In a report to be filed under “WTH?” Chinese clone manufacturer GooPhone is claiming they’ve already patented the next iPhone’s design, and will sue Apple if they release the real iPhone 5 in China!
Hong Kong-based GooPhone, who designed their cheapo Android phone after the alleged Apple iPhone 5 parts leaked during the last few months, has a very rational argument: they have released their clone first, so everything that comes after that must be a copy, even if they actually made their phone after the parts of a phone that hasn’t been released yet but that everyone believes is the real thing.
OK, got that? If not, let’s boil it down to one sentence. “We released our copy of the iPhone 5 first, so that makes the 5 the copy.” I’ve got to hand it to these guys, they are not lacking in the cojones department. Big, like bull!
The GooPhone i5 is your average Chinese clone of the iPhone 5. It looks kind of like the iPhone 5, from far away, with your glasses off, and it contains the standard crap internals, and runs on Android 4.1 instead of iOS.
Unlike most clone manufacturers, who actually wait until a product is released before they clone it, GooPhone announced their device before Apple announced their new iPhone. The appearance and design of the new iPhone has been leaked for quite some time now, giving “Goo” more than enough time to steal the designs.
This seems like all just so much bullcrap, but who knows? GooPhone might be able to pull this off. Remember, China is the place where Proview was able to successfully extort $60 million out of Apple over the “iPad” trademark.
Still, it’s hard to see how GooPhone will be able to pull off a successful lawsuit against Apple, considering Apple’s design patents go back several years, and those patents have stood up in court. Isn’t that right Samsung?
You’ve got to hand it to these guys, they’re bold, and they’ve found a way to get some free publicity for their phone. If you ever go out drinking with any “Goo” employees, don’t engage them in a game of “Truth or Dare,” I’ve got a feeling these jokers will pick “dare” every time!
