Slashdot Mirror
Apple Rips Off Rejected App, Says Wireless Sync Developer
Haedrian writes "Apple is famous for going to absurd lengths to enforce its patents and trademarks. It recently sued Amazon for calling its app store Appstore. And it has publicly lectured competitors to 'create their own original technology, not steal ours.' Last year, UK developer Greg Hughes submitted an app for wirelessly syncing iPhones with iTunes libraries, which was rejected from the official App Store. Fast forward to Monday, when Apple unveiled a set of new features for the upcoming iOS 5, including the same wireless-syncing functionality. Cupertino wasn't even subtle about the appropriation, using the precise name and a near-identical logo to market the technology."
^^^ fanboi
Um dude, seriously?
Apple is moving to "iCloud" and had invested billions into a new data center promoting this initiative. This wasn't a "new idea because somebody posted an app they thought was cool so they stole it" type thing.
They had been moving this direction for a long long time. Syncing via wifi was next.
As far as the logo, they came up with the logo the same way you did. Take "iSync" + wifi + icloud brushed metallic look and bam, you have their logo. No brainer.
Syncing via wifi had been a much requested and anticipated feature. Not a fly by night ripoff idea from a Joe blow submission.
Which is why I always say that Apple does not innovate - they merely take someone else's idea and put a fancy Apple interface on it and then sell it for an absurd markup.
That's why the best way to patent troll Apple would be to take out a patent on "taking an existing product and making cosmetic enhancements to it as well as applying a stylized logo of a fruit on the back of the device".
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
Also in the "rules" for the App submission. Apple has the right to reject if it's already a planned development.
Another thing to consider is that the logo in question is a natural progression from the Current Sync Icon, with a Wi-Fi icon dropped in the center.
Lastly the offering from apple is not the same kind of wireless sync that the App author created, it Syncs not to a users computer, but to the cloud, along with allowing even iOS upgrades with wireless..