Once again proving that they’d rather copy Apple than innovate with their own products, Samsung has once again returned to ripping off Apple’s designs – and this time, they’ve set their sights on the iPad mini. As noted in the below image, highlighted by Obama Pacman (via The Loop, Daring Fireball), Samsung has copied Apple’s new slimmer bezel, which was introduced with the iPad mini, with their Galaxy Tab 3 device.
The site also makes the claim that the new thinner side bezel design is anything but obvious – Apple was the first to employ the design, and every other 7-8 inch tablet on the market that I’ve seen employs a thicker side bezel, resembling the original iPad. The below image puts things nicely in perspective:
Just in case anyone was wondering why Apple continues to be up in arms against Samsung (and why the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies has no end in sight), you need look no further. Apple significantly changed the design of smaller tablets, and Samsung quickly took advantage of Apple’s design changes in their own products.
This gem from the original post over at Obama Pacman is equally insightful and amusing:
For two years, Samsung slavishly copied the overall iPad design, including the screen to border ratio. But the Korean copying company didn’t understand the design philosophy behind the iPad borders.
The full sized iPad is designed with “thick” borders so that thumbs can grip the tablet without accidental taps. (Yes, people who did not try to print one of these full sized iPad papercraft mockups complained after Steve Jobs introduced the Apple tablet).
When you change the physical size of the device, the borders are no longer useful because it’s too narrow for most people’s fingers. But that was not “obvious” to the SameSung copy machine until Apple released the iPad mini.
Ouch. Great job, Samsung. One can’t help but think you enjoy getting reamed by Apple’s legal department…
