Far too much of my day is wasted counting these lines to see what time it is
Also it doesn't tell you whether it's the afternoon or morning, how the hell am I supposed to do this on my own Apple!?
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Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design for iPad's iOS 6 Clock App
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Far too much of my day is wasted counting these lines to see what time it is
Also it doesn't tell you whether it's the afternoon or morning, how the hell am I supposed to do this on my own Apple!?
Well sorry, if that was the context of that comment then you're right. It sounded like paying the licence fee was simply "unnecessary".
It doesn't go to anything useful. Just answer the questions yourself, unless the story is BS (it is).
Many people can immediately tell the time by observing angles of two hands. And adding numbers have two negatives: (1) 15 digits over a small area can add to clutter and (2) 1-12 applies only to hours of the day, not minutes/seconds.
Best of the both world is digital, especially this digital concept, but digital lacks traditional jewel-piece beauty:
I would have removed it and gone for something else that too really should be public domain.
The guys family who personally designed this a long time ago sees no money for this.
Hope apple licenses it for a month then pulls it and gives us something else.
Think a head has to roll at Apple for whoever they paid to unsuspectingly ..copy this in the first place.
Good on Braun for not moaning about the look of most of IVES braun remixes.
The guys family who personally designed this a long time ago sees no money for this.
Hope apple licenses it for a month then pulls it and gives us something else.
Think a head has to roll at Apple for whoever they paid to unsuspectingly ..copy this in the first place.
Good on Braun for not moaning about the look of most of IVES braun remixes.
Pennies on the Billion, I'm sure.
As a (not very good) designer, I would imagine the way it went down is, the designer was told to present a number of iPad clock designs based on Industrial Design classics. Or simply to present a number of designs and the designer chose a few classics and also presented a few original designs, and this one was chosen, knowing that they would likely be getting a call. Apple thrives on publicity like this. Educating the masses on design via the news. Very clever.
You have to think of the era it came from. I take it you didn't pay a ton of attention in art history class?
As a (not very good) designer, I would imagine the way it went down is, the designer was told to present a number of iPad clock designs based on Industrial Design classics. Or simply to present a number of designs and the designer chose a few classics and also presented a few original designs, and this one was chosen, knowing that they would likely be getting a call. Apple thrives on publicity like this. Educating the masses on design via the news. Very clever.
You have to think of the era it came from. I take it you didn't pay a ton of attention in art history class?
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The second hand is there because trains are supposed to depart at the full minute. Actually in the rail version the second hand does a full circle in slightly less than a minute and then waits for the synchronization signal from the central clock before starting again, so that all swiss railway clocks are always syncronized every full minute. I guess in 1944 it was good enough.
It's red with a circle at the top because it's supposed to remind you of the signal paddle which was used by the station clerk responsible for the train arrival and departure.
Very little on that clock is there "by chance", it's actually a very considered design.
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Not to mention that Apple and Samsung are direct competitors (and most likely bitter at that). Apple and the Swiss Railways are not competitors at all. It's obvious there is much less trouble in reaching a friendly agreement in the latter case. I also expect the Swiss Railways to have been very reasonable in their demands.
Apple see's no problem in copying such a classic, well known design yet every other week they are knocking on Samsung's door with a patent suit for one thing or another.
What was that line in a recent report from Apple following the win over Samsung? Here it is:
"At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right."
One rule for Apple, and another for everyone else?
You might say "oh but this is just a simple clock design" but I disagree, as the principle is exactly the same. Stealing is stealing and copying is copying ... period.
Apple ... practice what you preach.
What was that line in a recent report from Apple following the win over Samsung? Here it is:
"At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right."
One rule for Apple, and another for everyone else?
You might say "oh but this is just a simple clock design" but I disagree, as the principle is exactly the same. Stealing is stealing and copying is copying ... period.
Apple ... practice what you preach.
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Huh, what! Apple sues giant Samsung, but wimps out in front of the SBB? Hmm... well... on second thought, I can see at least one (illogical but off-top-of-my head) reason for Apple's decision: Swiss people are huge consumers of Apple products. 9 out of 10 tablets bought in Switzerland are Ipads and the Iphone marketshare hovers slightly over the 50% mark (in the smartphone segment). Swiss people appreciate efficiency, quality, and elegance, all of which are found in Apple products. Can't really blame them.
Moral of the story: don't mess with the people who run the Swiss railways!
This post is, of course, partly true and partly tongue-in-cheek.
Some background info:
http://medientechnik-schreiber.ch/en/news/16-780000-iphones-in-switzerland
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/03/17/switzerland-leads-in-mac-market-share-around-the-world/
Moral of the story: don't mess with the people who run the Swiss railways!
This post is, of course, partly true and partly tongue-in-cheek.
Some background info:
http://medientechnik-schreiber.ch/en/news/16-780000-iphones-in-switzerland
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/03/17/switzerland-leads-in-mac-market-share-around-the-world/
Dude, if you don't know how to use Google I can't help you any... I'm guessing you're one of my Bro's students.
Didn't apple get caught steeling the design for the calculator as well? Whatever became of that?
http://core77.com/blog/technology/iphone_calculator_a_tribute_to_braun_classic_course_it_is_6929.asp
http://core77.com/blog/technology/iphone_calculator_a_tribute_to_braun_classic_course_it_is_6929.asp
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This is probably closest to the truth of what went on. What is curious to me is that Apple's IP attorneys probably advised the decisionmakers to go ahead and use the SBB design, despite knowing that the design was licensed to others. After all, the design has been around since 1944 and is iconic, especially in Europe. We will never know if this was the result of arrogance or incompentence on the part of Apple or its attorneys, but either way, it isn't good.
Fortunately, the early reports on this issue suggested SBB was quite willing to license the design. This is probably why an amicable agreement was reached in only a few weeks.
It is on the iPad. However, on your phone, if you ask Siri what time it is, she will respond and show you a clockface identical to the clock on the iPad (the SBB design). This is different that the design in the iPhone Clock app.
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Of course a clock face design can become proprietary property. This is Intellectual Property Law 101. Even if you or Apple execs didn't know, their attorneys should have.
Which is exactly my point? My questions ("why is there a circle on the second hand") were rhetorical, showing that the design is not just the result of paring down what is obviously non-essential, and that that's not a trivial task.
As you wrote, there's reasons why this clock looks the way it does, and those reasons aren't minimalism nor simple convention.
There is about as much similarity between Apple's clock app and the Swiss Railway clock as between an iPad and a Samsung tablet. And both designs are equally generic.
And when I say "about as much similarity" I mean "blatant copy", and with "equally generic" I mean "not generic at all".
Mondaine has been a license holder for a long time.
Don't know if they were flattered or not, but you would ask for money anyway. Would be stupid not to.
Actually no. The picture on the left is photoshopped.
The reason is much simpler. Apple pays up because they know their design is a copy. And Apple sues Samsung because they think Samsung is copying.
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Simple design? I think not, there are many variables in play here. Have any of you critiquing this clock design actually seen and heard one of these in real life? We have a similar design here in Sweden (i think most of Europe is today using a similar design, likely licensed and/or inspired by the swiss one) and part of the design is also how the hands move, the seconds-hand moves smoothly until it hits "12" where it pauses for about a second, then it starts again and the minute hand hops one minute mark. And if you stand close enough, you can hear the "tick" it makes when the minute hand makes it's hop. The sound itself is iconic. It is part of the soundscape of a railway station in my mind.
It was clear at the start that this was copying, but with no ill itent, and that something would be worked out.
The only ironic thing, is that one of the primary no-no's that will get a submission to the Apple App Store rejected, is a copyright problem.
Seems that Apple needs to submit their own apps through their own store's approval process
The only ironic thing, is that one of the primary no-no's that will get a submission to the Apple App Store rejected, is a copyright problem.
Seems that Apple needs to submit their own apps through their own store's approval process
No, I only have written articles online. I never created an online portfolio... I've considered it, but never felt the pressure because I've been with the same publisher for 13 years.