The iPhone Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree
Industrial design is a leading market bringing innovative and advanced technological products to the fingertips of consumers throughout the world. Even a person with a “black thumb” for technology is likely to be drawn to the newest fad in industrial products, which currently seems to be the iPhone. However, according to a Reuters article, various sources claim that this product was taken from Apple and bought by Gizmodo.
While the article quotes one writer who alluded to it being a widespread understanding among insiders that the iPhone was stolen from Apple, Gizmodo’s tech blog said it obtained the iPhone after it was left in a bar in California. While it seems unlikely that a person entrusted with a new product would be so flippant in leaving an iPhone prototype at a bar, this could raise issues of industrial design rights under intellectual property laws. Rumors and speculation aside, all is not lost for Apple; the company has not commented on any of the sources citing the iPhone being stolen and hardware experts anticipate the next version of the iPhone to hit stores this summer.
The iPhone’s new industrial-style design is comprised of a higher-resolution screen, front-facing camera with a flash, a larger battery, and many other new features. The last major design shift of the iPhone was in 2008 with the 3G model. After taking into account the fit and finish of the new iPhone’s case, the specifics Gizmodo mentions about the device’s internal parts, and the time left before the anticipated summer debut of the next iPhone model, the CEO of a repair shop for consumer devices in Michigan believes that the product actually does derive from Apple. However, he contests the iPhone being taken from Apple in that the large quantity of desirable features within the product is not characteristic of Apple in responding to the substantial demands of customers.
While the extent of the new iPhone’s origins may not be crystal clear at this time, there is no doubt that Apple has plenty of competitors looking to advance their products ahead of the successful and far-reaching company. Industrial designers work hard to improve a product to cater to user ergonomics, aesthetic preferences, and overall usability. Industrial design rights fall under intellectual property law which protects the ownership of a product’s visual design and complex functional components.
