iWatch feature "digital crown" dials on their sides, straps similar to Apple’s much-awaited wearable device, as well as identical user interface graphics. A closer look at the specifications, however, will reveal the clones run on Google's Android platform, not on Apple's Watch OS. But of course.

Despite the glaring difference, comments posted on the Taobao page seemed to reveal people who have purchase the cheap knockoff are satisfied with it. They described the item as "easy to use."

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Alibaba vowed it is taking steps to curb the sale of counterfeit goods on its website. "Alibaba Group is dedicated to the fight against counterfeits," a spokeswoman for the company told the BBC. "We work closely with our government partners, brands and industry associations to tackle this issue at its source. We also utilise technology like data mining and big data to scrub our platforms of counterfeits."

A report by BBC said the copycats were first seen in January during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Matthew Forney, president of the business consultancy Fathom China from Beijing, said Apple products are very popular in China, but the Chinese have known how to scrutinise knockoffs. "I think most of those consumers are aware that there has been an issue with fakes and copycats on Taobao and would be highly suspicious of the devices. Most people who buy them will do so knowing they are not Apple's real Watch."

Apple announced the watch will formally hit the market on April 24. Buyers in China and Hong Kong can pre-order on April 10, the same day it starts taking orders in the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain, France and Germany.

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