2024年4月11日发(作者：中兴u232手机qq浏览器)

the proliferation of the underground mobile phone industry.

Some experts say this is because the companies involved in it blur the boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate

enterprises. Even though they may still partake in shady practices, such as evading taxes, avoiding safety checks and using

pirated software, a growing number of bandit phone firms are becoming licensed, creating brands with nearly as much

recognition as established domestic ones.

And whether licensed or not, nearly all the grey market firms place orders with mobile phone component companies that

work with major manufacturers as well, which keeps factories up and running especially as handset sales plummet amidst

the economic downturn.

Not just faking it

Many shanzhai companies have begun to move beyond mere copying and into the realm of creativity. Some have been

developed to suit the needs of the local market, with two slots for SIM cards for businesspeople traveling between Taiwan,

Hong Kong and the mainland. View the gallery of the phones »

Some have gimmicky appearances, like cigarettes boxes or watches, but others have special lights that can be used to

identify fake money, large screens and keypads for the elderly or extra loud speakers for farmers who may not be able to hear

their phones while working outside.

"This is an important way to cultivate grassroots innovation," said Jack Linchuan Liu, a communications professor at Chinese

University of Hong Kong who has studied the shanzhai industry.

"There is a lot of raw power in the development of these bandit phones that could be channeled into normal, productive

creativity from the bottom up."

Fierce competition among bandit phone firms continues to drive prices down while prices for more advanced technology

continues to go up, causing many of the companies to close simply because they can't make the margins they did a couple of

years ago.

Thousands of shanzhai companies have disappeared in recent months or have moved into new areas of opportunity, making

shanzhai laptops and digital cameras.

Mr. Liu is now planning his exit strategy, too. He says he is not sure what he'll do next, but whatever it is, he hopes it will

involve making lots of money. "I am trying to realize a big dream," he said. "But every success has a shortcut."