Windows Phone App Review: iClone

By George Ponder
last updated

iClone for Windows Phone

The iClone app for your Windows Phone is an interesting novelty app. iClone pulls up a fake iPhone interface on your Windows Phone that doesn't look bad and has a little functionality to help sell things.

When you first launch iClone you'll be presented with the iPhone lock screen and from there you get the traditional iPhone layout with thirteen icons that include:

  • Messages (launches a new text message)
  • Photos (in-house album)
  • Calculator
  • Camera (launches your Windows Phone camera but pics are stored in-house)
  • Maps (Bing)
  • Calendar (takes you to your Windows Live calendar)
  • App Store (launches Marketplace app)
  • Clock
  • Screen Lock (pulls up the lock screen)
  • Notes
  • iTunes (pulls up Zune)
  • Siri (plays a few humorous quotes)
  • Settings (pulls up iClone settings and a few Windows Phone settings)

Swiping to the left pulls up the search screen and swiping to the right pulls up six more icons for a BMI (body mass index) app, a weight tracking app, a vibration app, a chess game, a rather nasty cowboy dueling app and link to the developer's Facebook page.

Along the bottom of the screen you have tiles to launch an iPhone designed dialer, your email, web browser and fake iPod player. iClone ran smoothly but the iPod player was a little shaky at times.  Songs would mysteriously start playing again at random after you hit the pause button.

It's really a nice app but we couldn't help but ask why would you want to fool your friends into thinking you had iOS running on your Windows Phone. Especially when you have such a great OS to begin with.

Not wanting to read too much into things we took iClone for what it is, a well presented novelty app for your Windows Phone. I wonder how many "Is that the new iPhone?" type questions you'd get running iClone the next time you visit your local AT&T store?

iClone is running $.99 and you can grab it here (opens in new tab) at the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Via: WIndows Phone ITA; Thanks, Cici

George Ponder
George Ponder

George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.

95 Comments
  • Excuse me while I throw up.
  • You took the words right out of my mouth...or...something else...
  • This stupid app why would you want this. For me iPhone looks like a dead interface you always have to tap an app to see what's going on. With WP it's alive and always letting one know what's going on with just a glance.
  • yeah this is pretty stupid.
  • I'd do it for free and laughs. But not for a dollar...
  • Completely agree here. Even the WP7 demo app released for both the iPhone and Android are free. Don't know why they can't do the same here.
  • Boring !
  • No offence to the developer but this is an insult to WP7. Let Android have this I mean they already have WP7 home replacements.
  • It reminds me of those fake, broken screen apps. Fun for a few minutes but it should be free.
  • If you really need this interface then you probably don't deserve your Windows Phone. Just sayin' :)
  • I don't get these kind of apps, there are reasons I left iPhone for WP7...and I love my beautiful OS :)
  • I would bet that you could fool everyone who can't tell the difference between "their" and "there".  ;)
  • Lol, Love it!
  • That is one of my big pet peeves.
  • Hey i wanna find out how to get gamefly to make an app like start a petition does anyone know what i have to do to go about it? please inbox me with some info i think windows phone should have an app considering gaming is supposed to be one of its main selling points :P
  • I agree, we need a gamefly app. I have gamelfy and I have using my sisters iPod touch to check my queue
  • I agree, but we should send gamefly requests for a wp7 app just like we're doing for Chase(app slated for release in July on wp7) and other banking institutions. Remember MS can't make them do it alone, we have to petition as well.
  • I think first we need to convince Hulu to make an app.
  • I agree, we need Hulu.
  • ...and Words With Friends
  • all i know is if wp7 is supposed to be gaming friendly for someone who uses gamefly its a needed app hulu is cool and all but i can live without it id rather have apps that provide some sort of service :O ooh IMHO before you guys gang up on me. :p
  • To me, my phone is entertainment quick and easy on the go. I can still log into gamefly online via web browser, but as for Hulu I can't. Hulu is highly requested, and would make alot of window phone customers happy, this is the first time I heard a request for gamefly.
  • to each their individual needs i guess lol personally i cant stand watching movies on my phone my arm gets tired lol :D
  • Why "review" this app?  You need to increase traffic to your site?
  • It's controversial and generates debate... It's a welcome change from the Lumia spam ;)
  • meh , maybe if it was 0$   no way am I paying for ANYTHING with the letter  *I*  infront of it.
  • What about your own Island?
     
    What an idiotic comment hahaha.
  • Why in any name would I, want to buy this app for? I have a windows phone not an Iphone
  • wow, I am not sure what to say.  The reason I sold my iPhone 4, and upgraded to a Lumia 900, is because I was tired of the static icon field that is iOS on iPhone.  My Lumia 900 gives me a simple, fresh interface that is always brimming with glanceable info.  I still have to check every day and make sure that this OS actually came from Microsoft.  I would never load this pile of garbage, even for free.
  • Whoever developed this should be ashamed of themselves. What a disgraceful app, especially for PAY. Why would anyone who'd made the UPGRADE to Windows Phone's fantastic UI want to hobble their devices by switching back to a UI that's fundamentally stuck in an interface paradigm from 30+ years ago?
    I made the switch from iOS to WP7 a year and a half ago, and there's ZERO chance I'd make the trek back. No thank you, stale, non-innovative UI.
  • +1
  • -1
  • why is an apple fanboy (or phandroid) on wpcentral... get out of here if you don't like windows phone!
  • Who is the fanboy??? Fyi i use a htc titan. I have posted here before... But there is no need to hate on a simple app and its developer.
  • I agree with you. Some obviously think this app has no place but it looks like it was well done and the developer should get credit for that. I wouldn't want to develop for WP anymore if this was the feedback I recieved from WP fans over a simple app that looks like an iPhone.
  • I agree... It was actually fairly well done
  • Yeah, these replies (and the ones about Talking TomCat) are making it look like Windows Phone users are myopic, miserable and humorless people.
  • Or just fucking jealous... I dont get it. We know our market is lacking some great app and more but we are fighting the developers who are bringing apps to wp7? Makes no sense.
  • See "ifun" for a similar app. There's an android version too, "fundroid". Not sure of the point apart from some kind of practical joke. Fairly weak though.
  • a buddy of mine was really proud of himself for installing osX on his Dell Latitude notebook.  He freaked out when I showed him how I installed iOS on my HTC Trophy. It was worth the .99!
  • +1... It would be awesome if you could really run ios even if it was mirror... Something like onlive desktop on iOS.. That way we get to use and play with all the ios apps.
  • Barf! Why would you play to make your phone worse???? The designer should make a WP UI for the (jail-broke) iPhone.
  • Wonder how long before Apple sues over look and feel.
  • I bought it! It's worth the money because it reminds me what I'm not missing by avoiding iPhone.
  • iclone has been an app that was created on the old days of windows. I wonders if it's developed by same developer. I don't see a point on bringing it to wp7 but it's good to see more development
  • Instead of reviewing this why not dotNES a great nes emulator
  • Slow news day?
  • seems very slow, there must be some new rumors or something though....gonna go troll for it.
  • Patent trolling activated!! This to me is a lame use of developer skills (I guess an iPhone dev) why oh why would you make an app to make your phone look like another phone and especially one that is sooooo played out.
     
    There would only be a handful of ways I might ever use this "type" of app (note not this app):
    1. If I was somehow forced to use an iPhone or Android Phone I would use the I'm a WP7 emulator :)
    2.  If I was forced to at gunpoint (even then I might resist)
    3. If you paid me some cash (not pennies)
    4. In another life
  • Funny!
  • Looks pretty cool, and $.99 is really cheap compare to other apps on the marketplace. I don't understand why so many people are hating on the app and the developer. It's cool and some people will like it. That's what an app market is about, there should be all types of apps for everyone's liking.
  • who else thinks the interface looks of better quality on the windows phone than it does on the iphone in the first picture?
  • Sorry I don't need cluttered UI windows phone totally blows away iPhone UI anytime.
  • Why do I need iPhone crap user interface on my beautiful metro style Windows Phone?
     
    This is one of the useless apps ever.
  • Who the heck cares?! I can't believe someone wasted their time developing this. D/l'd it, give it a one star rating, and your comments should be, "Really?!!!"
  • I'm not even remotely interested.
  • I think it has historical value, to show what used to be cool 5 years ago.
  • Best comment I've read so far! Well played, sir. Well played.
  • Huh? Did I just enter the Bizarro World for WPCentral? Who in the blue h@ll is wanting this, much less buying this?
  • Calm down guys. It's just for fun! There's a smilar app called iFun in the marketplace already. It's free. I used it once to pull a prank on a friend of mine who is all Apple. Got a good laugh out of it.
  • These comments digust me. Shame on mankind!
  • What a waste of time. The developer should have spent the time wasted on this crap creating an actual app that's needed on windows phone OS.
    99.99% of the people who love windows phone OS are running from that boring ass Apple UI.
     
     
  • These comments are awful. The developer seems to have made a perfectly fine app and deserves credit for that. If you don't want a prank iOS app that's fine but maybe some people do. I doubt most people who own a Windows Phone at this point will be downloading this app because they wish they were using iOS instead. Has anyone even thought that maybe this could be used to show people why Windows Phone is better?
  • The problem with your argument is that if we are trying to convince an iPhone user why their static wall of apps is so last decade then we are going to compare our phone side by side with their phone. No need for a useless .99¢ app.
  • A valid point. I was thinking that this way you could basically show what both OSes look like on the same device. This also might allow you to save people from buying an iPhone. It was just a thought
  • Lol, just go to an Iphone fan and tell them WP runs Ios better than thier phone, just too see the look on thier face.. That would be funny.
  • Haha, and we have bigger screens :D
  • This is a fun, novelty app to fool your iPhone friends with. Then you turn the app off and PRESTO Windows Phone in all it's glory. Makes for greaty laughs at parties.
     
    FAIL
  • I like the icons from the 80s
  • Those glossy 3D icons are from 2001!
  • come on people...this is way better than all those fart apps.
  • Don't forget the karma sutra apps
  • I consider this a polar app...love it or hate it. =s
  • Calm down guys, it's just an app. If you don't want it, don't download it.
    On another note, I donwloaded the iFun app just before the iPhone 4S release and I told my friend I got the new iPhone ahead of time. Needless to say he freaked out a bit (until he got a closer look and realised I was pulling his leg).
  • No no no no NO.
  • Haha. iOS so outdated and boring now. Running out of ideas? Windows Phone needs a decent Plinko game.
  • Ok ok wtf! Who wants that crap? Let me throw up too wwwwllllaaaaahhhh! Yuck!
  • Put it on a big screen WP and show ifans you got an iPhone 5
  • Love the common sentiment here. I couldn't agree more!
  • This application should be withdrawn from the marketplace because it is an insult to the great METROUI interface that is different from all others and is more pleasant for us users happy and loyal users of WP7
  • I feel offended by looking at this. He is good but that is get insulting the metro ui saying it's boring. Super offended like you guys
  • Don't worry guys I'll make a android UI app
  • Its a a well made joke app that no one is forced to download nor does it permanently change the UI. Not sure why folks are bunching their panties over this
  • Why this app is reviewed in the first place is beyond me.
  • Funnily enough I used to run the HTML5 windows phone demo on my iPhone to mess with people.
     
    I'd do the same with this, except I wouldn't pay a dollar for the lulz.
  • This topic makes me sad.
  • Who on the earth will install this app & use iPhones' stupid interface over WPs' own beautiful metro UI? isn't that the reason why someone would buy WP over other phones?
  • I downloaded it for fun. It is pretty good and very similar to the iphone
  • Why is this news?
  • Why would I want my Lumia 800 to look like the iCrap? Pointless!
  • Apple co founder Woz will not like this too. Hahahahah the person who did app must be iPhone lover! Lets all not download this app to teach the person lesson.
  • I guess that's what ios would look like on a bigger screen.
  • Can we get some more interesting games such as Temple Run and Words with Friends. Windows phone needs a revolutionary app that people would die for such as angry birds. The key is to find an already made creation and improve on it if you cannot think of your own.
  • I will consider this. Could fool some of the cheerleading freshers into thinking I have an iPhone (Bradford uni is full of iPhone users). Unfortunately all the senior cheerleaders know it's a WP and may spoil my fun. They also all think WP is rubbish and taunt me for "having a rubbish phone"
  • Hey guys, I found this review through the Marketplace decription of iClone and I really think you should make an update on this. The app has a lot more to offer now, especially the recently added Android clone is just impressive! It's a perfect example for what awesome things can be done with Silverlight and that there is still some more potential in our Windows Phone 7.x devices!