iPhone battery packs are equipped with memory chips, which help store basic information of the battery such as production date, usable time, and number of charges. Users can check the information in iPhone settings.

However, with JC-B1, the information can be counterfeited. The indexes shown on iPhone can be counterfeited and battery testing applications could be deceived.

JC-B1 was made in China. Jcprogrammer, the manufacturer, offers to sell it on many websites. Nguyen Quang Thai from Tan Binh district in HCMC bought the model for VND2.5 billion.

“I have many relations with iPhone repair shops. I once saw them importing the model from China and reselling to other shops. JC-B1 can make deep intervention into products, beyond users’ basic knowledge.

"You can fabricate cycle counts. The device can also allow to re-set battery health to 100 percent, change the names of manufacturers and the production dates,” Thai said.

“It can also copy the series of old battery and save the information on new battery. Since the battery information coincides with old battery, 3utools, the battery testing app cannot discover this.

The device lends a hand to dishonest traders, allowing them to buy old cheap iPhones and then change the indexes on the Phones and re-sell as brandnew products. People buying second-hand products think the products are original.

“I think the device is quite dangerous, because it provides false information. You’ll never know the real battery health situation,” said Dang Nhat Anh in district 12, HCMC.

According to Khang Pham, chief technician at a large retail chain in HCMC, if one buys a second-hand product and sees battery health at nearly 100 percent, the product was very likely ‘treated’ with JC-B1.

“You’d better to buy products at prestigious shops. If you want to buy second-hand products, you need to check the rubber gasket, or the rubber layer around the screen border,” he said.

If the gasket is still new, this means that accessories have not been dismantled and replaced. However, not many shops accept the examination this way.

In late 2017, Apple was involved in a serious scandal when users discovered the manufacturer intentionally slowing iPhone performance in an attempt to prevent phone-crashing power spikes.

Later, the company began a battery replacement, offering one battery pack priced at $29 for every iPhone SE, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus and X.

The program with preferential battery price has ended. However, Vietnamese users have been told to go to Apple’s authorized warranty centers to buy genuine batteries.

Xuan Mai

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