Teenager Sells $130,000 Worth of White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits

[Hisdem]

I know that Apple's concern about the white iPhone (according to the rumors) is color matching, which, of course, I can't blame them for wanting it to be perfect. Was just some sarcasm there, guys

I would like to hear from those who got this kit though. Do the colors match or not?

 

[carlgo]

Great, now they will seal up all the doors and windows at Foxconn and cavity search the employees when the are allowed out. And some employees will just mysteriously disappear.

 

[wadejc85]

Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is... never try.

Thanks for the life lessons, Homer!

 

[Blocko]

Apple should sue for $1 million, give him $2 million, then hire him.

 

[Snowy_River]

Do you have proof apple ordered the destruction of the products?

There are a few outlets to get the same products but they are in China.

Of course not. I was saying that if these were the original parts that were rejected by Apple, then there isn't much wiggle room regarding the fact that they are stolen goods. It is highly unlikely that Apple released these parts for sale. It is much more likely that they were ordered stored or destroyed. Either way, they would now be stolen property.

Now, if they were from another manufacturer (i.e. a knock-off product), or from a non-Apple production run at Foxconn (though there may be some serious issues there, too, as under contract Apple may own all product coming off certain tools), then the only possible criminal issue would be patent infringement.

 

[Rooskibar03]

Well, if rumours about the reason for white iPhone delays are correct (i.e., leakage from the white casing affecting camera performance), then he's just selling Apple's rejects. Fair enough, I suppose, if people are willing to pay for them (especially that much $$$). It would be interesting to hear reports about camera performance after the conversion.

While I cannot say what his parts looked or felt like I can tell you this. There is a huge difference between parts.

I ordered a "Genuine Apple" White Back plate from ebay. The color was awful, the flash blew out every picture and camera lens cover distorted images.

I then ordered a full conversion kit from another vendor. The parts looked very close but the end result was way different. No light leak, no flash issues and pictures as good as my black one.

The front plate had Apple printed on the ribbon cables. Does this make it genuine? Doubtful but there is no way I'll ever be able to tell.

I'm super happy with the result, and with Dock and Headphone converted as well, I paid a lot less then this kid was charging.

 

[spongeandy87]

Thoughts on this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/White-OEM-iPh...ssories_RL&hash=item41547395ab#ht_1048wt_1141

 

[MrSmith]

The real crime is that there are people with hundreds of dollars to throw away on pretty phone covers while a billion people on the planet don't even have access to safe drinking water.

I'm sure my logic will be ripped apart, but I've made my point.

 

[rust0r]

The real crime is that there are people with hundreds of dollars to throw away on pretty phone covers while a billion people on the planet don't even have access to safe drinking water.

I'm sure my logic will be ripped apart, but I've made my point.

Do you have an iPhone 4 ? A car? Or other "non essential items" / luxury items ? EVERYONE, yes even individuals who want to make constant "poor starving African children" stance, have possessions they could do without. Sell your phone, sell your car, stop going to the movies, enjoy basic sustenance and give all your savings to foundations to help those in other counties...THEN you can scold everyone else about how they spend their hard earned dollars on luxury items

 

[MrSmith]

Never said I was Gandhi. My point is valid nonetheless.

 

[james92se]

Aren't there a half dozen or so other websites that sell/do the exact same thing as this kid? As well as likely hundreds of eBay sellers?

So, what I missing here? Why all the scrutiny for this kid?

Plus, his website clearly says they're non-OEM parts. So I really don't get all the negative hooplah here.

 

[rust0r]

Never said I was Gandhi. My point is valid nonetheless.

Though, it is with the assumption that if those people DIDN'T buy white kits, they would have given the money to the developing nations.

I understand what you're saying, the realist in me has just come to accept that this is the way the world has been, is, and will continue to be. 99% of people in developed nations will tell you how terrible is it that people live without clean drinking water, vaccination, etc, but if you asked them to give up one luxury in their life to contribute to fixing those injustices, they would not.

It's the classic thing of how people complain about child labor, foreign works who are forced to work 16 hour shifts 7 days a week but still want their cheap and shoes at super low prices.That however is a completely separate debate.

As for the kid in the news, I think it's amazing that he has set up this business for himself, most 17 year old kids today are too busy drinking, getting high and trying to bang everything possible. Even if he loses every penny he has profited through court costs, the amount of knowledge he has learned, and connections he will have will give him a great advantage in life (though he clearly already has one). If anything, the news coverage might get him some help or a job in the future, people love young kids like this who are able to do what he has done, legal or not.

 

[Terminal.app]

May have already been said, but seriously...$279 just to have a white iPhone? I paid $199 for my phone with a new contract...sheesh.

Nothing wrong with the black iPhone. Just seems a bit much to my dirty peasant mind.

 

[randname]

First, it would be patented material, not copyrighted material. And patent infringement, especially design patents, is really quite easy to pursue.

Quite possibly there are no actual patents covering the design of the case (would not pass requirement for non-obviousness or inventive step, unless some exotic materials are used, for example). What they no doubt have is an industrial design right to the case, which are called design patents in the US. They might also have trademark protection on shape. And, naturally, a contract with the actual manufacturer, which might pursue the person for stealing their products, if the products are not legally the property of Apple. This would not be an option if they are produced by some third party. There may be copyrights involved, if the product is deemed to pass the "threshold of originality". Some countries have laws on good business practices, which may apply in this case.

All in all, if it seems unlikely that a 17-year old kid could legally sell this stuff and make a bundle, it is probably true.

 

[Tonsko]

Just for those who thing this is a hand-slap kind of thing, I worked on a project where someone leaked an industrial design on a product and the FBI arrested them and they were facing 75 years in federal prison for it. This kind of stuff can get you more years than killing someone.

Depressing, but prolly true. Corporate muscle and lobbying power to protect their profits is more important than the taking of a life. Topsy-turvy, eh?

 

[studiomusic]

Where do you get your 4-5 million...?

You don't think Apple would sell 4-5 million white iPhones over the course of a few months?

 

[AwakenedLands]

Just to get a white phone people pay that much? It's just a phone. Shameful.

 

[SJSpike]

Steve Wozniak bought White iPhone kit, interview on Dutch website

Steve Wozniak bought White iPhone kit, interview on Dutch website:
http://nos.nl/video/199423-wozniak-wil-witte-iphone.html

 

[CFreymarc]

Pretty cool that some kid can take initiative and do what Apple apparently cannot.

I am sure there is going to be a bunch going back and forth. It is very hard to prosecute on this if it was a parts order the primary didn't accept. He may claim that he is just selling surplus or discarded parts as salvage. Love to know who is footing the PIs bill to harass this kid.

 

[ellyka112]

Good luck to that kid. He'll need it seeing Apple's recent track record with cases like this.

Lam's success has not gone unnoticed, however, as he has now received a letter from a purported private investigator claiming that Lam is trafficking in stolen goods. Lam intends to secure the services of a lawyer to defend himself against any possible action.

 

[My1stMacWasLisa]

Never said I was Gandhi. My point is valid nonetheless.

There is only a finite amount of water available within the Earth ecosystem an only a percentage of that is available for drinking at any given time. A far greater volume is used for agriculture to grow food for human consumption.

We could all sell our iPhones and Macs right now and donate the cash to a charity of your nomination but it wouldn't change the volume of water available within the Earth ecosystem.

The problem isn't wasteful spending of money. The problem is that Earth does not have enough water to support 7 billion human mouths.

Are these white iPhones genuine. Thought Foxconn would just eliminate employees who stole.

 

[ski2moro]

He is a minor. Can he be sued in NY? Better question might be, can they collect from a minor in NY?

 

[London Lad]

I thought you guys in the USA encouraged free enterprise !!!

Even if these goods came from Foxconn (which I doubt) if Apple ordered some items then rejected them (and I assume didn't pay for them) they would still belong to Foxconn. If Foxconn threw them away then they abandoned title to them and they cant be stolen.

Last time I looked it was not illegal to export to the USA so as long as the tax man gets his share of the profit what's the problem?

I think it's more likely he just had them copied.

Sheesh, what happened to innocent till proven guilty ? Its not for him to prove anything.

 

[Apollo21]

The problem isn't wasteful spending of money. The problem is that Earth does not have enough water to support 7 billion human mouths.

LMAO, is this a joke?? Has to be the dumbest thing I've read this month by a supposed adult.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Anyone who pays that much to have a white iPhone is misguided, and dumb.