Xiaomi VP Hugo Barra Defends Against Copycat Accusations in New Interview

[bladerunner2000]

Did Apple claim that? If so that was wrong of them (and weird, given Steve Jobs publicly condoned "stealing" tech ideas). As for actually copying a technology (paying relevant fees of course), that fine, that's a good thing. I'm glad Exposé is finally coming to Windows 10, for example. That's a very different thing from ripping off other people's aesthetic designs, effectively copying their art style. Actually, that's not the best way of putting it - in art taking inspiration from somebody else's work and doing your own thing with it is perfectly valid, but this is more like coping their work paint stroke by paint stroke, chord by chord.

Watch the video, Steve Jobs clearly says:

We have invented a new technology called multitouch.... and boy have we patented it.

 

[okboy]

This sounds unfair to Xiaomi.............as a side note,Xiaomi is a Chinese word that translates as 'Apple'

No it doesn't.

 

[mazz0]

Simply a matter of coincidence...

Why is Steve Jobs presenting that Xiomi Keynote?!

 

[mariusignorello]

Just looking at that guys facial expressions he was basically saying "shut up and let us copy, you're being stupid". And also, saying "we don't take ourselves seriously"... how inspiring.

 

[KALLT]

Semantics. Even if I give you the benefit, his claims we're incredibly misleading which basically had, and still has, everyone fooled about what apple actually has invented. Did they invent it? No.

How do you know that? Have you looked at the patents in relation to Apple’s implementation of multi-touch yourself? In the video the presenter makes some valid points, but is really unclear when it comes to defining “invention”. He doesn’t provide a working definition and even disregards patentable matters in the field of software and industrial production, but merely says “hardware” that Apple has invented. This has to be assessed at a (highly) technical level and I have no expertise whatsoever to ascertain what Apple has contributed to the state of the art.

 

[Rocketman]

Is anyone really surprised? Hugo Barra copied the iPhone when he was part of Android at Google and Xiaomi saw how well he copied the iPhone that they scooped him up and set him to work at copying every single thing Apple does from the iPhone to the Apple Store to even Jobs "One More Thing". The guy is a human copy machine.

"Money isn't everything." - Steve Jobs

 

[bladerunner2000]

Technically, Jobs said that Apple had invented a technology that they call multi-touch. Different implementations exist and the principle behind multi-touch wasn’t new. It comprises lots of patents.

Even if that is the case and Steve Jobs' approach was one alike to McDonalds where they claim all their meat is 'Made with 100% Real Beef' where the difference is that '100% Real Beef' was just the name of a company.... how does that play with the actual invention itself when he says he somehow PATENTED it?

Apple tried pulling this kind of unethical crap on competing cell phone manufacturers with patents 'methods'... watch the video below.

I know this is a forum based on Apple, but there REALLY needs to transparency here and Apple deserves negative criticism in such cases where they believe they have some kind of entitlement or exclusive ownership to AMBIGUITY. To say otherwise is basically an insult to everyone.

 

[bladerunner2000]

How do you know that? Have you looked at the patents in relation to Apple’s implementation of multi-touch yourself? In the video the presenter makes some valid points, but is really unclear when it comes to defining “invention”. He doesn’t provide a working definition and even disregards patentable matters in the field of software and industrial production, but merely says “hardware” that Apple has invented. This has to be assessed at a (highly) technical level and I have no expertise whatsoever to ascertain what Apple has contributed to the state of the art.

Implementation is not the same as a claim to invention. They can implement it however the hell they like. But the moment Steve Jobs LIES about having invented it, THATS where I'm going to call him out on. Multitouch was invented in the 80s, so I don't even need to look into the patents; it's not Apple's.

 

[inscrewtable]

Xiaomi vice president Hugo Barra

That name looks suspiciously like Yogi Berra. Coincidence? You decide.

 

[AngerDanger]

Wallpaper?

Wallpaper:

 

[MaSx]

Putting aside "copycat" scenario, clearly in denial lol but that phone sure looks good though.

 

[sw1tcher]

Xiaomi's copycat antics led Apple chief designer Jony Ive to verbally skewer the company in a 2014 interview, where he famously said "I think it's theft and it's lazy. I don't think it's okay at all," following a statement from Xiaomi vice president Hugo Barra, who had said, "Our designers, our engineers are inspired by great products and by great design out there. And frankly who in today's world isn't?"

At the time, Ive went on to say Xiaomi's devices aren't a form of flattery. "When you're doing something for the first time, like with the iPhone... and you spend 7 or 8 years working on it and then it's copied - I have to be honest, the first thing I think isn't 'oh, that was flattering.' "

Steve Jobs: "Good artists copy, great artists steal"

 

[KALLT]

Even if that is the case and Steve Jobs' approach was one alike to McDonalds where they claim all their meat is 'Made with 100% Real Beef' where the difference is that '100% Real Beef' was just the name of a company.... how does that play with the actual invention itself when he says he somehow PATENTED it?

This is precisely the point I was making. Jobs merely said that Apple had invented a technology they call multi-touch and he went on to explain some aspects of it, e.g. that it ignores unintended touches, that it recognises multi-finger gestures and so forth. Multi-touch is a multi-faceted technology which probably comprises a whole list of bits and pieces that they patented. They likely didn’t have this one big thing called multi-touch that is covered by one single patent. Of course, Jobs was not a patent lawyer or technical expert and his presentation wasn’t meant to be overly technical. I believe that some people are interpreting a lot more into his words than he intended.

 

[bladerunner2000]

This is precisely the point I was making. Jobs merely said that Apple had invented a technology they call multi-touch and he went on to explain some aspects of it, e.g. that it ignores unintended touches, that it recognises multi-finger gestures and so forth. Multi-touch is a multi-faceted technology which probably comprises a whole list of bits and pieces that they patented. They likely didn’t have this one big thing called multi-touch that is covered by one single patent. Of course, Jobs was not a patent lawyer or technical expert and his presentation wasn’t meant to be overly technical. I believe that some people are interpreting a lot more into his words than he intended.

So then he purposely mislead people about what he said about multitouch by skirting around the definition to avoid being called a liar.

Doesn't help though, everyone today believes Apple invented a touch phone.

 

[subjonas]

This all seems so grey.

 

[that be me]

I'm sorry, I don't see any similarities.

 

[nooaah]

Again, we're talking about design and style, not features. The talk of multitouch is completely irrelevant.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Steve Jobs: "Good artists copy, great artists steal"

But when Android started copying iPhone he said this:

I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this.

So basically, Steve Jobs can copy and steal at will but he gets his panty's caught up in a bunch when it happens to him.

Interesting that people don't have a problem with that hypocrisy. Why is that?

 

[cmChimera]

Implementation is not the same as a claim to invention. They can implement it however the hell they like. But the moment Steve Jobs LIES about having invented it, THATS where I'm going to call him out on. Multitouch was invented in the 80s, so I don't even need to look into the patents; it's not Apple's.

Lol. "Who cares if Apple invented an improved multi-touch technology that was patentable, I have my own subjective, misguided, and irrational definition of invention, so screw Steve Jobs." Ok buddy, cool.

 

[KALLT]

Multitouch was invented in the 80s, so I don't even need to look into the patents; it's not Apple's.

So then he purposely mislead people about what he said about multitouch by skirting around the definition to avoid being called a liar.

Basically, you are saying: I have my own definition of “invention” and according to my definition, Apple has not invented multi-touch. That makes debating this pretty much pointless, because you are not concerned at all with the technical aspect of innovation. You do not know what Apple has contributed to the state of the art and what makes Apple’s multi-touch technology innovative and, by extension, patentable.

 

[jettredmont]

Sure... The chamfered edge is the only thing...

Exactly. You get the question you know is coming, and the first sentence of your answer is a flat-out lie. If you really think it all comes down to the chamfered edge on one device you are an absolute dolt and should have any kind of leadership position. Then immediately he turns to crying anti-China prejudice, which I have never seen any indication of whatsoever.

As I've said before, these guys are shameless copycats. I can't believe that they actually believe their "innovator" BS. I'd have much more respect for them if they just acknowledged the obvious design cue theft (don't call it theft, but pay someone to find a better synonym) and marketed themselves as "our internals are better". Same with Samsung, although they've toned down the copier mentality a bit over the last year. The hypocrisy is the problem.

 

[Daalseth]

There's nothing being stolen here unfortunately. Yes, the designs are similar. But you are not being forced NOT to buy Apple's product.

So why does it matter if you still get to have your iPhone?

No, they are slavishly copying the design, the promotional materials even the the marketing. There IS a difference between inspired and copying. They are copying.
Why does it matter? There was a Vanity Fair article a year or so ago about Samsung doing this repeatedly. Ask the people who lost their jobs when their parent company ended up leaving the business because because of these tactics. The company I work for is fighting this. A company in China bought one of the products we designed, patented, and copyrighted where appropriate, and now sells a line for line copy of it. It costs us sales. Why don't we go after them? A billion dollar Chines company vs our $10 million dollar company. They'd bleed us dry and they know it.

No, theft is theft, and it has very real costs.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Lol. "Who cares if Apple invented an improved multi-touch technology that was patentable, I have my own subjective, misguided, and irrational definition of invention, so screw Steve Jobs." Ok buddy, cool.

Improved multi-touch? Is that what Apple's invention is? I'm sure that would hold up in the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

'Hey, we wanna patent something that's already patented... but with quirks'

Funny, when competing cell phone manufacturers tried doing THAT with software patents, Apple went litigious on the entire industry!

 

[Macyourdayy]

Isn't it obvious? Apple used their time machines to go into the future, or is (was?) it the past, and copy (invent?) Xiaomi.

 

[NoNothing]

Semantics. Even if I give you the benefit, his claims we're incredibly misleading which basically had, and still has, everyone fooled about what apple actually has invented. Did they invent it? No.

Has Apple actually invented anything?

To answer that question, watch this video:

So in your view, the last invention was fire.