Chinese iPhone cloner claims Apple stole its design

Apple is no stranger to filing lawsuits against iPhone cloners, but in a twisted turn of events, an Chinese Android manufacturer with a handset that looks suspiciously similar to the iPhone 6 is claiming that Apple ripped off its designs.

Little known Chinese smartphone maker DigiOne published a letter today that the company’s lawyers sent to Apple in September. The letter contests that “the design of Apple’s mobile device with the brand name “iPhone 6”, may infringe on one of Baili’s Chinese patents” filed in January of 2014.

Digione’s cheap handset, which is being sold by subsidiary brand 100+, was granted the patent in July. The patent in question does look similar to an iPhone, in that it features a device that is thin and rectangular shaped, with a flat back, rounded edges, and glass screen.

Check out their weird ad for the V6 see for yourself:

100+ V6 vs. iPhone 6. Who’s the copycat? Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

From the front, the iPhone 6 and 100+ V6 look kind of similar. But after spending a whole three minutes cruising 100+’s website, I noticed a few big differences:

• The speaker is in the back.
• It doesn’t have a Touch ID-like button.
• The flash is below camera lens (iPhone’s has always been on the right).
• The power button and volume rocker are on the right side.
• No Antenna lines on the back.
• The camera lens doesn’t protrude.
• It runs a crap ass Baidu-version of Android.

Also, why did they make their bezel the exact same width as the iPhone’s? If anything, their phone looks like it was stolen inspired by the original iPhone, and the iPhone 6 revisits the iconic smartphone form factor Apple popularized.  I’m sure Apple’s lawyer got a good laugh when they decided to Google just who the hell 100+ is and saw their marketing is a total ripoff of the iPhone’s.

The V6 has been on sale since May of 2014 and features a 5.5-inch display, 2GB of RAM, 13MP camera, and up to 32GB of storage. Like the iPhone, it also comes in white, black, silver, and gold colors.

Does this look like the iPhone 6 to you? Photo: 100+

The full letter Digione’s lawyers sent Apple can be read below:

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Title : Chinese iPhone cloner claims Apple stole its design
Description : Apple is no stranger to filing lawsuits against iPhone cloners, but in a twisted turn of events, an Chinese Android manufacturer with a han...
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