Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#11

Post by khanm » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:41 AM UTC

Your best bet is to contact a patent lawyer. You actually have something here as it's called "prior art". Your product is prior art and they have stepped on you somehow. Let it be loss of revenue etc..

Basically your product predates theirs and you have a case. Also let the lawyers handle any communication as you may be stepping out of bounds. (let them handle it)

And be happy that someone is copying you, It's a sign of flattery. Plus they have made their Android users as a few marketers for you for free. Every time an Android users comes in contact with a iphone user who appreciates that app they will look for it in the iphone app store.

good luck.

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#12

Post by saundby » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:55 AM UTC

iamchmod wrote: post #8

Lawyer up if the app is valuable - eg has the potential to make you over 100K, if its worth less than that, send a nastygram and move on to better apps.

Talk to a lawyer even if it's worth less. Even if all you do is a nastygram, a nastygram on a lawyer's letterhead is worth far more than one from you. It won't be very expensive, but may have very valuable results all by itself.

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#13

Post by sushumna » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 11:33 AM UTC

dave1619 wrote: post #5

pkamb wrote: post #2

Do they use your name?

The name is similar but not exactly the same.

So wats the name of your app...any screen shots of your Copycats app for comparision?

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#14

Post by dave1619 » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 4:47 PM UTC

sushumna wrote: post #13

dave1619 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The name is similar but not exactly the same.

So wats the name of your app...any screen shots of your Copycats app for comparision?

don't have permission to release name or screenshots. but it's basically identical.

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#15

Post by bricestacey » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:54 PM UTC

dave1619 wrote: post #14

sushumna wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So wats the name of your app...any screen shots of your Copycats app for comparision?

don't have permission to release name or screenshots. but it's basically identical.

It took me about 2 minutes to find your company... I would recommend using a throwaway account if privacy is a concern.

Re: Ask HN: My app's been copied. What do I do?

#16

Post by dave1619 » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 8:16 PM UTC

bricestacey wrote: post #15

dave1619 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

don't have permission to release name or screenshots. but it's basically identical.

It took me about 2 minutes to find your company... I would recommend using a throwaway account if privacy is a concern.

Thanks, will do.