Skip to main content

Latest North Korean Smartphone Looks Almost Identical to iPhone

Jindallae 3
Image used with permission by copyright holder
North Korea reportedly released a new smartphone — the Jindallae 3 — but most would say it looks strangely identical to Apple’s iPhone. The mobile device was developed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Mangyongdae Information Technology Corporation — according to the state-run DPRK Toda, which reported the information this past weekend, noted NK News.

The article also states that the research group behind the smartphone is following though on the government’s plan to develop products that are high-tech and clear of all issues and difficulties in terms of development — “in the Korean way.” To satisfy customer complaints, the phone’s developers have apparently improved the overall performance of the mobile batteries and the safety when it comes to the operating system.

Even though the phone was reportedly launched in March, photos were recently released by DPRK Today. They show the Jindallae 3 is available in two models — black or white — and bear a striking resemblance to the iPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, including bezels at the top and bottom of the device along with curved edges.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

In terms of apps, there are reportedly a variety of applications available for the phone such as an internet browser, a photo app, a calculator, a music player, and a North Korean card game, Daily Mail reports. The interface of the device closely mirrors a mix between iOS and Android with a dock on the bottom featuring different apps along with the time and weather displayed on top.

This is not North Korea’s first rodeo when it comes to smartphones with a number of devices released within the last few years due to a growing demand. In 2013, it was reported that the Arirang smartphone — running on Google’s Android OS — was being manufactured on its grounds. In May, the country released the Ryonghung iPad — with no relation to the Apple iPad — which is a tablet equipped with a keyboard, 8GB hard disk, 1GB of RAM, and “network connection” capabilities, according to NK News.

Other than the photos of the Jindallae 3, there were no specs listed to provide more detail about the smartphone’s capabilities on both the inside and out. The report did claim that manufacturing — including design and the operating system — were sourced locally. As far as fun facts go —  information was released that the smartphone’s name was inspired by a Korean flower.

Editors' Recommendations

Brenda Stolyar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brenda became obsessed with technology after receiving her first Dell computer from her grandpa in the second grade. While…
Here’s how Apple could change your iPhone forever
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying on its back, showing its home screen.

Over the past few months, Apple has released a steady stream of research papers detailing its work with generative AI. So far, Apple has been tight-lipped about what exactly is cooking in its research labs, while rumors circulate that Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for iPhones.

But there have been a couple of teasers of what we can expect. In February, an Apple research paper detailed an open-source model called MLLM-Guided Image Editing (MGIE) that is capable of media editing using natural language instructions from users. Now, another research paper on Ferret UI has sent the AI community into a frenzy.

Read more
There’s a big problem with the iPhone’s Photos app
The Apple iPhone 15 Plus's gallery app.

While my primary device these days continues to be my iPhone 15 Pro, I’ve dabbled with plenty of Android phones since I’ve been here at Digital Trends. One of my favorite brands of phone has been the Google Pixel because of its strong suite of photo-editing tools and good camera hardware.

Google first added the Magic Eraser capability with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, which is a tool I love using. Then, with the Pixel 8 series, Google added the Magic Editor, which uses generative AI to make edits that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. There are also tools like Photo Unblur, which is great for old photographs and enhancing images that were captured with low-quality sensors.

Read more
Why you should buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max instead of the iPhone 15 Pro
Someone holding an iPhone 15 Pro Max outside on a patio, showing the back of the Natural Titanium color.

If you want the best iPhone money can buy in 2024, you have two options: the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. They have the same chipset, similar display technology, nearly identical cameras, etc. It's a really close battle, save for the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro is $200 cheaper.

It might be tempting to save some cash and choose the iPhone 15 Pro, but I recommend you splurge for the larger (and more expensive) iPhone 15 Pro Max. Why? Let me explain.
It's a big iPhone you won't hate using

Read more