Brazilian company launches “iphone” running Android

IT’S AN iPhone, but not as we know it. Brazilian phone company Gradiente has launched a smartphone called the ‘iphone’ after winning the legal right to use the the name.

In a peculiar twist, the phone runs on the Android operating system - Apple’s biggest rival.

A spokeswoman for the Brazilian trademark office Maratan Marques said Gradiente has requested permission to use the brand name prior to Apple, and has the right to do so until 2018.

A statement read: “In Brazil, Gradiente has the exclusive right to use the iPhone brand.

“This company will adopt all the measures used by companies around the world to preserve its intellectual property rights.”

Aside from the name and size, the device has very little in common with Apple’s iconic smartphone. The company have subtly altered the logo - substituting a lowercase ‘P’ for Apple’s recognisable uppercase - in an attempt to dodge the Californian-based company’s copyright.

Despite attempting to cover their backs, Apple’s lawyers may well be readying themselves for a legal battle. The firm took Samsung to court in a much-publicised crusade against the company for allegedly copying designs for its Galaxy range of phones.

The bogus iPhone manages to squeeze Android’s 2.3 Gingerbread display onto a relatively small 3.7 inch screen.

Aside from that, it has cameras on the front and back - but no flash - as well as using a 700MHz processor. An iPhone 5 it most certainly is not.

It is not thought that the phony er, phone will be available outwith the South American country, but iPhone users desperate to replicate that Android effect can simply download the likes of Gmail, Google Chrome, and now Google Maps alongside a host of other Google-based apps.