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 Today, 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.
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.
