[RandomBacon]

I imagine it's not hard to track down whomever makes the phone on Alibaba and pay them a few extra dollars to put in a few better chips. Then use Kickstarter magic to advertise it, and pocket the difference.

What's the actual evidence that they designed and made it, a screenshot of the CAD file in the video? They never actually claim they created it themselves and tested iterations etc like actual phone manufacturers do. Somehow they're more secretive than Apple?

Considering they already have "protypes" that are being reviewed, I think it lends credence to this possibility.

[Klinky]

You're moving goal posts. I would say if they had to ask for a different SoC to be put in a smaller chassis, that is custom work, and has risk.

Supposedly they are a subsidiary of AGold Communication Co. Ltd. which claims to have manufacturing experience, though their website is sparse and they have really old phones on there.

Even if they didn't wholly design it, I don't think it's fair to claim they are marketing a cookie-cutter design you can easily obtain off Alibaba, since you can't.

[panpanna]

This is a Shenzhen company, they probably know 100 different local smartphone OEMs and can order directly from them if they wish.