Samsung claims Apple's iPhone was based on a Sony design concept floated in 2006
Morisawa: When I started this project, that was my concern. I looked at the first Walkman [which debuted in 1979]. Then I thought, "How can I give shape to the music?" Music doesn't have shape; it's flowing. I was listening to music and waving my hand in the air. I thought there shouldn't be an end to its lines. So I started drawing a round shape, and I kept moving the line.
My team had shown me their sketch: It was a square with a screen and buttons. Most other players have a screen and buttons. My first mock-up didn't have buttons. I didn't want buttons. With any digital-music player, the hard disk drive and chips are similar. I thought, "How can we make the layout different?" I knew what would go inside, so I could start the design from the outside. I knew how big the hard disk drive would be, how many chips there would be.
What challenges did you face in making sure the final product would look like your sketch?
Morisawa: It's really tough to make something round. You can't really measure where the components are inside [the device] when using the CAD [computer-aided design] system. I didn't want the engineers to change the shape or the size. I didn't want something larger than this; it fits in your hand.
I thought it had to be smooth on the back. The engineers wanted to make the back side flat. But I didn't want the flatness to bother you when you're listening to the music. I made two physical mock-ups for engineers so they could feel the difference. That's how I convinced them to keep working on this. Afterward, the engineers joked that they didn't want to work with me twice in a row.
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Soon afterward, on March 8, 2006, Apple designer Richard Howarth reported that, in contrast to another internal design that was then under consideration, Mr. Nishibori‘s “Sony-style” design enabled “a much smaller-looking product with a much nicer shape to have next to your ear and in your pocket” and had greater “size and shape/comfort benefits.” As Mr. Nishibori has confirmed in deposition testimony, this “Sony-style” design he prepared changed the course of the project that yielded the final iPhone design
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208 Comments
1. wendygarett (unregistered)
Dont forget the nokia concept too that apple stolen :)
3. dickwyn (Posts: 526; Member since: 07 May 2012)
Steve jobs say smart people don't copy they steal
16. MeoCao (unregistered)
Wow, this is exactly like iPhone's "iconic" design LOL. How shameless Apple is.
108. shuaibhere (Posts: 590; Member since: 07 Jul 2012)
now samsung made it more famous..... so why apple cant shut its mouth......
151. SuperAndroidEvo (Posts: 3394; Member since: 15 Apr 2011)
I was not going to say anything because I am trying to turn over a new leaf. BUT.....
Apple really has no shame. If they still insist that they developed that "iconic" look then what else is there to say?
I am with Apple on this, BOTH Sony & Nokia went back into the past with their Back to the Future apps, used an iPhone 4 but slapped a Sony logo on it & used Apple patents that Nokia now has because they already knew the iPhone 4 was "iconic".
That's plausible right? I mean that’s GOT to be what happened. I believe you Apple this is a conspiracy against you. Apple FTW! lol
158. tedkord (Posts: 3393; Member since: 17 Jun 2009)
Ok, so it's ok to steal ideas as long as they're not popular. Is that it?
Actually, I think you feel it's ok to steal ideas if you're Apple, and only Apple.
175. jroc74 (Posts: 3446; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)
Yea...Apple is mad at Samsung for copying what Apple already copied....lol.
Apple wants to be the only ones who copy others.... :(
173. jroc74 (Posts: 3446; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)
Marketing and execution, thats all.
That doesnt mean one should dimiss what the iPhone was inspired by, what Apple copied, however you wanna look at it... :)
95. andro. (Posts: 1890; Member since: 16 Sep 2011)
I was gonna say the same,f*ck me the iphone looks extremely similar. Funny thing is it took apple several years to actually reach this level of design with the iphone 4.
174. jroc74 (Posts: 3446; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)
lol....this is nothing new tho:
http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secrets-to-apples-future
Its really funny tho.....that amazing, innovative iPhone 4 design was ...copied....just like what they did with Braun products.
27. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Well others tried. But failed.
Apple took it and cause the world a damage. Like no others has.
35. Tjey007 (Posts: 86; Member since: 22 May 2012)
lol i bet you are hungry...you are trolling all over...take some rest..enough for the day :P
40. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
What a joke. more like you all jelious...
get over it loooosers! Face the facts and logic.
Apple is Apple like no others.
More like you all Trolling.
72. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
pls get a life and stop being jelious of Apple.
Get over it.
155. Ksolaoke (Posts: 9; Member since: 11 Dec 2011)
jealous of apple, that's the best you could come up with, try again.......it would be better if you could spell jealous correctly.
73. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
i think you need help. get wize councelling.
129. techsavvy.jaz (Posts: 91; Member since: 07 Feb 2012)
"Apple is Apple like no others."
exactly our point mate .. stealers.like.no.other
144. osmaankhaan (unregistered)
like.no.other is sony's line
see apple company and also its users (iFools) copy sony
105. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
ur more damaged. cause u hate Apple.
so u need to get over it.
147. corporateJP (Posts: 896; Member since: 28 Nov 2009)
Money...you are clearly blind, mentally disabled and you have "poor Engrish".
A real nice triffecta.
162. joey_sfb (Posts: 1475; Member since: 29 Mar 2012)
You need to pull your head out in the sand. Unless you have hundreds of thousand of apple shares.
Apple lawsuit would not bring you a single benefit. Less competition mean more pricey apple product.
Apple recent price reduction in ML, iPad are the result of competition or because apple is feeling charitable.
iFan will believe all the marketing info feed to them by Tim Cook.
14. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Apple were first to design this. Every-one is Xeroxing Apples
design. To many copycats!
Apple had lead will lead have lead allways will
others will follow us!!!
19. wendygarett (unregistered)
Copycat? Still better than patent troll :D
24. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Others dont have the equity to patent. Apple will has paid double triple the cash amount.
86. Evil_SaNz (Posts: 253; Member since: 20 Oct 2011)
I can imagine a post-apocalyptic future where the world is in a queue with an apple sticker on their heads
152. SonyFTW2020 (Posts: 305; Member since: 03 May 2012)
more like chips in their wrist.....uh o did i say that?? silly me
110. shuaibhere (Posts: 590; Member since: 07 Jul 2012)
i too thought the same thing.... they paid double triple to patent office to make others patents their....
22. Tjey007 (Posts: 86; Member since: 22 May 2012)
thnx..i havent found a reason to laugh all day till now.
51. Aeires (unregistered)
Speaking of Xerox, didn't Apple steal their UI?
59. structureman116 (Posts: 131; Member since: 14 Sep 2010)
Obviously Apple wasnt the first to design it since they stole Sony's design you tool shed. Apple is going after Samsung for stealing something that was stolen to begin with. I guess this means once the Samsung-Apple case is done, Sony can go after both of them for $24 per iphone and Galaxy phone...at which point Apple will promptly say that the design is only worth .0049 cents per unit. Apple is full of a bunch of thieving, hypocritical pricks and they deserve to have the book thrown at them in court!
153. SonyFTW2020 (Posts: 305; Member since: 03 May 2012)
Only thing, Sony will not play this childish game with either samsung or apple......Sony isnt going to sue anyone they will just get the praise out of all this and respect for coming up with the design that belonged to them all along..........Yea sony is beast like that
61. alien_x (Posts: 7; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Do you know apple stole xerox's UI to make Macintosh? Otherwise their wouldn't be any apple at all. So its apple who literally xeroxed.
Read about bitchiness of apple before being a blind moron and eat every s**t what apple feeds you.
150. qwertypoor (Posts: 72; Member since: 09 Jun 2012)
"Others will follow us" b!+¢# you don't work for apple! your just a pathetic fanboy lol their important in your life you aren't in there's
161. tedkord (Posts: 3393; Member since: 17 Jun 2009)
Is that irony, using the word "Xeroxing" in a discussion about Apple and stealing?
Apple's first great theft.
176. jroc74 (Posts: 3446; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)
Apple was the first to design....the iPhone 4? Thats based on this 2006 Sony device?
Cmon guy...just accept it that Apple copies just like any other company.
31. Synack (Posts: 623; Member since: 05 Jul 2011)
SO THE PLOT THICKENS! :)
2. kamil (Posts: 115; Member since: 07 Feb 2012)
cant you guys just live sony out of this. sony is busy with their next flagship phone and dont want any delays for their flagship phones just because you guys decided to get sony into the court :P
7. sammy_saw (Posts: 26; Member since: 07 Jan 2012)
Maybe this is the case that apple doesn't sue Sony
34. Droid_X_Doug (Posts: 4705; Member since: 22 Dec 2010)
Great PR for Sony - "Sony, the inventor of the iPhone...."
42. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
WRONG APPLE WAS.
4. sammy_saw (Posts: 26; Member since: 07 Jan 2012)
Now who copy who's design ?
5. BabyWade (Posts: 42; Member since: 12 Jun 2012)
I swear this battle between Apple & Samsung gets better and funnier everyday.
32. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Apple will win.
SAMDUNG THE COPYCATS!!!!!
50. Raymond_htc (Posts: 430; Member since: 06 Apr 2012)
You know what?! I am actually ROFLING on the floor in real life now, after seeing all of your comments. WHY?
YOur comments make no sense.
Nonsensical sentence to defend apple.
Apple addict.
NO ONE WILL GIVE A DAMN ABT YOU AND PLEASE GET A LIFE!
shameless sheep. Must be the black sheep amongst the white sheeps (meaning odd one out)
Talking to apple fans like you is just like teaching a cat how to drive a car. You just force the reasons.
G E T A L I F E !
75. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
your laughing and i feel sorry for u. Apple has taken
over ur mind body and soul. you are not urself any longer. u need a big help in hand .... Stop visiting
phonearena for few months ule be urself.
please stop being jelious and i no it is herting ur feelings. no need to speak of ill tounge be urself
not a fool. i no paradoxes are side by side.
Apple has doomed u.
I speak of truth...
80. smartphonemad (Posts: 42; Member since: 10 Jul 2012)
Apple has taken over him?! Look at your own comments again
60. shac78 (Posts: 7; Member since: 18 Jun 2012)
look at that picture above! apple are copycats too!
167. smartphone (Posts: 160; Member since: 21 Oct 2011)
Ok most of your comments are stupid and are out of pure fanboism.
but I admire your zeal to defend Apple even though in your heart you know they are the real thieves in technology world and got slammed by Nokia patents.
Good luck Sony is not sueing apple becoz they don't believe in stupid things.
6. Dunknown (Posts: 78; Member since: 23 Jul 2012)
Actually most of the specification stuff on phone were steal from Nokia R&D. Includes samsung, sony, apple, and etc
13. wendygarett (unregistered)
Sad but true, thats why stephen elop blindly reduce the R&D cost :(
30. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Apple still pays fees.. for using others patents. unlike others...
63. structureman116 (Posts: 131; Member since: 14 Sep 2010)
Yeah...Apple wants to pay .0049 cents to Samsung for their technology that, without it, would make an iphone a paperweight with no functionality, yet thinks a rectangle and a color are their property and nobody else can use it. $hit...maybe Crayola should sue Apple for making the iphone one of their most popular crayon colors, and the relatives of Euclid (the father of Geometry) should sue Apple for using his shape for his phone. A-P-P-L-E...you are dumber than the rock you crawled out from under...please go back!
78. A-P-P-L-E (banned) (Posts: 45; Member since: 26 Jul 2012)
Samsung relys on Apple. Apple chooses what they
want and u provide Apple. so Apple are the buyers
and u are our suppliers.
204. RockieF (Posts: 1; Member since: 01 Aug 2012)
Samsung relies on Apple? Haha! Educate yourself and take a look at this article.
http://www.economist.com/node/21525685
