We're not getting the whole story from this kid. He should have kept his mouth shut and avoided any discussion of the case. He is also unwise to not go into the interview with representation. In the end, I hope he gets scared straight. His attitude appears to be that of a punk who thinks he can get away with anything.
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Teenager Targeted by Apple in White iPhone 4 Lawsuit Interviewed
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The product is Apples, and it is up to Apple to decide whether or not to release it, not some snot nosed algebra student. The joke is that people dont think this kid should be held accountable. just because he is a teenager doesn't make the crime any less. if some dumbass teenager breaks in to my house and steals my iMac im not going to tussle his hair and say "eh dont worry about it, you're just a teenager."
Im surprised at how few of you guys here realise how easy it was to get these white iPhone parts. Its complete bull the kid had a "contact at Foxcon" these parts were all over many Chinese internet sellers.
Just search alibaba.com or madeinchina.com and loads of sellers had the white iPhone "conversion kit" about a month or less after the iPhone 4 was released any of us could have bought those bits (I even considered it for my own phone until I realised obviously these were defected bits)
The parts he sold were either unofficially leaked from Foxcon in which case he bought them from one of the Chinese sellers. For those that dont know these Chinese sellers are kind of like middle men the Western world. They make it look like they have large warehouses and factories and loads of staff working for them...in reality its usually one Chinese guy with no stock. When you order they go down the markets or put an order in with their friend at the factories for the items you want.
The white iPhone bits might not even be from Foxconn, once the original iPhone was released and there was a demand for the white colour loads of factories in China would have been knocking them out - where there is a demand the Chinese will meet it, they couldn't care less about copyright and infringement.
You can buy all host of things with Apples logos branded on them, loads of phone cases with "designed in California" on the back and the Apple logo - very ugly cases as well.
At the end of the day this is a pretty black and white case. Those saying "leave the kid alone" are, quite frankly, wrong. There is no moral grey line here and I say that coming from a background where as a kid I did all kinds of stuff to make money.
Infact I had a friend who also breached copyright and trademark infringement and ended up in jail (selling copied games) he saw a gap in the market and supplied the demand.
The thing is its VERY VERY easy to make money when you sell counterfeit anything. All the hard work was done by the original rights holder. Start selling unbranded stuff and you wont make a penny. The risk is there for anyone to try, the kid tried it, made a bit of cash, got caught. Of course he know he shouldn't have done it.
He's wrong, end of, regardless of age (or intellect) I think we all understand basic copyright infringement from a very early age - certainly before you have the ability to build a website, take orders and produce work on demand.
The reason Apple need to make an example here and im surprised no one has made this clear either. If they dont, it sets an easy to copy precedent in which someone more intelligent than this kid could really go to town with counterfeit and fake Apple products and would always be able to cite this case as a get out clause. They need to make sure someone with more money and less morales doesn't go about doing something similar in a cleverer less traceable way (after all every member of this forum could have bought the same white parts from China and done the same thing) - eventually they'd probably lose but if there is one example of comparable punishment out there which is far too light the lawyers can always argue upon it for years to come...a nightmare for Apple (or any company)
Just search alibaba.com or madeinchina.com and loads of sellers had the white iPhone "conversion kit" about a month or less after the iPhone 4 was released any of us could have bought those bits (I even considered it for my own phone until I realised obviously these were defected bits)
The parts he sold were either unofficially leaked from Foxcon in which case he bought them from one of the Chinese sellers. For those that dont know these Chinese sellers are kind of like middle men the Western world. They make it look like they have large warehouses and factories and loads of staff working for them...in reality its usually one Chinese guy with no stock. When you order they go down the markets or put an order in with their friend at the factories for the items you want.
The white iPhone bits might not even be from Foxconn, once the original iPhone was released and there was a demand for the white colour loads of factories in China would have been knocking them out - where there is a demand the Chinese will meet it, they couldn't care less about copyright and infringement.
You can buy all host of things with Apples logos branded on them, loads of phone cases with "designed in California" on the back and the Apple logo - very ugly cases as well.
At the end of the day this is a pretty black and white case. Those saying "leave the kid alone" are, quite frankly, wrong. There is no moral grey line here and I say that coming from a background where as a kid I did all kinds of stuff to make money.
Infact I had a friend who also breached copyright and trademark infringement and ended up in jail (selling copied games) he saw a gap in the market and supplied the demand.
The thing is its VERY VERY easy to make money when you sell counterfeit anything. All the hard work was done by the original rights holder. Start selling unbranded stuff and you wont make a penny. The risk is there for anyone to try, the kid tried it, made a bit of cash, got caught. Of course he know he shouldn't have done it.
He's wrong, end of, regardless of age (or intellect) I think we all understand basic copyright infringement from a very early age - certainly before you have the ability to build a website, take orders and produce work on demand.
The reason Apple need to make an example here and im surprised no one has made this clear either. If they dont, it sets an easy to copy precedent in which someone more intelligent than this kid could really go to town with counterfeit and fake Apple products and would always be able to cite this case as a get out clause. They need to make sure someone with more money and less morales doesn't go about doing something similar in a cleverer less traceable way (after all every member of this forum could have bought the same white parts from China and done the same thing) - eventually they'd probably lose but if there is one example of comparable punishment out there which is far too light the lawyers can always argue upon it for years to come...a nightmare for Apple (or any company)
Why is everybody bashing on the kid? "Sounds like a dufus/punk."??
I wish I knew how to manage myself like this when facing a huge lawsuit from one of the world's biggest companies (at age 17!!). Heck, I wish I were as enterprising as him back when I was in high school -- he has a bright future.
And going into a meeting like that, as a minor, facing down big attorneys -- I'm pretty sure that's intimidating enough. Not only for the kid, but the lawyers looking across the table and knowing the PR repercussions for going too harsh on a teenager. These attorneys probably have kids his age.
I wish I knew how to manage myself like this when facing a huge lawsuit from one of the world's biggest companies (at age 17!!). Heck, I wish I were as enterprising as him back when I was in high school -- he has a bright future.
And going into a meeting like that, as a minor, facing down big attorneys -- I'm pretty sure that's intimidating enough. Not only for the kid, but the lawyers looking across the table and knowing the PR repercussions for going too harsh on a teenager. These attorneys probably have kids his age.
Tell us you're being sarcastic. You sound just as bad as the teenager that's in trouble right now. And he does sound like a punk.
How is it admirable to "handle" yourself in light of a legal situation that you caused? You're acting like he did something brave or honorable. He did something illegal and is subject to whatever consequences are passed his way. Maybe you two to take some time to learn what accountability means? It's sad that you think him facing the consequences for working illegally correlates to a bright future.
In reality, the whole thing will be settled and I bet that Apple doesn't send him through the ringer (i.e. jail, massive fine). Apple has even filed to dismiss the lawsuit.
Question: "You've been featured on so many prominent technology websites and news sources. Everyone seems really impressed with what you've done at such a young age. You don't want to take advantage of that--put it on your resume?"
What kind of interviewer is that? Moron.
Question: "You've been featured on so many prominent technology websites and news sources. Everyone seems really impressed with what you've done at such a young age. You don't want to take advantage of that--put it on your resume?"
What kind of interviewer is that? Moron.
The best thing for Apple to do at this point is to delay the meeting until the child can be properly represented. Otherwise, Apple will be seen as the big corporate bully taking on a child. Remember when the RIAA sued a 12 year old for illegal downloading? Yeah, like that.
I'd say he already used it on Apple when he stole their intellectual property and conspired with his international accomplices to illegally profit at Apple's expense.
He's not a "kid" he's a criminal.
Do you really think Apple didn't have access to the kits this kid was selling? If that was the case why didn't he just sale straight to Apple.
Did it never cross your mind that maybe Apple wan't satisfied with the quality of those parts and that is why they didn't release them and also why they didn't want this guy to. Maybe Apple doesn't want someone else deciding what meets the "Apple Standard".
But then again, maybe your right and this guy figured out how to fix a manufacturing process problem that completely stumped Apple, who happens to hire some of the best people in the world to fix those problems. If that is the case (which i'm sure stranger things have happened) i would expect to hear that Apple has hired him on for a couple 100K a year.
I see this thread is developing nicely. I'd hate to think what some of you would write about the young Steve Jobs looking to make his way as an entrepreneur. 
Oh you are so clever. Apple had plenty of white cases that didn't quite work well enough to be sold without hordes of people complaining. This teenager got hold of these white cases and sold them. Everybody who bought them bought something that in Apple's eyes wasn't in saleable quality.
He is of course both.
I see this thread is developing nicely. I'd hate to think what some of you would write about the young Steve Jobs looking to make his way as an entrepreneur.
Heh! Exactly what I was thinking. This guy did pretty much exactly the same thing that Jobs and Wozniak did when they were in college, except selling unwanted case parts is probably LESS illegal than selling blue boxes
I admire him. He filled a gap in the market and gave some people what they wanted. I really hope his supply was legit (I.e., they weren't stolen and he knew about it), because it's a great story.
I hope he goes on to have a great career. I doubt we'll ever hear from him again, but clearly he's got the vision and the hunger to make things happen.
The suit is withdrawn, there is no upside in meeting with Apple's corporate counsel.
That'll do wonders for Apples image. Apple needs to let this go but they're too much of a bully to do the right thing. They're suing children now which shows what kind of person Steve Jobs really is.... a dbag.
Seems to be BS.
Lawsuits CANNOT be filed without his knowledge, unless he or his parents choose to ignore the legal letters.
Lawsuits CANNOT be filed without his knowledge, unless he or his parents choose to ignore the legal letters.
That's assuming that the parts that the kid obtained where up to the Apple standard. You're oversimplifying this.
Um, didn't they already voluntarily dismiss it? Why would Apple spend all that money to go after $130k worth of fake white iPhones, especially since its already (finally) officially out? What is the point of making an example out of him? How many would-be smugglers have a contact at places that produce Apple's tech? All they need to do is deal with it on the supply side harshly so their tech doesn't get out in the first place.
I am sort of surprised the guy seems to have posted in this thread and nobody has asked him anything.
"...I admire him. He filled a gap in the market and gave some people what they wanted."
let's see how many other people, by giving some people what they wanted we have around, these days: too many to count drug cartels trying their best to get everybody's fav pills to 'em, counseling people on how not to pay income tax because these seminars say they don't have to, underage/anyage sex workers shipped in to satisfy the pent up demand of perverted horny types.
that logic of filling the "gap in the market" is really really stupid logic.
somehow, also, his being a teenager makes him immune to the law? so at what age does the law apply? and below that age anything goes? or who decides what should go? readers of macrumors? his parents? people who bought the stuff? a jury?
im a bit older than he is, but i've had to scrap for things. i don't admire or respect his approach, though it's everyone's personal call. it may be a lot of supporters do the same things, only at a more adult level, so in their opinion, it's not only ok, it's admirable.
i think it's hard to run your venture (and i'm a beginner at being an entrepreneur possibly, from people who comment here) if you don't have integrity. in the short run, you can make a killing, and maybe, like madoff even make it in the long run, but there's always the chance the truth comes out.
let's see how many other people, by giving some people what they wanted we have around, these days: too many to count drug cartels trying their best to get everybody's fav pills to 'em, counseling people on how not to pay income tax because these seminars say they don't have to, underage/anyage sex workers shipped in to satisfy the pent up demand of perverted horny types.
that logic of filling the "gap in the market" is really really stupid logic.
somehow, also, his being a teenager makes him immune to the law? so at what age does the law apply? and below that age anything goes? or who decides what should go? readers of macrumors? his parents? people who bought the stuff? a jury?
im a bit older than he is, but i've had to scrap for things. i don't admire or respect his approach, though it's everyone's personal call. it may be a lot of supporters do the same things, only at a more adult level, so in their opinion, it's not only ok, it's admirable.
i think it's hard to run your venture (and i'm a beginner at being an entrepreneur possibly, from people who comment here) if you don't have integrity. in the short run, you can make a killing, and maybe, like madoff even make it in the long run, but there's always the chance the truth comes out.
Your comparisons to drug cartels and the underage sex slave trade is what I would call stupid logic.
Countdown to Godwin's Law being fulfilled in this thread anytime now...