A Chinese PC maker, Shenzhen Great Loong Brother company, is claiming that Apple [AAPL] has ripped off their design for the Apple iPad from a tablet they have been selling in China for the last six months, the P88.
As you can see from the photo of the P88, it looks like a giant iPhone. This raises the question: did the Shenzhen Great Loong Brother company get their tablet design from the iPhone?
The P88 features a 10.2-inch screen, and it doesn’t feature multi-touch like the iPad. It also has a 250GB hard drive, a 1.3-megapixel web camera, an Ethernet port, and an Intel 945GSE. These specifications indicate that while the P88 may share some superficial design similarities with the iPad, its internal components and functionalities are quite different.
Design Similarities and Differences
When Shenzhen Great Loong Brother’s President, Xiaolong Wu, was questioned about his tablet’s similar design to the Apple iPhone, he said, “they have nothing to do with it, as they have completely different functions.” This statement highlights the company’s stance that despite the visual similarities, the P88 and the iPad serve different purposes and are built with different technologies.
The P88’s design, which resembles a larger version of the iPhone, includes features that are not present in the iPad, such as an Ethernet port and a significantly larger hard drive. On the other hand, the iPad’s multi-touch capability and sleek design are some of its standout features that differentiate it from the P88.
Legal and Market Implications
The claim by Shenzhen Great Loong Brother company has sparked discussions about intellectual property and design patents in the tech industry. While it is not uncommon for companies to draw inspiration from successful products, outright claims of design theft can lead to legal battles. However, in this case, the differences in functionality and internal components may weaken the Chinese company’s claim.
Seriously, this has to be one of the funniest things we have heard about this year. Basically, a company has used the iPhone design for their tablet, and now that Apple is making a tablet, they are claiming the design as theirs. This situation underscores the complexities and sometimes the absurdities involved in design and patent disputes in the tech world.
Apple, known for its robust legal team and extensive patent portfolio, likely doesn’t have very much to worry about in this case. The tech giant has faced and overcome numerous legal challenges over the years, and this claim from Shenzhen Great Loong Brother company seems unlikely to pose a significant threat.
Moreover, the market dynamics also play a crucial role. Apple’s brand recognition, customer loyalty, and market reach far exceed that of Shenzhen Great Loong Brother company. Even if the design similarities were acknowledged, the impact on Apple’s market position would likely be minimal.
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