US Border Patrol Seized 2,000 OnePlus Buds Believing Them to Be 'Counterfeit Apple AirPods'

[SamuelZ]

Well, are they really look the same?

Yes, probably, because they must fit your ear.

You can also say that most cellphones are counterfeit of iPhone, since they all looked similar, unless you make a round-shaping one.

 

[TonyC28]

Reading the statement from CBP I am now convinced there has to be more to this. There is no way that no one involved, from seizure to press release, didn’t realize these were clearly different from AirPods.

 

[Beau10]

Either way they are counterfeits.

They really aren't though. Both the case, with its heavily rounded bottom, and the earphones with their conical connection from the stems to the speakers, are quite obviously different from Airpods. They're white and the design was clearly inspired, but this is crazy.

 

[timber]

It easy to laugh at this (and OnePlus probably deserve it) but it is quite incompetent to call counterfeit something that doesn't make any effort to be packaged like the original.
Looking exactly like the original is kind of the point of counterfeiting something. Even if the earphones look kind of similar would a google search be too difficult? They are as similar to airpods as iPhones are to other smartphones.

 

[gregohb]

I saw a lot of fake Apple products in China in 2008 - in fact the fake products were easier to find than the real ones.

 

[Smearbrick]

Yep. Funny how everything is the obvious shape after Apple does it.

Except when Apple first does it everyone says it’s a stupid shape, like an ear tampon, blah blah.

So the definition of obvious shape seems to be “shape apple’s had success with”

Yep... because earbuds never looked like earbuds until Apple made them. Personally, I think the earpod and the AirPod design suck.

 

[gbc204]

Imagine the super uncomfortable convo between boarder guards and OnePlus representative
" These are not counterfeit AirPods, it is legit earphones by OnePlus, are you blind, look at the box?" *guard blushes*
"Ok, then, why do they have the same colour, almost the inside, outside, earphones form and specs as The AirPods, maybe you were trying, (and i'm not afraid of this word) COPY them?" *One Plus representative blushes*

I mean, if you opened a box of smart phones and they were all powered off, how many would look almost exactly alike?
This is just another example of an inept government agency who have zero awareness of the things they're supposedly in charge of... Like, i don't know... climate change deniers running the EPA, men making laws about women's bodies, a guy heavily invested in private mail companies running the Postal Service...
The levels of self-owns/obliviousness like this CBP tweet are just reaching ridiculous levels, and... none of it matters, does it?

 

[rp100]

It’s very common for counterfeit goods to be imported with generic labeling. Upon receipt, the goods are rebadged and reboxed to mimic the look of the actual product. Customs and border patrol are trained to intercept these for proper investigation and these instances are treated differently than generic ”clone” products (i.e., the shipping container was specifically opened because of prior evidence, investigative efforts, complaints filed by manufacturers, importation behavior, etc.). While I’ve no doubt that customs was excited to intercept these alleged AirPod clones, they should not have been broadcasting it publicly and jeopardizing investigative efforts.

 

[robvalentine]

There are only so many shapes you can make earphones in... just cos there's a stick doesn't mean they copied apple... the rest of the earphone and the stick are clearly different. Not sure why so many people are trying to claim they are counterfeit. I guess they work for CBP and are trying to spare their colleagues blushes

 

[4jasontv]

Really?

Your AirPods look like this?

Ok.

Look pretty similar, yes. But my point was directed at your comment stating that these are not counterfeit because "There is no Apple branding on it at all". AirPods don't have Apple branding either, so by this point these are counterfeit. The box differences are irrelevant as they could be viewed as a device used to smuggle the items into the country.

 

[ChrisA]

In other news, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confiscated a shipload of "counterfeit Fords" manufactured by a company called "Honda". The cars were clearly Ford knock-offs as they had four black tires, glass windows, and seats inside.

 

[4jasontv]

Sometimes, people manage to join U.S. Customs without a high school education.

US Custom's agents don't need a high school education. They need a Bachelor’s Degree. Heck, even the Army isn't going to take most people without a high school education.

 

[4jasontv]

In other news, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confiscated a shipload of "counterfeit Fords" manufactured by a company called "Honda". The cars were clearly Ford knock-offs as they had four black tires, glass windows, and seats inside.

I too would be suspicious to see a shipload of Ford vehicles trying to enter the US.

 

[4jasontv]

You can also say that most cellphones are counterfeit of iPhone, since they all looked similar, unless you make a round-shaping one.

You could say that.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thank you, Border Patrol.

 

[Arctic Moose]

Look pretty similar, yes. But my point was directed at your comment stating that these are not counterfeit because "There is no Apple branding on it at all". AirPods don't have Apple branding either, so by this point these are counterfeit. The box differences are irrelevant as they could be viewed as a device used to smuggle the items into the country.

My cases clearly state “Designed by Apple in California” and all my AirPods have “Apple” and the model number on them. I don’t have a pair of OnePlus Buds to examine closely, but I’m pretty sure they do not.

 

[69Mustang]

It’s very common for counterfeit goods to be imported with generic labeling. Upon receipt, the goods are rebadged and reboxed to mimic the look of the actual product. Customs and border patrol are trained to intercept these for proper investigation and these instances are treated differently than generic ”clone” products (i.e., the shipping container was specifically opened because of prior evidence, investigative efforts, complaints filed by manufacturers, importation behavior, etc.). While I’ve no doubt that customs was excited to intercept these alleged AirPod clones, they should not have been broadcasting it publicly and jeopardizing investigative efforts.

Yeah, none of that holds water. They simply screwed up. They compounded that screw up by bragging about it on social media. Bragged on Twitter and now being ridiculed on Twitter. Karmic twist. They look the fool and rightfully so. There are no investigative efforts. Pretty sure they will be issuing a correction in short order. The only things they accomplished is agency embarrassment and an increase in One Plus' brand recognition... which One Plus is already using to their advantage.

 

[Geckotek]

AirPods don't have Apple branding either, so by this point these are counterfeit. The box differences are irrelevant as they could be viewed as a device used to smuggle the items into the country.

No. Just no. There are other factors including the design that make it obvious that they are not counterfeit. 4jasontv only gave one example....which admittedly could be incorrect....but the overall point is correct. They are NOT trying to intentionally pass as being an Apple product. They are mimicking design, but not trying to pass as actually being AirPods.

 

[tommyminahan]

Whether the seizure was indeed the result of a cock-up or just poor communication on CBP's part

I know this isn't the New York Times, but I feel like we could be using better grammar than "cock-up".

 

[derekamoss]

No reasonable person? It confused customs. I guess they aren’t reasonable?
[automerge]1600079172[/automerge]

I know. I was also being sarcastic. But I don’t feel the need for marking it.

This here!!!!! /S/ is for people who do sarcasm wrong because if it was good you wouldn't need to put it. And just so you know I'm not being sarcastic /s/ I'm being legit/L/

 

[derekamoss]

Also this is what they are saying now about it https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/14/...t-oneplus-buds-seized-apple-airpod-trademarks

 

[NufSaid]

I agree Apple should sue them into oblivion these are complete knock offs

 

[Arctic Moose]

Also this is what they are saying now about it https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/14/...t-oneplus-buds-seized-apple-airpod-trademarks

So now it’s a violation of Apple’s configuration trademark? That’s very different than the originally claimed counterfeiting.

Sounds like someone at CBP is grasping at straws attempting to get out of this mess.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

You know their intent? Or it’s not exact enough a copy? Just curious.

I mean a fake Rolex is not exactly the same as a real Rolex. And changing its logo to rowlex doesn’t mean it’s not an intent to deceive.

But these aren’t called Apple AirPowds. They’re called OnePlus Buds. It still may be crossing the lines of copying the design, but it’s not like a fake Rolex or fake AirPods. It’s like a watch by a totally different brand (e.g. Timex) and labeled as such, but having a similar design to a Rolex... which most traditional watches are pretty similar to each other.

 

[JoshBoy]

I wish these companies would come up with their own design to save any confusion in the market. Especially for anyone who is not that savvy.