Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

bgr.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–38 of 38 posts

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#31

Post by Nerdfest »

nessus42 wrote: post #27
Drakim wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't their phone say "SAMSUNG" on the top of the frontside? Surely Samsung wanted to mimic that sleek smartphone feeling that was all the rage, but try to confuse customers with a clone? They would be doing a terrible job.

I don't know about Samsung's phones, but I've definitely held a Samsung tablet that did not say "Samsung"--or in fact anything--on the frontside. It was clearly designed to look as much like an iPad as possible. And I now own a Google Nexus 7 tablet (in addition to an iPad). It also does not say anything on the frontside. It, clearly, is also designed to look from the front as much like an iPad as possible--only smal…

... well, you know, except for the size, and those extra buttons. Of course, that takes us back to a black rectangle with rounded corners.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#32

Post by monochromatic »

jseims wrote: post #3

What's annoying is this isn't the real issue. Of course Samsung felt threatened by the iPhone, and set out to copy the aspects of it they liked. That's how capitalism works. The real issue is what degree of protection should our legal system provide original innovators against those who want to copy their innovations. I think the guiding principle should be the least legal protection that would still leave enough inc…

Except software is really easy to copy. That should maybe enter into the calculation.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#33

Post by Nerdfest »

grecy wrote: post #17
paranoiacblack wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I might argue that when you're that far behind, it isn't unreasonable to make the quarterly goal to "catch-up" and then finally to "exceed". These are not mutually exclusive goals, they are just situation relative.

I agree. And we've seen time and time again, that just as everyone else "catches-up" to an Apple device, Apple go and release the next one that jumps them ahead again , because they have that 1-2 year head start. Yeah, I know it has not always been the case, but I think it's pretty safe to say it was the case with the iPod for it's entire life, and it does happen with the iPhone/iPad/MBA/MBPr

I think it's Apple playing catch-up with Android for the past couple of years. The MPB is a big jump ahead for Apple with that screen though.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#34

Post by RandallBrown »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #24
RandallBrown wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To me, what's damning is how similar EVERY SINGLE SCREEN looks to the iPhone. They also pretty much never point out that differences in their design are better than the iPhone. They only talk about how they need to make it more like the iPhone.

But that's because this is an internal memo about improvements, not "how well does Samsung stack up against Apple"?

I don't think that the slides are proof that Samsung is GOING to copy Apple, it's proof that they did.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#35

Post by nessus42 »

Nerdfest wrote: post #31
nessus42 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about Samsung's phones, but I've definitely held a Samsung tablet that did not say "Samsung"--or in fact anything--on the frontside. It was clearly designed to look as much like an iPad as possible. And I now own a Google Nexus 7 tablet (in addition to an iPad). It also does not say anything on the frontside. It, clearly, is also designed to look from the front as much like an iPad as possible--only smal…

... well, you know, except for the size, and those extra buttons. Of course, that takes us back to a black rectangle with rounded corners.

I'm constantly entertained by the amazing things that people will claim.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#36

Post by TazeTSchnitzel »

RandallBrown wrote: post #34
TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But that's because this is an internal memo about improvements, not "how well does Samsung stack up against Apple"?

I don't think that the slides are proof that Samsung is GOING to copy Apple, it's proof that they did.

They aren't. It's proof Samsung saw Apple as a competitor and tried to fix obvious flaws when comparing interfaces.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#37

Post by nessus42 »

Nerdfest wrote: post #31
nessus42 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about Samsung's phones, but I've definitely held a Samsung tablet that did not say "Samsung"--or in fact anything--on the frontside. It was clearly designed to look as much like an iPad as possible. And I now own a Google Nexus 7 tablet (in addition to an iPad). It also does not say anything on the frontside. It, clearly, is also designed to look from the front as much like an iPad as possible--only smal…

... well, you know, except for the size, and those extra buttons. Of course, that takes us back to a black rectangle with rounded corners.

Btw, there are no extra buttons on a Nexus 7. The front of the Nexus 7 looks almost exactly like an iPad down to nearly every last subtle detail: The color and texture of the brushed aluminum trim, the black and proportions of the frame around the screen, the location of the forward-facing camera, the lack of any text or logo. Even the location of most of the connectors and switches is remarkably similar to the iPad. The only differences are that the headphone connector has been moved to the bottom, and the power button has been moved from the top edge to the right edge. But it is located where there is a button on the iPad.

From looking at the front of the Nexus 7, the only noticeable difference from an iPad is the lack of the round Home button that every iPad has.

To say that this is the only conceivable way for a tablet to look indicates either profound rationalization, or a true lack of imagination and knowledge of history. To assert that Google has such lack of imagination and knowledge of history is even more absurd. History is replete with examples of tablet computers that don't closely resemble the iPad. Even the Kindle Fire is noticeably different.

Re: 132-page internal memo shows how Samsung set out to copy the iPhone

#38

Post by vampirechicken »

mc32 wrote: post #22
vampirechicken wrote: post #19

Meanwhile, we basically nationalize Samsung's patents that are fundamental to mobile phone infrastucture...

Can't the same be said of many Moto tech and patents?

Maybe. I only know what I read on HN. My point is that the patent holder who invented the infrastructure should be enriched by their patent. but we have a gov't setting limits on how much they can charge to license their patent, somehow the design elements of the device are going to turn out to be worth more than the tech that enable the device to work.

I'm saying (poorly) that I think that reason should dictate that if apple pays X per device for the tech that enable the device then samsung should pay Y I don't value the design that much more highly than the enabling tech. I was pretty satisfied with my old compact nokia phone - I had a midi of run to the hills as my ringtone. Life was good.

Post reply on HN